Bladder and Bowel UK: child information library has a range of booklets and leaflets covering bladder and bowel problems in children.

Talking about wee and poo when you change them and letting them see you use the toilet gives your child the message that it's a normal part of life and nothing to be afraid of. Talk to your health visitor or GP to get some guidance. They may refer you to a clinic for expert help. More information and support

Learning how to use the potty independently and stopping wearing nappies is a big milestone for your child. There are lots of new and exciting skills for them to learn with your help. The study found that children who wear reusable nappies typically start using the potty earlier because they feel wet and are less comfortable – increasing the incentive for the child to stop using them. For more information about treating soiling, see our advice for children with constipation. It explains how laxative treatment and a toilet routine can help a child who is soiling.

It is normal to have lots of accidents at the beginning and they are an important part of the learning process. This is a big step for your child, so be patient and encourage them.

What is the best age for potty training?

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. Taking your time leading your child through the preparation and practice stages should help to avoid the most common potty training problems. Just before nap time, help your child use the potty or toilet, so they are more likely to stay dry. Once you've helped to grow your child's body awareness and they begin to develop confidence in what they've learnt, you can then start to build in and give opportunities to practice some more advanced skills. These include: This cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.

feeling worried or anxious about something – such as moving house, the arrival of a new baby, or starting nursery or school A child's trainer seat that clips onto the toilet can help make your child feel safer and more confident on the toilet. A step for your child to rest their feet on gets your child in a good position for doing a poo. Disposable or washable potty training pants (also called pull-ups) can be handy when you start potty training and can give children confidence when it's time to swap nappies for "grown-up" pants. They do not soak up wee as well as disposable nappies, so your child will find it easier to tell when they are wet. Once they can stand, do nappy or pull-up changes standing up and involve them in cleaning up and flushing poo down the toilet. Talk to them whilst you're doing it so they begin to understand where wee and poo goes and the language we use for the toilet and how our body feels.Even though accidents can be very frustrating, try not to show your child how you're feeling. Explain that you want them to use the potty next time.

Going into denial. Some children won't even be aware they have a problem because to them it feels ‘normal.’ We don't always notice our own smell so they may genuinely not know they’ve had an accident. When underlying constipation isn’t diagnosed or treated properly, poo stays in the bowel and rectum longer than it should. Major physical or emotional upheavals can affect the success of potty training (Institute of Health Visiting, 2014). So try to time potty training for when things are calm and stable. What age should I start potty training my little one? Some parents wait until the summer to begin training, as they’ll have fewer clothes to remove when their child has an accident (NHS Choices, 2018). When the bowel gets overstretched, a child can stop feeling the urge to pass a poo. It also makes it harder for them to fully empty their bowel when they go to the toilet.Learning to sleep without a nappy on at naptime and use the potty when they wake up, will help prepare your child for being dry at night. Constipation affects 1 in 3 children and is especially common in under 5s. Your child may be struggling because they have some underlying constipation that was there before you started potty training. 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 Soiling is when bowel movements happen in places other than the toilet such as underwear or pooing in the bath. It can be a really upsetting problem for children and their parents to deal with.