Why not go without a diaper right away?

Good to know

• Potty training is something your child needs to learn. It’s about sensing what’s happening in their body and understanding: what is the toilet for? You’ll be there to help your child with this.
• Your baby is getting better and better at sensing what’s happening in their little body. First after the fact, then during, and only then beforehand.
• If you take the diaper off all at once, your child will mainly feel the sensation (while it’s happening). But your child doesn’t yet understand why this is happening or what to do in that situation. You’ve skipped the learning process. As a result, it often takes longer.
• So how do you get started? For example, you can point out when your child pees or poops in the diaper. Or you can work together to flush a poop from the diaper down the toilet.
• Wait until later to start potty training. By then, your child will have a better sense of the sensation (something’s coming, and I need to do something about it). This often makes the process go more smoothly and results in fewer accidents.
• In Ready for Potty , we Ready for Potty this up gradually. In Step 1, the diaper is still on. In Step 2, the diaper comes off for an hour at a time. In Step 3, the diaper stays off more often and for longer periods. In Step 4, the diaper is finally off completely. Each step usually takes a few weeks—sometimes a little shorter or longer. Follow your child’s lead; don’t rush things.