How To Get Your Toddler To Pee And Poop IN The Potty (The Mindful & Peaceful Potty Training Method)
Having lots of accidents? Not seeing progress? Little one sitting but nothing happens?
Then this blog post is for you.
I’ve potty trained more than 20 toddlers, ages 19 months to 3.5 years old, so I have a lot of insight to share with you on the topic.
Let’s take a look at your approach and tweak some things, so you can get your toddler peeing and pooping IN the potty instead of on the floor, on the couch, right next to the potty, in a pull up after they sat for 20 minutes!
Firstly, I want you to know – it WILL happen. Your toddler is not destined to remain in diapers. I know it feels like it won’t happen, but it will. Some toddlers pee in the potty day 1. Others don’t successfully get it in the potty until day 3+.
Them not getting their pee or poop in the potty can be frustrating and messy for you BUT it is also normal.
Related Article: When To Start Potty Training Your Toddler (so it’s easier for all!)
The reality is, you don’t know how your toddler is going to do until potty training is underway. Then, once you are potty training, your child will be learning at their own pace, in their own way. And as long as you are providing a setting that enables them to get the job done, understand how to do it and help them through feelings, they WILL succeed.
So let’s break down how you can do those things.
And remember, as with any learning – it takes time. Exercise extra patience. You’re the teacher BUT you will be learning a lot about your child as you go too. Give yourself and your child grace.
Remember, you nor your toddler are defined by how quickly they potty train. This is simply a challenging milestone that you are going to work on and get past, together.
Starting at an *optimal time* will make things far easier. And when that optimal time is, can greatly vary toddler to toddler, family to family.
This article is where I talk about the top 3 readiness signs that have applied to every single toddler I’ve potty trained, and will help you decide if you are ready to start potty training yours: When To Start Potty Training Your Toddler (so it’s easier for all!)
Here’s what you want to do, to get more pee and poop IN the potty during potty training:
- Set the play area up right next to the bathroom so you and your toddler can quickly and easily access often throughout the day. This alone minimizes accidents greatly because instead of having to run from different parts of the house to the bathroom, you are near it and ready to go when it’s time to go. Frustrations are also minimized by doing this.
- Keep interesting and engaging activities for them to do IN the bathroom. This will motivate them to sit more regularly and help them pass the time while you have them wait for a minute or so, for pee or poop to come out. This article lists some ideas for activities: How To Potty Train Like A Pro
{Related Article: EVERYTHING You Will Need In Place Before You Start Potty Training – Supplies & Self Care Tips}
- Recognize cues and time potty breaks around those. Does your toddler dance around a little bit did they stand up from the game go back down and then stand up again? Observe their habits and plan potty breaks around any clear signs they show of having to go.
- Teach urge awareness when they pee or poop, whether it’s an accident OR in the potty. Both are teaching opportunities. You can say, “Did you feel that coming in your tummy? Next time let’s feel for it so you know when to run to the potty!”
- Check to make sure they’re comfortably sitting. Relaxed and balanced is best for release. Feet flat on the ground is best. For poop – slightly lifted so the hips are flexed beyond 90 degrees can make going a lot easier.
- Adjust attire. Pull-ups and diapers can make urge awareness more challenging for your toddler to recognize. Likewise, pants can be difficult and frustrating for them to manage when starting out. Opt for underwear-only on the bottom and gradually build up to adding pants, once accidents become minimal. Use pull-ups at nap and nighttime, as needed, until you notice more dryness after waking.
- Have water accessible around the play area in bottles where they can grab them. Verbally offer and hand them a drink now and again as well. Maybe they take it, maybe they don’t. Doing this will encourage the intake of more liquids which will get them using the potty more often. Consequently, they’ll be more practice, teaching opportunity and learning.
- Adjust their diet, as needed. Avoiding constipation can be a huge hurdle for many families because toddlers are often picky and many will withhold. Keep your toddler comfortable and keep them more regular during potty training, even if they try to withhold with some simple switches. Switch packaged snacks for fresh snacks, switch white breads for wheat, include fiber-rich foods often – this article has all the details on how to handle constipation during potty training.
- Use a Peace Corner to manage (inevitable) big feelings as they come.
Following the key steps listed above will ensure you have a smoother and more successful potty training experience the first time around.
I’ve created a FREE downloadable potty training how to guide cheat sheet for families like you who are just about to start potty training or are struggling with a plan that works. You can Click here to download it.
Poop Fears? Asking for pull-up to poop when potty training
And finally, because pooping can be scary for manytoddlers, they may withhold or request a diaper. To keep moving forward, despite this common challenge, here is what you want to do:
Hold the boundary you’ve set of putting all their poop in the potty. Reassure them if they’re scared, “I know this can be scary honey, mommy is right here.”
- Comfort them by saying , “I’ll go with you until you’re not scared anymore.”
- Exercise patience with their feelings, “Let’s take a break in the peace corner with teddy for a few minutes, we’ll try again in a bit.”
- Serve foods that help prevent constipation. Go to this article for meal ideas (and foods to avoid) that will help keep LO regular.
- Keep water readily available around the house where you are playing, so your toddler can grab and drink on their own, as needed. Softening the stool will help with going and making things less painful when they do.
- Teach awareness. “Before poop comes out we can feel it in our tummy. When you feel something, tell mommy or run to the potty, ok?”
- Do the ‘I Love You’ belly massage 3-5x per day until constipation is solved. Click here to see a video tutorial of the tummy massage you can do to help ease constipation.
- Place their feet on your legs while they sit on the potty to lift their feet closer to their belly OR use their legs to pretend they are riding a bike. Many toddlers squat to poop in their diaper. This is a great, comfortable position, especially if they struggle to poop. You can help create that effect squatting does by trying these 2 things^.
Undoubtedly, having all these pieces in practice will make for quicker and more effective potty training.
If you want more guidance for your potty training journey, download my Mindful & Peaceful Potty Training Cheat Sheet here. And check out my complete Mindful & Peaceful Potty Training Course moms are calling “life-saving!”, here.
I hope this helps you with your potty training journey! Join me on Instagram for more tips and chats. And be sure to read all the Potty Training Blog Posts I’ve done so you can be better prepared for this consuming milestone!
