Normally I’m a researcher and read lots of books on an area of motherhood before approaching it head-on. However, when it came to potty training a 22-month-old I just couldn’t get there!
Normally I would read all the potty training books, even make a book review list of all the books and my thoughts on which ones were the best and then decide my potty training method and approach.
But instead, I basically potty-trained my daughter from the very beginning in my own unique way. I felt like none of the potty training books or potty training opinions and approaches I heard from other moms really fit the place I was in.
So while my experience potty training a 22-month-old is unique, I think these tips and tricks I learned along the way can certainly help anyone else that starts potty training before their child’s second birthday!
Let me explain further…
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My Experience Potty Training A 22-Month-Old
When I was pregnant with my daughter, my first child, I discovered this thing called Elimination Communication. Basically, it’s potty training your child from the day they are born. You learn their cues, offer them the potty, and help them be familiar with peeing and pooping over a toilet instead of a diaper.
At first, I was completely on board and wanted to do the E.C. approach as it’s called. However, I also wanted to sleep-train my daughter as soon as I could, and I discovered that it is nearly impossible to do both simultaneously. (More of my thoughts on that are here.)
So instead, I did a little bit of E.C. wherever I could and knew that I would work hard to get my daughter out of diapers as soon as I could.
It started when she was about 6 months old and was eating solid foods. Her poops became much more solid and every time I saw her pushing a poop out I ripped off her diaper and held her over the toilet. She became accustomed to pooping on the toilet at a very young age.
After that, I would randomly bring her to the toilet throughout the day and soon she was peeing and pooping on the toilet. She had complete awareness of it and knew its use. But, when she was just over a year and a half I knew I had to be even more intentional about potty training her.
Related Post: Elimination Communication and Sleep Training: Do They Work Together?
Items To Have On Hand
When you begin potty training a 22-month-old be sure to have these items on hand! They will make your potty training simple and easy.
Whatever method you decide to use for your potty training (sticker charts, affirmation, staying on the potty all day, etc.) these tips can be applied and used to make your potty training journey easier!
We simply kept doing what we had been doing, which was putting our daughter in training underwear and bringing her to the potty throughout the day. She slowly got the hang of it and became potty trained during the day. It’s a few months later now and she still has accidents here and there and is not potty trained at night or during naps.
Related Post: Top 7 Must-Have Baby Items For Two Under Two
Tips For Potty Training A 22-Month-Old
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Model It For Them and Normalize It
When you start potty training a 22-month-old or young toddler make sure that you begin by modeling it for them. Take them to the bathroom with you when you go. Show them how and why you use the toilet. Let them do what you do on their smaller potty at the same time.
Gradually make it normal in your daily routine. For example, before and after each meal I make my daughter use the potty. I say, let’s go to the potty before we eat. She knows that it’s a normal part of the routine and she knows why she needs to go because I am communicating with her the whole time.
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Be 100% In
Decide what you are going to do and then be consistent. Consistency is one of the biggest pieces of potty training that are a make-it-or-break-it thing, yet so many people overlook it.
You need to be able to devote large chunks of time at home to potty training. Pick a week when you will be home every day and be ready for accidents. Put on the training underwear and roll up the rugs for easy cleaning.
After a few days, your child will begin to understand as long as you are consistent with your approach during the entire time.
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Use Sign Language
Decide what word you want your child to use to signal to use the toilet, but also give them a hand motion to do too. This helps reinforce the action and helps them communicate easier as their vocabulary is still quite limited at this age.
Our daughter would make a fist and shake it while saying “toiley” to tell us when she needed to go. In the beginning, we would make her do the motion and say the word before going on the toilet every time we brought her and every time she was actively having an accident. This helped her connect the dots quickly.
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Your Emotions Are Their Emotions
Don’t be too hard on your child when potty training a 22-month-old. Your emotions greatly affect them, especially if you have an overly sensitive child as we do.
Make going to the potty fun! Be excited when it’s time to go and help them enjoy the experience in unique ways. Maybe you let them hold a favorite toy or you are just extra intentional about playing a game like peek-a-boo with them.
Whatever your child enjoys, try to incorporate it into the new experience for them.
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Start With Naked Time
Consider starting with naked time before introducing training underwear. Or, maybe do pants without underwear so they can really feel uncomfortable when they have an accident.
Then you can slowly go to the training underwear after a day or two.
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Try Rewards
Some people do sticker charts, others do chocolate chips or orange slices. Perhaps at some point in your potty training, you realize that your child is just one of the kids that needs some slight motivation.
We gave our daughter orange slices for a day when she was regressing and losing interest. It did the trick and we weaned her quickly off of them to keep her back on track. Every child is different and only you know what is best for yours.
Related Post: 5 Incredible Mindset Shifts For Moms That Need To Be Made Today
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Expect Accidents
Expect to have many accidents while potty training, especially after dinner. The couple hours between dinner and bedtime were my least favorite of every day while potty training a 22-month-old.
I was tired so I didn’t have the desire to keep being consistent. My daughter was tired and didn’t have the desire to keep going on the toilet. But, instead of giving up during other tough hours, we pushed through each night and the hard work paid off.
Accidents still happen here and there, a few months later, so don’t expect perfection out of your child. Show them grace and realize it’s a journey. Having the right expectations before going into it can make a world of difference.
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Wait To Train Bedtime
Don’t focus on potty training at nap time or nighttime yet. That time will come. For now, only focus on daytime training and remain consistent while doing it.
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Potty Training Out Of The House
I think there is a long approach to potty training out of the house, like at events and errands, and also a short approach.
We chose the long approach where we placed a diaper over our daughter’s underwear and took her to the toilet when there was one available. However, as in the short approach, we didn’t pull over on the side of the road when she said “toiley” or go out of our way to stop at a random store to get her on a toilet.
That was because of the situation we are in. We live in a very rural area on a homestead far away from town, and we were potty training in the middle of winter. It was not easy or practical to constantly take her to the toilet if we were out of the house, plus the long car rides had nowhere to swing in and stop for a bathroom.
You may have a different situation and be able to make potty training more consistent when you are out of the house. Do what works for you and find what makes you most consistent!
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Don’t Give Up
Once you start, don’t stop. It will feel discouraging when your child regresses or has a bad day. But, know that this is the case with most children. They are learning something completely new and it is going to take time.
Trust the process and hold to it. Your child will learn to potty train and starting early like this will pay dividends in the future!
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Access To Lots Of Water
Make sure you are offering lots of water to your child throughout the day as you potty train. You want them to have a full bladder and constantly have to go. It will give you more repetition and help them understand the concept better!
I hope these tips for potty training a 22-month-old have been helpful to you! Let me know if there are any questions I can answer for you in the comments below, and know that I am rooting for you!
Kelsey at GoodPointGrandma
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