Note: This article contains affiliate links (hyperlinks, widgets, or through images), which means I receive compensation if you purchase a product through them. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and/or believe will add value to my readers. Visit my disclosure page for more information.
This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and NicePak, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #NicenCleanatHEB http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV
When it comes to potty training, you may find yourself somewhat overwhelmed by all the different methods out there. When your little one is ready to get started, there are several suggested potty-training methods out there to get you started. My personal favorite is the 3 day potty training method. Why? Because it worked!
I potty trained both my boys in three days. That’s right, THREE DAYS! Over the course of a weekend, I was able to ditch the diapers and boy did it feel good. A little prep work was required but it was as simple as picking up Nice ‘n CLEAN Baby Wipes and a few other things at the store.
There is no need to put your little one, and yourself through rigorous months of stress, spend a huge amount on expensive training diapers or clean up a billion accidents during this process. No one wants to be constantly covered in poop! Here are a few tips on how to rock the 3 day potty training method and get your kiddos out of diapers for good.
The 3 Day Potty Training Method
When it comes to starting the 3-day potty training method, you must make sure that you have 3 FULL days set aside where you are able to keep your hawk eye on your child. every. single. moment. With a little preparation and the right plan, your 3-day potty training adventure will rock!
What You Need for the 3 Day Potty Training Method
For the 3-day potty training method to work for you and your little one, you are going to require a few things. The following are items that can help you on your journey:
- Nice ‘n CLEAN Baby Wipes
- A potty seat and stool or child-sized potty (I say just go for the potty seat & stool; the idea of emptying poop from a small toilet is an unnecessary step in my opinion)
- Easy to remove clothing for your little one
- Big kid underwear
- Water bottles
- A good quality mattress cover
- Extra sets of sheets
- Rewards
Is Your Little One Ready for the 3 Day Potty Training Method?
Before you get started using the 3-day potty training method, you will want to be sure that your little one is ready. There are a few signs of readiness that you can look for that will set you on the right track.
- Interest when others use the potty
- Discomfort in wet or dirty diaper
- Can tell you when their diaper is dirty or wet
- Can understand simple instructions
- Understands “Potty” related words
- Can walk on their own
- Have predictable bowel habits
- Can stay dry for 2 hour (or more) stretches
These signs are great ways to know whether your little one is emotionally and physically ready to start potty training. It is important to make sure that your little one is showing signs of readiness for this method to be effective.
I always made it a goal to train before preschool. So my boys were almost 3 or three when we started potty training. Boys can be hard headed so I didn’t want to start too early.
Getting Started with the 3 Day Potty Training Method
When you are starting with this method, STAY HOME. You don’t want to be carrying a peeing child arm’s length in front you through a store to a public toilet. Trust me, it wouldn’t be fun.
Stay home until you get a solid routine down and so your little one can learn in familiar surroundings. This is where they will be using the bathroom most often anyway, to start at least.
Remember, consistency is key.
Day 1 – 3 Day Potty Training Method
As soon as your little one wakes up, change them out of their diaper and allow them to spend at least the first day bare bottomed. Yes, butt naked, but if needed they can wear a t-shirt to make them feel more comfortable. This will help your child to be more aware of when they need to use the potty and see when they have accidents.
Pump your child with LOTS of fluids and watch them like a hawk. Keep an eye out for signs they need to pee or poop. Ask them, “Tell mommy when you need to go potty, ok?” or some variation every couple of minutes. It’s repetitive and annoying but it gets the job done.
If you notice any little sign that they need to go to the bathroom, take them to their potty immediately. No one more text or flick through Facebook. NOW!
Proper Hygiene
If they started to ‘go’, have them finish in the potty and praise them for finishing. Having some Nice ‘n CLEAN wipes on hand is a must. Let’s face it, kids can be picky and don’t have the best coordination.
And you want to teach them proper hygiene and how they should clean themselves after going potty. Fumbling around with a toilet paper roll can be hard for some kids.
Wipes, on the other hand, are super easy just to pull one out and get to cleaning. Plus wipes are something kids are very familiar with and kids like familiar things.
Nice ‘n CLEAN wipes are super strong, thick, and very absorbent thanks to the 100% plant-based fibers they are made from. They can easily help your child learn to clean themselves properly after going to the bathroom. Trust me, these wipes are so gentle too so you won’t hear complaints of “ouchies” or paper sticking where it shouldn’t.
Made of 99% purified water and naturally derived ingredients — there’s no need to worry about an allergic reaction with these wipes either!
Remember to teach them to wipe from front to back, and be plumbing smart. These wipes go in the trash can!
I picked up these wipes at my local HEB. Boy, do they have a variety of sizes to choose from there. From single packs to triple packs up to large boxes. I suggest getting a LARGE BOX — they will be invaluable. Especially when your child has the inevitable accident (in their new big kid underwear) and you have to help them clean off squished poopy from their tushie like the good old days.
Oh, and I love the green tea cucumber scent too. It will help with the smell and get everyone fresh! They smell SO good but if you’re not a fan of scents the Nice ‘n CLEAN wipes also come in a fragrance-free sensitive skin variety.
I don’t know why but a lot of kids are scared of going number two on the potty. I had this problem with my youngest. You just have to keep at it and praise like crazy when they get it right. My son used to like waving “bye bye” to his poopy when we flushed. Hey, whatever works 😉
Praise is crucial at this stage
When your little one successfully uses the potty, it is important that you be extremely emotionally expressive. Seriously, if they poop or pee in the potty act like they just won the noble prize. Jump up and down and give them LOTS of praise. We had a mini party every time they went and it got them excited to go again.
Some children will respond well to rewards like stickers or treats and others will respond better to simple praise and attention. You know your children best, so do what works for them.
Day 2 and 3 – 3 Day Potty Training Method
Both day 2 and 3 are essentially the same as the first day except that on day 3, your little one can wear some big kid underwear. This will help them to get used to pulling them up and down to go potty.
Naptime and Bedtimes – 3 Day Potty Training Method
Whether you decide to put a pull up on during naps and bedtimes is essentially a personal decision. Personally, I started with a pull up for naptimes and bedtime. Once they mastered naps, I moved on to big kid underwear at nighttime too.
Have your kids try to use the potty at every daily transition too if possible. This means before eating, after cleaning up and before nap or bedtime. This will start to be recognized as a routine for them and get them in the habit of knowing their body.
The 3 day potty training method can be extremely successful. Just be prepared for accidents because they will happen. I potty trained my son while having an infant so I know you can do it too. Good luck!
And don’t forget to head into your local HEB to purchase Nice ‘n CLEAN Baby Wipes today!
This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and NicePak, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #NicenCleanatHEB http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV
Krystle Cook – the creator of Home Jobs by MOM – put her psychology degree on a shelf and dived into a pile of diapers and dishes instead. She is a wife and mother to two rambunctious boys, sweating it out in her Texas hometown. She loves cooking, DIY home projects, and family fun activities.
Completing a Breast Augmentation: Addressing Breast Position And Volume
These are great tips. These products sound really nice! I bet the green tea cucumber is a nice scent.
My first child, who will be 6 years old in a few weeks, was a bit of a challenge to potty train. She had some physical setbacks and she didn’t walk until she was 2 1/2 years old. She didn’t go to the potty until she was about 3 1/2 years old. Going to preschool with older kids really helped and motivated her to go potty. She has now potty trained her little sister who wants to be just like her.
I still think 3.5 is great! I say anytime in the 3 timeframe or earlier is perfect!
These are good tips. For boys put some cheerios in the toilet water and have them aim.
Target practice does help little boys a lot!!
I potty trained our kids by get them a pool. I told them that we could go swimming after they were potty trained. It took several weeks but they did it.
That’s a really good potty training incentive!
It’s been a few years since I’ve had to potty train. But I remember we did it on a long weekend. Prepping is key – a child approved potty seat, lots of rewards & making sure the child has shown signs their ready. Then we let them run around naked for the weekend -they couldn’t hide when they had to go….
Yes, not being able to hide anything is a must! And making sure you are always watching them so you can catch an accident.
My daughter was so super easy to potty train. Once she knew what to do she was off and running.
Smart girl you got there. I hear girls are often easier than boys.
Good tips to start.. I don’t have kids but yeah , good to know.
I’ve never had a kid to potty train. Lol
One day, Sara. One day I’m sure you’ll have your chance to potty train a little one.
My sons are grown men now but potty training takes time, patience & consistency. The bottle was gone at a year. I skipped the pull ups & opted for cloth padded under pants because they are more like underwear. Had both mine potted trained by 2.
Being potty trained by two is awesome!! I was a fan of the padded underwear too.
Not going to lie… my twins’ babysitter potty-trained them; and my youngest was a pain in the butt. We tried everything with her, and nothing worked. One day she just sat down, went, and never looked back.
Lucky girl! I actually think I was potty trained by my babysitter too.
My daughter literally potty trained herself after a few failed attempts by me. She took off her diaper at 2 yrs, 3mos & told me, “I no wear diaps no more Mommy!”
Haha, your daughter sounds so smart!! She knew she was ready 🙂
I helped potty train the little one I babysit by asking her every half hour or so if she needed too. When she did I made a big fuss and praised her
Sounds like you did the right things! Kudos. I don’t think I’d want to potty train someone else’s kid, though lol.
Honestly, my oldest pretty much got potty trained at daycare & my other daughter basically just did it on her own. The only one who really needed help was my son & that was just awful because one day he was all into it & then he didn’t care for a week – for a whole year – UGH! I’m hoping my 13 month old will just follow suit when it’s time to train her. If not, thanks for the tips!
I sometimes hear girls are easier to potty train than boys. I’m lucky my boys didn’t stick their heels in which was what I was totally expecting lol.
I’d have to agree that girls are way easier.
It always seems that way. I guess I got lucky with my boys 🙂
It was years ago, we made it a game. I was asking constantly and when they needed to go, off we went to the potty
That’s very similar to what we did. I’m not sure how fun the game is for adults, though lol.
I waited until I saw readiness in my kids before I started training them. I used some cloth diapers on a looser setting, to be able to pull them up and down like pull ups. When I took them, every hour or so, to use the potty, I would praise them or give them a sticker for going. If they had an accident, I just made no big deal of it. It took 2 or 3 days to train the oldest. The 2nd took longer. Kiddo number 3 is still in diapers.. he isn’t close yet.
Sounds like you’ve had pretty good experiences potty training. Your youngest will get there before you know it!
I find that the use of the inner toilet ring worked wonderfully .My boys went straight from diapers to the toilet with no fuss at all.
I love the inner toilet ring too! Little potties gross me out lol.
No potty training knowledge or info from me. My niece is working with her daughter right now who is only 2 1/2.
Good luck to your niece! I’m sure she will have her daughter potty trained in no time.
My daughter was a breeze to potty train, but my sister’s son was not. This is a very helpful post.
I’m glad to hear you had no issues potty training your daughter. I was one of the lucky ones too.
I bought potty picture books for my son. I also put my son in cloth pull-ups instead of disposables, too. I heard that speeds up the process because you can feel the wetness.
I’ve heard that too and it makes sense!
To be honest I can’t remember how/when I potty trained the kids. My youngest is now 37 and he was not easy. These are some wonderful tips that I will pass on to my daughters. Thank you.
Ah yeah, it has been quite a while since you potty trained anyone. I hope these tips will help your daughters out training their kiddos 🙂
We used M&M candies as an enticement for my niece to use the toilet. She actually wanted to use the toilet and was excited to learn.
Sounds like she was all for potty training. That’s great!
We used pull ups and started taking them to the bathroom when they were a year and a half.
You started early! I just played it safe and waited until they were around 3.
I did not have much luck potty training any of my kids and they ended up potty training themselves. They were potty trained before they started school so it was a win-win. 😉
That’s the ultimate goal! Potty trained before school!!
Using a star chart!
I hear some people swear by those for potty training 🙂