Potty training: with or without underwear?

Maybe your little one would rather not run around the house with a bare bottom all day. Or maybe you don't want that yourself. It doesn't have to be all day, either. And in Step 1, the diaper stays on.

But it’s important for your child to start feeling the difference between wearing a diaper and being completely naked. Do this for half an hour or an hour a day, a few times a week (Step 2). This helps your child feel what happens when they pee or poop. Children don’t feel this as well when wearing underwear, because it feels similar to a diaper—especially at first.

Has your child already peed or pooped in the potty? If so, you can start putting on underwear instead of leaving their bottom completely bare. Pay extra attention to whether your child needs to go. To help them learn to sense when they need to go, you can also put on underwear first and then the diaper (step 2). Also set aside times to practice with their bottom bare. If necessary, turn up the heat a bit during those times.

Starting in step 3, your child can wear underwear while practicing without a diaper.

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