When can we stop using diapers during the day?

Have you been potty training for a while now? And is your little one spending more and more time without a diaper? If so, you might be ready to stop using diapers.

You can leave the diaper off during the day if:

… your child can stay dry for half a day. This means that your child will have almost no accidents during the hours without a diaper.

…even if your child has already peed or pooped on the toilet. So not just on the potty.

…your child usually lets you know in time: I have to go now!

By pointing out the signs your child shows when they need to go (fidgeting, looking uncomfortable, hiding) and practicing going without a diaper for short periods, your child will gradually get better at sensing what’s happening. Your child will also learn what to do when they feel a pee or poop coming: go to the potty or the toilet. Potty training happens in 4 steps. So don’t take the diaper off all at once. First, your child will learn to sense what’s happening while wearing a diaper and understand what the potty and toilet are for.

Going without a diaper is the final step in potty training. For you as a parent, this means paying extra attention and practicing, practicing, practicing! Have you gone a few days without a diaper? And did it go well? Then don’t put the diaper back on—that’s confusing. There will still be accidents, but they’ll happen less and less often. Your child can also go to daycare or the childminder without a diaper during this step. Just let them know that your child is still practicing. In Ready for Potty, this is step 4.