This mum's son had been managing well with potty training until he started withholding his wee all day at nursery. The withholding led to a UTI, and after that, he became frightened of the toilet altogether, refusing to use it and having accidents throughout the day instead. She'd tried everything she could think of with no improvement and reached out to Bespoke Family feeling at a loss.

Written by Claire Burgess, Family Consultant.

When and how to start: readiness over age

The first thing to say is that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all age for toilet training. Instead, focus on your child’s developmental signs:

• Showing interest in the potty or toilet (you can have a potty available from baby stage)

• Staying dry for longer periods

• Communicating bodily needs (with words or gestures)

• Disliking dirty nappies

• Able to sit independently which can be from around 6-9 months

These signs suggest your child may be ready to begin introducing potty skills. It is important to emphasise that you don’t need to wait for perfect readiness — starting with gentle exposure can help your child understand the process gradually.

Written by Claire Burgess, Family Consultant. Potty training. It’s one of those milestones that we all know is coming, and we hope with all our heart that it will be a smooth, quick process with minimal mess. But… let’s be honest, that’s rarely the reality! Instead, potty training can turn into a battle of wills, with you trying everything to encourage your little one to try and them just digging their heels in!

So, why does this happen? And more importantly, how can you avoid turning toilet training into a daily power struggle?

Written by Claire Burgess, Family Consultant. If you know, you know! When a child hits this stage of development, they find all types of ‘toilet talk’ or ‘bathroom humour’ absolutely hilarious! Poo this, bum that, and then watching the reaction they get! It’s all fun and games at first, but for some parents, it quickly becomes tiresome, and working out how to manage it can be a real challenge.

Written by Claire Burgess, Family Consultant. Potty training is often viewed as a milestone in a child's development, but it doesn't have to be a stressful or rushed process and there are different options to get started. One of these options, Elimination Communication (EC), also known as infant potty training, nappy free or natural infant hygiene, offers a gentle and intuitive approach to helping babies and toddlers learn to use the toilet. In this blog, we'll explore what elimination communication is, how it works, its benefits, and tips for getting started.

Written by Claire Burgess, Family Consultant. One of the questions we get asked a lot by parents and carers who have started potty training, is how to manage this when you want to go out. Understandably there is a huge fear of accidents galore and lots of poo and wee to contend with as a result! However, with some careful planning you don’t need to feel you can’t go out when potty training. Our tips should help…

Written by Claire Burgess, Family Consultant. This family approached us as they felt that they had tried everything and needed some support. They were particularly concerned about their little one starting school and having toileting issues.

Written by Alina Lynden, ERIC, The Children’s Bowel and Bladder Charity. Stool withholding and delaying emptying the bladder are both issues which can cause a huge amount of stress and confusion to families, but help is out there. In this blog I explain why withholding can happen, the effect it can have on your child's body and behaviour and what you can do to help them to relax and feel more positive about going to the loo.