If your child has been dry for a while, either at night, during the day or both, and starts wetting themselves again, it may mean they have a bladder infection, constipation, or type 1 diabetes. Ask your GP for more advice. The biggest reason cited for this was busy parents postponing potty training their child for as long as possible or needing to spend more time at work. Nursery practitioners felt that parents needed more support, and 92% believed that toilet training should be a shared responsibility between nursery and home. Reassure your child that their wees and poos will learn to go in the potty, they just need more practice! American Academy of Pediatrics. (1999) Toilet training guidelines: Parents – the role of the parents in toilet training. Pediatrics. 103(6 Pt 2):1362-1363. Available from: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/pediatrics/103/Supplement… [Accessed 1st June 2018] Critically, the survey showed there is little or no recognition of the relationship between successful potty training and healthy bladders and bowels. Constipation is the most common bowel problem in children, affecting up to 30% of all children and particularly common among pre-school children. It can have a huge impact on potty training yet only 16% include how to identify and manage constipation in their policies.

Try potty training when there are no great disruptions or changes to your child's or your family's routine. It's important to stay consistent, so you do not confuse your child. Encouraging them to use the potty to wee will help build their confidence for when they are ready to use it to poo. Don't forget at this practice stage they can still wear a nappy, but it will boost their capabilities and awareness if they have some nappy free time and potty sits. Whatever stage your child is on their potty learning journey, stopping using nappies is a big change for them. Your child will need to be physically ready to control their bladder and bowels for potty training. Them wanting to be clean and dry is a must for achieving potty training success.If you'd like advice about taking the stress out of going to the toilet for your child, speak to a health visitor.

Using the toilet away from home is a good thing for your child to get used to.Talk to them about things like how the flush at the supermarket is different from the one at home or nursery for example.

When should I start potty training at night?

You can also start using toilet-related words around your toddler, such as pee or wee, poo or poop – whatever you say in your home. Whenever they do a pee or poo in their nappy, try to encourage their understanding of what happened and why (NHS Choices, 2017). When to start potty training out and about? You have given her too much freedom. No three months old puppy should be free in the house. She should be on a leash, tethered to you at all times, except for play time, eating and sleeping and only if she has peed before. Dress them in loose fitting trousers during these periods rather than pants as they may confuse this with wearing a nappy. Why feeling comfortable using the potty or toilet is important Dress your child in clothes that are easy for them to get on and off, so they can take the lead with using the potty. Some children learn best when they can be at home and naked from the waist down. Other children learn best when they are wearing loose-fitting trousers without pants.