Kids go commando as nappy-less trend bids to solve toilet troubles and save families cash
This is no rash idea, says doctor and mum of four
DEALING with you kids' bowel movements can feel like a never ending battle.
They always pee when you decide to change them, throw a tantrum when want them back in nappies and defy every word when you try to potty train them.
But an alternative toilet training trend is gaining traction across the country - and claims to save the average £1,250 parents spend on nappies.
It’s called ‘baby-led potty training’ - a fancy way of saying that little ones are encouraged to do their business into a potty from birth rather than relying on nappies.
For it to work, you have to pay close attention to your child’s daily routine.
Jenn Philpott, who has raised her four children using this technique and now runs about it, says: “If the baby is still very small, timing is the best indicator.
"They usually need to go when they have just fed or woken up, so it’s simply a matter of being ready to hold them over the potty as soon as it happens.”
“Some even signal very clearly when they need to go. They blow raspberries or pull a particular face.
"When they learn to sign at about 12 to 13 months, you can also set up a particular hand motion, like a gentle slap on the chest, to help them express their need.”
Once you have a grip on when your child needs the loo, the next obstacle is mastering the best position.
The most commonly used one features the back and head of the baby resting against the chest of the parent, with their legs being held into a squat position by the thighs. However not all babies are created equal so it is worth trying out different positions to find the ideal match.
Although the technique might not work perfectly in the beginning, over time your baby will learn to associate that particular position with going to the toilet.
Philpott says: “When they’re tiny, children have this ingrained reflex reaction that helps them wee when you put them in the right position.
"So you just need to find that position, and as soon as they recognise it they will go.”
Once they can support themselves, you can begin placing them on the potty by themselves.
Accidents or ‘misses’ might still happen so Philpott suggests parents use back-up when out and about.
When these back-ups routinely come up dry, you know it is time to phase them out and officially consider your child 100 per cent potty trained. According to Philpott, this usually happens at about 18 months.
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Apart from minor setbacks, which can happen when children are too distracted by learning a major skill like crawling or by teething pain to focus on what their bowel is telling them, this is a much smoother process than traditional potty training.
Philpott explains: “A lot of people say: ‘I sit my child on the toilet and she sits there quite happily but she just won’t go.’ That’s because she doesn’t know what she is doing. She has no practice or control using these muscles. Whereas if you have always used a potty, she is used to it and knows what it is for.”
If children are constantly wearing nappies they might also get used to the wetness and, as a result, get desensitised to the feeling of needing the toilet, making re-training them all the harder. Instead of introducing a major change from nappies to potties, baby pottying is then a gentler way of phasing in independent toilet use, which is less likely to meet with resistance.
Philpott says that, contrary to how it might sound, baby pottying is ultimately less work than using nappies: “It’s so much quicker to just pop a child on the toilet and not have to deal with any of the mess.” This also eliminates the hassle of lugging around a changing matt, new clothes and baby wipes wherever you go.
Despite all these benefits, it still might seem quite a time-intensive process for some parents, not least those juggling multiple children and full-time jobs. But it is important to remember that the degree to which you rely on the potty can be adjusted to your circumstances.
She says: “Some parents just put their kid on the potty at nappy changes. Others only try to catch the poos and use nappies in between. The child still gets used to a potty and understands what is going on but parents don’t need to be on standby 24/7. That way, you can completely fit it to your lifestyle and childcare arrangements.”
Of course, it should not be assumed that nurseries will automatically cater to these special circumstances, but child minders will often do their best if you try to explain the situation to them.
“If you say ‘Please put my child on a potty at nappy changing times’ instead of asking them to watch your child like a hawk and do this or that every twenty minutes, they are mostly happy to oblige or reach a compromise,” Philpott explains.
It might be then, that all that is standing in the way of your potty training success are nappies. So why not try going commando? It won’t cost you a single penny.