As promised, here are more tips for early potty training success. There’s really no definition for “early”. Personally, I prefer to have my kids on underwear by around 2 years old, at least when awake. The reasons for early potty training have been mentioned in 18 Sure-Fire Tips for Early Potty Training Success. Of course, you may have your own preference.

The tips below are more for toddlers aged 1 to 3 years old. Older preschoolers aged 4 to 6 years old may need other (more “aggressive”?!?) methods to accelerate progress.

General tips…

1. Set no expectation: Without an expectation on Vee’s progress, I avoided disappointment and frustration. We simply moved a little week by week, and enjoyed each progress. (This “no expectation” attitude actually applies to many aspects of bringing up a child.)

2. Choose suitable diapers or training pants: These are the main choices for potty training:

1. Cloth diapers or training pants with feel-wet fabric, with waterproof layer
2. Cloth diapers or training pants with feel-wet fabric, without waterproof layer
3. Regular underwear

(Note: I left disposable diaper or pull up pants from the above because the ultimate goal is to help the child wear only regular underwear, so she needs to get used to wearing cloth next to her bums.)

Just in case you were wondering, training pants are optional for potty training, especially if your child is already on feel-wet cloth diapers. You may progress from cloth diapers straight to underwear, like how our parents and grandparents did it.

And if you’re looking into getting training pants, there’s a small section on how to choose suitable ones at the end.

3. Observe progress then decide when to go diaper-free: I want to minimize wet messes (and frustration), in case Vee-the-super-heavy-wetter pees on toys and mattresses that can’t be cleaned easily. So from 7 months old, he has been wearing modern cloth diapers while being potty trained.

To accelerate success at the last lap during the day, I let him wear thin cloth diapers and non-waterproof training pants. Once he pee-ed, they’d leak and wet the floor, giving him a shock. After 2 very wet accidents, he started telling me consistently before pee-ing. Then we were finally confident enough to go diaper-free. The key is to observe when the child is almost ready.

4. Try different toileting options: A child who doesn’t like the potty may be excited at using the “big” toilet like Mummy. At different locations, I let Vee pee in the potty, on a toilet seat, and portable potty. I let him pee sitting, while hubby prefers to let him pee standing. This way, he’s also very versatile wherever we go.

Potty training when outdoors…

5. Visit the toilet before the next destination: This prevents accidents while in the car or public transport. Sometimes, we still forget and have to stop somewhere convenient to let him pee. Oops!

6. Have a portable potty in the car (or even diaper bag): We love to use Kalencom 2-in-1 Potette Plus*. Once, we were driving along the Singapore-Malaysia highway and Vee needed to POO. We stopped at the nearest rest station, pulled out the portable potty and he poo-ed while sitting along a corridor! The toilet was too far away. It was a hilarious sight indeed.

Potty training for naps and overnight…

7. Visit the toilet as part of bedtime routine: Vee takes up to an hour before falling asleep. So if he has a big bowl of soup for lunch, he may pee up to FOUR times before nap!

8. Before waking your child up to pee, consider her sleeping pattern: Vee’s a super light sleeper. Sometimes, he wakes up to request for a diaper change after he wets himself. That abruptly marks the end of his nap or he’d need 1-2 hours to fall back to sleep again! This is no fun at all. So I don’t wake him up to pee, and let him wake up by himself or hold till morning.

If your child sleeps well, then you may try waking her up to pee at night. A suitable time is when she shifts from deep sleep to light sleep cycle, and starts stirring.

9. Place a protective layer on mattress: We use a soft waterproof mattress protector (by BabySafe) under the bedsheet.

On his bed, he sleeps directly on a piece of water-resistant fleece blanket folded into several layers. (I bought this from Aussino.) It’s much easier to change and wash the fleece blanket than the entire bedsheet, especially at night. Do note that sleeping on fleece feels slightly warm, so it’s more suitable in an air-conditioned room.

10. Limit fluid intake before bedtime: I decreased Vee’s milk intake from 1  to 1/3 cup before bed; and increased it during snack time. He gets some bread during supper to last him through the night. This has successfully helped him wake up dry on some mornings.

11. Expect regression and deal with it positively: Vee regressed just after Baby Jae arrived. He pooped twice on his diaper (without waking me up) and pee-ed once on his highchair. Of course, I was upset at first and spoke to him firmly after these incidents. Upon reflection, I realised he needed more attention from me, so I ensure he gets sufficient attention during the day.

How to Choose Training Pants

Nowadays, there’re many types of training pants or cloth diapers that can double up as training pants. These are some factors to consider:

• Feel wet fabric: It’s important to let your child feel wetness and discomfort to wish to progress from wearing diapers. Generally, cotton and bamboo feel wettest, followed by microfleece, then suede cloth.
• Suitable absorbency: For daytime, underwear-like training pants with extra layers of fabric in the wet zone is appropriate. For nap and overnight, having the option to stuff additional inserts would be good.
• Fits well: If the training pants are too loose, the rise is too long or thigh circumference too big, leaks are more likely to occur. It should also fit comfortable on your child.
• Easily pulled up and down by adult and child: Ideally, the training pants should be pulled easily by your child when she needs to use the potty. This also depends on her motor skills development. For instance, Vee was day potty trained before he could pull his pants down. It took another few months before he could pull them up. That’s one reason why we could skip training pants and move straight to underwear.
• Waterproof or water-resistant layer: This helps to keep moisture away from sofas, beds, wooden floors, etc. PUL and TPU are commonly-used waterproof fabric; while fleece is water-resistant. More important for outdoors, nap and overnight, less for daytime so that you know immediately when your child pees.
• Attractive colour or design: Depending on the child, she may want to wear attractive training pants and not wish to wet them.

© 2009-2012 Veezian Pte. Ltd. | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Mummy's Reviews™ subscribers. If you like this post, you may share its link: [Potty Training] 11 More Tips for Early Success. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

Related posts:

1. 18 Sure-Fire Tips for Early Potty Training Success
2. [Potty Training] Cloth diaper that can be used as training pants (Blueberry Basix AIO Cloth Diaper)
3. [Potty Training] Daddy-approved pull-up pants (Kissaluvs Pocket Trainers)

Happy 2012 to you! For the first post this year, I’m reviewing Blueberry Basix AIO Cloth Diaper, provided by Milagro Trading (previously known as Whoopeekiddies).

Vee has been day potty-trained since 23+ months old, and we’re still working on getting him dry when he’s asleep. He’s using this diaper as training pants for night-time potty training.

After 4 months of testing, I like the Blueberry Basix for its comfortable fit and versatile absorbency. It’s among our favourite cloth diapers that dual-functions as training pants.

About Blueberry Basix AIO Cloth Diaper

These are the main features of the AIO (All in One) cloth diaper:

• Outer fabric: PUL
• Inner fabric: Microfleece
• Soaker:  Microfiber terry (3 sewn in layers)
• Closures: 4 side snaps. 3 snap settings per side.
• Country of origin: Made in the U.S.A.

They’re available in 3 sizes; and a variety of colours and prints.

First Impressions

The colourful owl print is super-cute! Being a side snapping diaper, it’s trim and suitable for pulling up and down during potty training.

Though the diaper’s an AIO, there’s a back pocket opening for stuffing more inserts to boost absorbency.

It comes with a soaker that’s sewn in yet can agitate out during wash for quick drying. There’s a front pocket opening for the soaker to escape.

Our Detailed Review

Rating Guide: ★ Oh no!     ★★ Poor     ★★★ Fair     ★★★★ Good     ★★★★★ Excellent!

(a) Prewash & Laundry: ★★★★ I prewashed the Blueberry Basix by hand in warm water, and it started absorbing. Unfortunately, the diaper cannot be washed with hot water.

Yes, the sewn in soaker does agitate out during washing. I’m still fascinated by the convenience. It takes about 1+ days to dry when it’s cloudy.

(b) Ease of Use: ★★★★ There’re only 4 side snaps to handle. For short hours, no insert is needed for the AIO — very easy to use. We add in a hemp insert to use it overnight, so that’s like a pocket diaper.

Vee’s rather chubby, so it’s ok (not super easy) to pull up and down.

(c) Fit / Trimness: ★★★★★ Vee wears size Large and is on the largest waist setting. The rise is just nice for him, not too long, unlike some Large cloth diapers.

Side snaps provide a very good fit on him. I love this.

The elastics at the back and thighs are sturdy yet gentle without leaving red marks. Vee has a big belly, so it’s good that the diaper rests nicely under his tummy.

Here’re his sexy bums…

(d) Performance: ★★★★ Vee likes the owl design so much that he’s wearing them to bed every alternate night, once they’re dry.

The microfleece inner layer feels damp when pee-ed on, which is fine to aid in potty training.

The sewn-in soaker is only 3 layers of microfiber terry, so it isn’t for heavy wetters during sleeping time.

The size of the pocket opening size is generous. We add in a hemp insert to use it overnight. We’d no leak for a few months until Vee’s pee volume increased during a recent period. Now, he has improved and the diaper is able to hold overnight again. (Our night-time potty training journey is like a yo-yo.)

On some mornings, he’d “apologise” to the owls for wetting them, and that he’d try to keep them dry the next time!

We didn’t get to test the diaper with poo.

(e) Quality: ★★★★★ The sewing and workmanship is excellent. After many washings, the diaper still looks and performs as good as new.

(f) Overall Value: ★★★★ Each Blueberry Basix retails at SGD30. In the U.S., the suggested retail price is USD16.95.

Over the entire diapering period, sized diapers usually requires a larger investment than one size diapers. Yet I’ve always loved sized diapers (especially side snapping ones) for the great fit and ease of use. The Blueberry Basix is a good choice for potty training toddlers, even overnight.

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What we like about it:

• Cloth diapers that double up as training pants
• Large pocket opening to add inserts for overnight use
• Sewn-in insert agitates out in the wash for shorter drying time
• Gentle leg and back elastics that leave no red marks on chubby toddler
• Lovely prints

What can be improved:

• Use fabric that can withstand occasional hot washes

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Get Your Own (with Discount!)

To get your own Blueberry Basix AIO Cloth Diapers and other cloth diapering products, visit Milagro Trading.

• Special Treat: 10% discount off regular priced cloth diapers products
• Discount Code: MUMMYREVIEWS12
• Validity Period: Until 30 June 2012

Live outside Asia? You may also check the price at Amazon here: Blueberry Basix AIO Cloth Diaper*
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P.S. Coming up next is a review on Kissaluvs Pocket Trainers, for day-time and outdoor potty training.

Also, read more on 18 Sure-Fire Tips for Early Potty Training Success.

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Disclosure: I received 1 pair of Blueberry Basix AIO Cloth Diapers from Milagro Trading for review.

Mummy’s Reviews™ is a review site that receives compensation if readers make purchases from affiliate links (these are marked with an *). If we receive compensation from the companies whose products we review, this would be disclosed. These compensation help to maintain and grow Mummy’s Reviews™. We test each product thoroughly and give ratings according to our experience with it. We are independently owned and the opinions expressed here are our own.

© 2009-2012 Veezian Pte. Ltd. | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Mummy's Reviews™ subscribers. If you like this post, you may share its link: [Potty Training] Cloth diaper that can be used as training pants (Blueberry Basix AIO Cloth Diaper). Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

Related posts:

1. [Potty Training] Daddy-approved pull-up pants (Kissaluvs Pocket Trainers)
2. Review: weehuggers Diaper Cover is too gorgeous for pants
3. Review: Kissaluvs Fitted Diapers helped Vee to potty train

Today, I’m reviewing Kissaluvs v2.0 Cotton Fleece Fitted Cloth Diaper, provided by Milagro Trading (previously known as Whoopeekiddies). Kissaluvs has been a highly popular choice for cloth diapering newborns. Before Vee was born, I wanted to buy Size 0, but they were out of stock. This time, I’m excited to try it on 2-year old Vee.

After 4 months of testing, I like Kissaluvs v2.0 for its ease of use, breathability and durability; it’s very good for aiding potty training too.

What’s a Fitted Cloth Diaper?

In case you were wondering, a fitted cloth diaper is a one-piece diaper that has all-round absorbency, not just in the middle. Some fitted diapers allow you to increase absorbency with snap-on or lay-in soakers. This makes it a good diaper for tummy and side sleepers, or babies who roll all over the bed when asleep. It prevents leakage at the waist area.

It’s breathable and doesn’t have a waterproof outer layer. So when waterproofness is needed (for e.g. during sleep), you’d have to add a cover over the diaper.

A popular night-time cloth diapering solution is to use breathable fleece or wool cover over a fitted diaper with stay-dry layer and extra soakers. This provides high absorbency and breathability all-night long — fantastic for heavy wetters and babies with sensitive skin. More information on night-time diapering would be covered in future.

About Kissaluvs v2.0 Fitted Cloth Diapers

These are the main features of the fitted diaper:

• Outer fabric: Cotton fleece (90% cotton, 10% recycled polyester)
• Soaker: Microfibre (hidden)
• Closures: 4 front snaps. 1 row of 8 waist snaps. Overlapping wing flaps.
• Country of origin: Pocket diaper made in the U.S.A. and Egypt; Microfibre inserts made in China

They’re available in 3 sizes, differentiated by the colour of the stitching. It comes in unbleached and colours.

First Impressions

I’ve heard so much rave about Kissaluvs’ softness and it was indeed very soft when I received it! However, there’s a good chance that it’d stiffen up after line-drying.

I adore the side ruffles and rainbow stitching. It’s a very girlish-looking diaper in pastel purple. Oh whatever… I’ve enough boyish-looking diapers and welcome the change. I dress Vee up in pink and purple sometimes; his fair skin looks great in these colours.

It has a lifetime snap guarantee, which speaks volumes about how confident Kissaluvs is about its product.

Our Detailed Review

Rating Guide: ★ Oh no!     ★★ Poor     ★★★ Fair     ★★★★ Good     ★★★★★ Excellent!

(a) Prewash & Laundry: ★★★★★ I prewashed the Kissaluvs fitted diaper by hand in cold water, and it started absorbing. For normal laundry, its one-piece design means ultimate convenience — no need to handle separate inserts or soakers. It takes about 1+ days to dry when it’s cloudy.

After line drying under the hot sun, it stiffens up a little, yet still considered soft.

Tip: To soften stiff diapers and inserts, throw them into the dryer (if you’ve one) for a few minutes occasionally.

(b) Ease of Use: ★★★★ When waterproofness is not a priority (for e.g. potty training at home), then Kissaluvs is very easy to use, with only 4 snaps in front, and no rise settings to handle. Even hubby finds it easy.

It’s a good alternative to cloth training pants, minus the ease of pulling up and down. We like to use it without a cover for breathability and convenience, so I’m giving it 4 stars.

If you need waterproofness, then this diaper needs a cover, which means baby has to stay still for a few more seconds. This would be easy for a newborn, but more challenging for an actively-moving baby or toddler.

(c) Fit / Trimness: ★★★★★ Kissaluvs v2.0 is Vee’s first fitted diaper, though we’ve long been using semi-fitted or pocket fitted diapers for night-time. I like its trimness and Vee’s fluffy bums with ruffles are soooo pretty to look at. Another reason not to put a cover over it!

There’s also no wing droop problem, which can happen in diapers with only a single row of snaps.

Size 2 (Large) is wide and isn’t easily covered by most one-size and medium diaper covers. The collage below shows Kissaluvs v2.0 used with a Weehuggers Diaper Cover (review to be posted very soon).

The elastics at the back and thighs are sturdy yet gentle without leaving red marks. Vee has a big belly, so it’s good that the diaper rests nicely under his tummy.

Here’re his sexy bums…

(d) Performance: ★★★ As mentioned, I used this Kissaluvs fitted diaper during the potty training stage, without a cover. With 1 hidden microfleece soaker, this diaper can work for a newborn but isn’t very absorbent for a toddler. Most of the time, it can absorb one of Vee’s pees.

On 2 incidents, Vee did a “forceful” and voluminous pee, which overflowed onto the floor. Vee got a little shock because he hates wet floors. I took the chance to make a small deal out of the pee puddle, reminding him to tell me before pee-ing in future. Ever since that couple of accidents, he became day-time potty trained! Woo hoo! This is THE type of cloth diapers that help in potty training success:

1. No stay-dry suedecloth / microfleece inner layer means child can feel the wetness immediately
2. No waterproof PUL outer layer means the caregiver knows immediately when the child pees, to remind him to use the toilet / potty in future
3. Absorbent enough for only 1 pee

I tested it for a nap by laying a stay-dry fleece liner on top, adding a soaker behind and wrapping it up with a PUL diaper cover. It worked but the 4-piece system is too troublesome.

We didn’t get to test the diaper with poo. From my observation, if the Kissaluvs fitted is used with a sturdy diaper cover, there’d be 2 elastics — hardly any room for the most explosive poo to escape.

(e) Quality: ★★★★★ The sewing and workmanship is excellent. After many washings, the diaper still looks and performs as good as new.

(f) Overall Value: ★★★★ Each Kissaluvs v2.0 retails at SGD21 each. In Singapore, I can’t really compare because hardly any store retails fitted diapers. In the U.S., the suggested retail price is USD13.95, which is at the lower end of fitted diapers, probably because of its low absorbency. It’s a good choice for light wetting newborns or during potty training.

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What we like about it:

• Gentle leg and back elastics that leave no red marks on chubby toddler
• Very cute design — loves the ruffled hems in rainbow stitching and fluffy bums
• Easy to use — Daddy-approved
• Lifetime snap guarantee

What can be improved:

• I like it as it is for potty training. For heavy wetters, I’d suggest taking a look at Kissaluvs Organic Cotton / Hemp Fitted Diapers.

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Get Your Own (with Discount!)

To get your own Kissaluvs v2.0 Cloth Diapers and a WIDE range of products for babies, kids and Mummy, visit Milagro Trading (previously known as Whoopeekiddies). Currently, it seems that only Size 1 in unbleached is available. If you’d like other sizes and colours, just drop Yee Ling an email for information on the next shipment.

• Special Treat: 10% discount on cloth diapering products and accessories (regular items only)
• Discount Code: MUMMYREVIEWS11
• Validity Period: Until 31 August 2011

Live outside Asia? You may check the price at Amazon here: Kissaluvs v2.0 Cotton Fleece Fitted Diaper*

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Disclosures: I received a Kissaluvs v2.0 Cloth Diapers for review.

*: affiliate link to support the growth and maintenance of Mummy’s Reviews™
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P.S. Catch all my Cloth Diapering Tips HERE. There’d be more tips coming up soon, so stay tuned!

© 2009-2012 Veezian Pte. Ltd. | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Mummy's Reviews™ subscribers. If you like this post, you may share its link: Review: Kissaluvs Fitted Diapers helped Vee to potty train. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

Related posts:

1. [Potty Training] Daddy-approved pull-up pants (Kissaluvs Pocket Trainers)
2. [Potty Training] Cloth diaper that can be used as training pants (Blueberry Basix AIO Cloth Diaper)
3. Review: BABYBJÖRN Potty Chair

If you’re planning to travel with baby some time this year, then this article is just for you. Since Vee was a baby, we’ve travelled several times via road and air between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur (in Malaysia). Then 3 months ago, we visited beautiful Perth in Australia. I’ve even survived a few flights with Vee alone.

Comparing our recent versus the first trip, my packing has become much more compact and organised. Hubby’s very relieved at my improved packing skills. (I know this sounds crazy, but on our first road trip, I brought Vee’s bath tub along. Just look at the picture above!) Read on for our travel tips and download an extensive packing checklist at the end.

Travel Tips

(a) Road Trip

1. Choose departure time wisely: depart once baby is freshly-awake or just before nap time, depending on whether baby sleeps well on the road.
2. Try to travel in the day: some babies may fuss over long distances in the dark. In case of any road emergency, it’s also easier to make contingency plans in the day.
3. Always let baby travel in a car seat: you may be a safe driver, but other drivers may be reckless.
4. If baby is awake when travelling in a car seat, stop for a rest after about 2 hours. Use this time to change diapers or feed her.
5. Bring a bag filled with her favourite toys and books. Children’s attention span for each toy could be very short, so entertain her with a new toy often. For toddlers, offer activities such as sticker books and puzzles.
6. Prepare a few types of baby’s favourite healthy snacks. Examples are bread, o-shaped cereals and fruits.
7. Load CD player with many nursery rhymes and sing to baby along the way.

(b) Flight

1. For babies who sleep well anywhere, choose a night flight so that you can rest during the flight. For fussy sleepers, choose a day flight so that baby won’t be screaming the plane down when everyone’s trying to sleep.
2. Book a bassinet seat in advance.
3. If the ticket’s at a good price and budget allows, get an extra ticket for baby and get more space. This is especially useful when Mummy’s travelling alone with baby. (Interestingly, on a few flights, getting an extra ticket is CHEAPER than the admin fee for baby travellers. So check beforehand.)
4. During take-off and landing, let baby suckle at the breasts, drink from a bottle / sippy cup or suck a pacifier. This reduces possibility of ear pain.
5. If you’d like to breastfeed baby during flight (and are travelling alone with baby), consider getting a window seat for more privacy.
6. Check customs’ and airline’s restrictions for bringing baby food and fluids on board. Some allow bringing baby food, milk, water, medication and medicated creams.
7. Check if airline allows bringing stroller until just before boarding flight. For JetStar Airways S’pore-KL route: the answer is yes. If the stroller must be checked in, some airports provide rental strollers. (Give the rented stroller a GOOD wipe before using though.)

(c) Accommodation

1. For long trips, consider accommodation with laundry facilities. This way, you can afford to pack less.
2. If you’d like to cook for baby during the trip, consider getting accommodation with kitchen facilities. Usually, a serviced apartment offers more space, laundry and kitchen facilities, if budget allows.
3. Request for baby cot in advance. Even if you practise co-sleeping, you may use it as a play-pen or a temporary safe zone for baby in a new non-child-proof environment.
4. If you’re travelling with 2 or more children, request for a king-sized bed and extra bed in advance. Also, request for a non-smoking floor to protect baby’s sensitive nose.
5. Upon reaching the place, scan it for dangerous corners, sockets, switches, oven knobs, etc., so that you may take try to baby-proof it.
6. If you’re used to bathing baby in a tub, check whether the accommodation has a tub. If not, consider bringing an inflatable travel tub.

(d) Feeding

1. Breastfeeding baby directly is the most convenient way during travels. Otherwise, bring sufficient milk powder and bottles / cups for the entire trip.
2. If baby has started weaning, bring packed baby food to last at least the first 2 days. The packet or pouch type are more compact, lighter and less fragile than those in glass jars. Examples are Rafferty’s Garden and Organic Bubs. Most supermarkets in urban cities would have baby food on sale.
3. If you’d like to cook for baby during the trip, check customs restrictions whether you’re allowed to bring in fresh produce. Otherwise, buy groceries on the first 1-2 days upon reaching. Essential items in general are vegetables, fruits, eggs, milk and bread. Bring a travel-size steamer for fast and easy food preparation.

(e) Diapering

Disposable inserts or diapers are the most convenient during travels. If you’d prefer to cloth-diaper baby as much as possible (especially if she has sensitive skin), these are the tips:

1. For 2-3 days trip, you may cloth diaper baby as usual. Prepare a large wet bag to bring the laundry home to wash.
2. For a longer trip, consider an accomodation with laundry facilities, such as a serviced apartment or a hotel with D-I-Y laundry room. Hotel laundry services are usually expensive and may not laundry cloth diapers appropriately. A dryer would be useful to dry inserts / soakers and allow you to reuse them quickly.

Some diapering options to save luggage space:

1. All-in-Twos (AI2): reuse shell; replace soaker during change unless soiled
2. Pocket diaper: add a diaper liner to reuse pocket; simply replace insert during change unless soiled

(f) Potty-Training

1. If baby or toddler is going through potty-training, bring a travel potty during trips, so that she won’t have to re-learn her skills after the trip.
2. If possible, encourage baby or toddler to poo in the potty or toilet, to avoid poopy mess on the go.

Packing Checklist

I did up a packing checklist so that we can conveniently refer to it for future trips. It’s VERY extensive. You may not need all the items, so just pack what you think would be essential for the particular trip.

Download your Packing Checklist HERE (pdf).

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P.S. Feel free to bookmark this page and share it with your friends. Have a splendid year ahead!

© 2009-2012 Veezian Pte. Ltd. | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Mummy's Reviews™ subscribers. If you like this post, you may share its link: Travelling with Baby: Tips and Packing Checklist. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

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1. [Travelling Essentials #1] Review: Baby’s Portable Placemat – Kiddopotamus Tiny Diner

Potty training has been a relatively stress-free and enjoyable process for Vee and I. We started the learning process when he was 7 months old after reading about pre-potty training from The No-Cry Potty Training Solution* by Elizabeth Pantley. In fact, I have only read until the part on pre-potty-training and we have progressed very well on our own!

Why Start So Early?

Before moving to the tips, here are 8 brief reasons why we started early:

1. A young and ‘blur’ baby is likely to accept the potty (just another chair) easier than an older and active toddler, who is busy with exploring the world.
2. Starting early reduces the chance of diaper dependence, i.e. refusing to pee or poo anywhere other than the diaper. After diaper dependence has occurred, it could be very hard to get the child to cooperate on potty training, leading to much frustration.
3. An early headstart helps the child be more aware of his body output and aids in his progress.
4. Being potty-trained early reduces the number of diapers needed and saves money. (Especially so for children using disposable diapers.)
5. Poop-less and pee-less diapers are easy to wash and don’t stink up the room.
6. Being diaper-free early provides the bums with most breathability, especially during hot and humid weather.
7. Some pre-schools only accept children who are potty-trained.
8. I think long-term: easier with only 1 kid on diapers at any point in time.

Give Me The Tips!

1. Have the right attitude: Start when you are ready, not because someone else wants you to start. Be positive and ready to face the challenges ahead.
2. Recognise and remember your main objective: Why do you want to potty train your baby? Personally, I dislike flattened / squashed poop on bums and diapers, so cleanliness became my key motivation. When you face lack of progress or regression, remember your main objective.
3. Choose a comfortable potty: We decided on the BABYBJÖRN Potty Chair, which is comfortable, steady and easy-to-clean. It is in red, Vee’s favourite colour.
4. Start pre-potty training early: The No-Cry Potty Training Book suggests 10 months old. We started at 7 months old since I have already bought the potty. When baby is able to sit up without support, it is a good time to let him sit on the potty without a diaper. Great chance to air the bums too.
5. Choose a suitable time for sitting on the potty: We started with once a day, after Vee is well-rested, well-fed and before his bath, when his diapers have to be off anyway. Gradually increase potty-time to during every diaper change.
6. Be patient: If baby fusses and refuses to sit on the potty, it is ok. Just try again at the next diaper change or the next day. I believe in only associating pleasant experiences with the potty. In the beginning, Vee was on the potty for at most 10 minutes before proceeding to bath. It does not matter whether there is output or not. The objective of pre-potty training is to let baby get used to sitting on the potty.
7. Lots of smiles and encouragement: This helps baby feel at ease during potty-time. The more relaxed she is, the easier to relieve her output. Usually, before the poo arrives, Vee needs to lie his head on my shoulder and hold my hands for support. Try to meet your baby’s emotional needs at the potty.
8. Introduce potty training hand signs and words: Choose your words and/or hand signs for pee-ing and poo-ing. Every caregiver for the baby has to be consistent in using the same words / hand signs. Personally, we use “poo poo” and “wee wee”, which are easy to pronounce. Other words to introduce are the names of private parts, the potty (we simply call it “toilet”), farting, flushing, wiping, and washing.
9. Recognise baby’s expressions before / when having output: Vee shivers a little before pee-ing sometimes. Before a big motion, he usually becomes quiet, expressionless and starts straining a little. Poop is the easiest to catch in the potty. Once he shows the “I’m-going-to-poo” face, I strip his diaper off and plop him onto the potty. Side advantage: bums which are much easier to clean. (I can’t stand flattened or squashed poop!)
10. Make every little success a BIG deal: This helps baby know that she has done the right thing, and encourages her to repeat the success. When Vee first pee-ed into the potty after 1 month of pre-potty training, I was elated! After every pee / poo in the potty, I show a big and sincere smile, clap my hands excitedly, kiss him, hug him and say “Well done!”. After nearly one year of potty training, I continue to encourage him the same way and he is more than happy to use the potty.
11. Support baby’s progress: There are odd occasions when Vee says he needs to poo in the midst of lunch. Fine, I cover the food, bring him to the potty, finish his business and then we continue with lunch. At other times, he tells me he needs to pee at the end of our bedtime routine. Fine, he goes to the potty, finish his business and we proceed to sleep. Even though these are little inconveniences, I actually feel happy that Vee is progressing well.
12. Recognise if baby is giving real potty signals: This part is more for a cheeky toddler like Vee, who realises that he gets my full attention during potty time. Sometimes, he would say “poo poo” and point to the potty when he is actually seeking my attention. When I bring him to the potty or attempt to remove his diaper, he shakes his head. In the beginning, it could get irritating. After a while, I manage to tell between his real and the fake signals.
13. Careful use of distractions: Sometimes, to help Vee sit a little longer at the potty (e.g. waiting for the poo to arrive), we sing and play simple finger games. He could also hold a simple toy. If he gets too excited with playing, he forgets about the need to poo and takes ages. If he is relaxed and quiet, the pee or poo arrives faster. Find out what works best with your child.
14. Let baby watch you use the toilet: Vee has been watching me use the toilet since he was a newborn. During potty training, I describe to him what I do in the toilet, especially flushing the toilet, so that he does not develop a phobia for it.
15. Use toilet at the same time: When Vee was stable sitting at the potty, we would also use the toilet / potty at the same time. Children love to imitate adults.
16. Continue with potty training during travels: On overseas and out of town trips, we bring along a travel potty so that the routine continues. It could take only 3 days to break a child’s routine, so don’t risk regression once you have started potty training.
17. Be cool about accidents: Expect pee/poo accidents to happen and be cool about it. We have our share of accidents and it takes only a few minutes to wipe up a pee puddle or scoop poo up from the floor. I have a pile of traditional square nappies ready to clean up mess anytime. Being prepared reduces the frustration.
18. Use cloth diapers / training pants: These help the child to feel the wetness, recognise the discomfort due to wet diapers and progress faster. Some modern cloth diapers are very stay-dry, so may not aid potty training. Cotton and bamboo are feel-wet fabrics. Microfleece feels relatively wet before wicking the wetness away. Suedecloth stays very dry.

Sample Progress Timeline

Every child would progress differently. Below is a summary of Vee’s progress, just for your reference:

• 7 months old: Sits on potty chair once a day before bath
• 8 months old: First pee in the potty. Gradual progress to sitting on potty during every diaper change.
• 9 months old: Pee-ing in the potty a few times a day.
• 10 months old: First poo in the potty. Encourage him to poo every morning. Almost all poo done in the potty.
• 15 months old: Tells me before poo-ing — semi-potty trained.
• 17 months old: Sometimes tells me before pee-ing. Wakes up with significantly drier diapers in the morning, with large volume of pee in the potty.
• 18 months old: Tells me more frequently before pee-ing. Occasionally wakes up from nap with dry diapers.
• 23 months old: Finally tells me consistently in the day, diaper-free when awake and outdoors.

Concluding keywords: be patient and consistent. All the best to you in your potty training journey!

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