Q&A: Can I hurry the potty training process before our new baby arrives?

by Jan Faull, MEd

I'm due in three months, and my toddler just won't use the potty. What should I do to get her interested before the new baby gets here?

It's really best not to set a potty training deadline for your child. She may learn to use the potty by time the baby arrives, and she may not. The baby is your timeframe, not hers.

Have her sit on her potty chair a couple of times each day, read potty stories to her, and have dolls and Teddy bears sit on the potty. Have her watch you and others use the toilet. Pressure to perform works against potty-training success. Also keep in mind that even if your child learns to use the potty before the baby arrives, she'll likely regress once the baby is born. (Read more about that here.)

Sign Up for Our Newsletters
Follow Us
from beyond babyzone:
Use a Facebook account to add a comment, subject to Facebook's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your Facebook name, profile photo and other personal information you make public on Facebook (e.g., school, work, current city, age) will appear with your comment. Comments, together with personal information accompanying them, may be used on BabyZone.com and other Disney media platforms. Learn More.
Real-mom dispatches from the Baby Zone
watch more videos
X

more in BabyZone

10 Excitingly Exotic Baby Names
10 Excitingly Exotic Baby Names
read more >