As your child grows, you can help them to learn words or signs for the potty, how to push their pants down and pull them up again, using toilet paper, handwashing and hand drying Your newborn’s first poo will be a dark green, tar-like substance called meconium. This is normal – it’s your baby’s stomach and bowel emptying after 9 months in the womb. You might see dark green poos for a few days.

Before they can start training, your child needs to be given lots of opportunities for learning. Babies are born ready to learn new skills with our help and the best way for them to do so is through practice and repetition. Only offer the first stage formula milk as hungrier baby milks can increase the risk of your baby becoming constipated If your child gets very upset without a nappy or pull-up on, or starts to avoid doing a wee or poo, it could also be a sign that your child is constipated. Often, children who are constipated hold off from doing a poo to avoid pain caused by passing a hard or large poo.

A guide to your baby’s poo and wee

Using the toilet away from home is a good thing for your child to get used to.Talk to them about things like how the flush at the supermarket is different from the one at home or nursery for example. Try to change nappies or pull-ups as soon as they are wet or soiled. This teaches your child that it is normal to be clean and dry

For most children, encouraging and supporting them to be as independent as possible is the best way to motivate them. Do not shame or punish your child about accidents, as stress and upset can make it harder for you and your child to learn together.Ensure you are preparing the formula feeds with the correct amount of scoops to water (using the scoop provided with the tin) Plenty of wet nappies is a good sign. It shows that your baby is getting enough milk and other fluids. The wetting will happen less as your baby gets older, but it might still happen at least 6-8 times a day. From the time your child can safely sit up by themselves, they can start sitting on a potty with your help. Learning to sleep without a nappy on at naptime and use the potty when they wake up, will help prepare your child for being dry at night.