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Are you pregnant with baby #2 and debating whether or not to potty train your toddler before the baby’s arrival?
Let’s take a deep dive into what may be the right decision for you.
With potty training in general it all starts with readiness. What is your age gap between children going to be? Is your first child going to be 2 when the baby arrives or closer to 3?
These things matter.
Are they showing interest and do you think they are physically and intellectually ready?
Back to my original question: do we want to potty train before the baby comes or wait until after? Let’s dive into it!
Reasons to Potty Train
Parents will have various reasons for wanting to potty train before the arrival of baby #2.
A huge reason is that you can give 100% focus on your toddler potty training. You are not splitting time between two demanding children.
You can run them to the bathroom at any point and with ease. When the new baby comes you will have your hands full frequently. You will be feeding them often as well as diaper changing and rocking.
It will be more difficult to potty train.
A lot of parents are going to look at it as something to get checked off the list before the baby arrives.
One other reason I have heard is to get your toddler potty trained before the baby arrives, so you only have one child in diapers.
Now I completely get that raising children is expensive, however I do not think this is a good reason to potty train.
Signs of Readiness
Before we go any further let’s talk about some of the signs of readiness.
Some common signs of readiness include:
Your toddler holding it during the day, naps, or bedtime
Waking up from naps or bedtime dry
Telling you when they need a deeper change
Showing interest in the bathroom
Watching for these signs of readiness will help you determine your plan moving forward.
Pro-Tip: Do not use pull-ups when you decide to potty train. They cause confusion and tell your child you do not trust them or think they will be successful. Skip the pull-ups!
Reasons to Wait
What are the main reasons a parent would choose to wait to potty train? First off of course the toddler simply is not ready. You are not seeing the signs of readiness and don’t feel that they will be successful.
Another reason is you feel it will be too much change for them all at once. Maybe your due date is soon approaching, and it is just too late to potty train.
And finally, parents often fear regression. This is when you potty-train successfully and then your toddler is taking steps backwards. They are having accidents and no longer getting what they previously learned.
Regression is a gamble. Some toddlers experience it with the addition of a new baby and others don’t.
It is a risk some are willing to take, and others avoid.
To avoid regression, you are going to wait and potty train after the new baby’s arrival.
Why do we want to avoid regression? Would it be so bad to re-potty train? My short answer is yes. With regression, potty training drags out and causes a lot of frustration.
My Recommendation
If you are a stay-at-home mom you do whatever works for you on you and your toddler’s timetables. You have the freedom to choose the best time for you.
For the working moms who utilize daycare, I want to give my recommendations.
You have limited time off from work. Typically, potty training is going to require a few days off work. You can try to do it on a holiday weekend, but that doesn’t always work with your schedule.
This may seem crazy, but for working moms, I want to suggest that you consider potty training near the end of your maternity leave.
This may seem crazy, but ideally, you are recovering from birth and feeling decent by this point. You have a newborn, but you have hopefully found some sort of rhythm or routine.
You can get potty training done during your maternity leave since you are already off work.
Depending on your specific situation you may have your husband at home with you during this time. You may have grandparents in town who could help with either child a bit.
For more information on the process of potty training check out my article FOCUS on Potty training.
Conclusion
Your toddler is going to understand potty training when they are ready. You can’t always time it out perfectly.
So, what is your verdict? Do you think you will be potty training before or after your second baby’s arrival?
Ultimately you have to do what is best for your family and specifically your toddler.
I did just want to throw in one product I recommend for potty training once you are on to go. Check out this collapsible potty seat.
Check Out My Articles
How to FOCUS on Potty Train Your Toddler Faster and More Effectively
How to Get Your Toddler Ready to Welcome a New Baby into the Family
How You Can Get Prepared to Welcome Baby #2
My Top 5 Reasons for Choosing to Breastfeed Baby #2
