How to wean a baby off a diaper. Doctor's recommendations. When is the best time to wean

In the arsenal of modern parents, the latest devices to facilitate the care of the baby. One of the most successful developments for young mothers are diapers. Thanks to them, you can sleep peacefully at night, walk longer, do not carry a bunch of spare sliders with you.

For the past 20 years, these waterproof panties have been available on the shelves of domestic stores. And for the same amount of time, parents have the same questions: when and how to wean a child from diapers, so that everyone feels good at the same time? There are several effective methods to help you and your baby stop wearing diapers.

How to understand that the child is ready?

Often parents do not understand when the time comes for weaning. In addition, relatives and friends scare with horror stories about the dangers of diapers and that it is better not to start using a mime.

In fact, diapers are absolutely harmless and very convenient to use from birth. Dr. Komarovsky spoke about this in great detail and interestingly, pointing out all the points, both from a medical and everyday point of view.

In his opinion, the experience of most women should be weaned no earlier than 1 year. All your actions before this age do not make sense, since only from the age of one and a half years the child's brain is able to control the function of urination. Up to this point, everything happens unconsciously. But this does not mean that you should not try not to use a diaper.

If your child can perform the following actions, then he is ready to wean:

• the baby is able to sit independently;
• can reproduce sounds;
• the diaper remains dry for 2 hours or more;
• can recognize body parts;
• knows how, albeit not yet perfect, to take off and put on panties, tights;
• noticed that the child began to "go" to the toilet at a certain time.

Now you know when to wean, now we will consider all the methods for weaning a child from diapers.

Method number 1 or forget about diapers during the day

You should start with a daily complete rejection of the use of diapers. At first it will not be very easy, but if you hold out for 2 weeks, then you will be very pleased with the result.

Stock up on 10 to 15 panties, sliders, or tights for the day. Now during the day you will use only them.

First you need to talk with the child and figure out how he will have to indicate to you his urge to pee or poop. The simplest is the sounds "pee-pee" or "ka-ka".

Also, introduce your baby to the potty in advance so that he has a clear logical chain. The urge is a potty, so, in addition to dry clothes, you will eventually be able to not only wean the child from wearing diapers, but also teach him to use the potty.

The essence of the wet pants method is that the child will experience discomfort, and you will be able to track exactly what time he pees. Having approximately determined the schedule, in advance offer him to sit on the potty. Also, the baby himself will understand how unpleasant it is and will try to ask for it on his own. Thanks to this method, you will not only solve the problem of weaning, but also save a lot on diapers.

Method number 2 or let's play adults

We turn on the fantasy, remember that an actor lives in each of us and arrange a performance for the kid. How his favorite toys refuse to wear diapers, but prefer ordinary panties. And they love to go potty. You can also show by your own example how great it is not to wear a diaper.

Children gladly accept such methods. By the way, it can be used in many situations in the future

Method number 3 or sleep without diapers

Perhaps the most difficult thing is how to wean a child from diapers at night. Indeed, many crumbs sleep so deeply that they do not feel the urge or do not prefer to wake up. Therefore, in this case, you should not rush, do everything gradually. Over time, you yourself will notice how the baby will withstand night intervals. Having become older, he will begin to ask for the toilet on his own or go there on his own.

Everyday life of mothers has become much more pleasant after the invention of disposable diapers. Reviews about them are often negative. Therefore, parents try to quickly accustom their children to the potty. But is it good?

History of disposable diapers

There is a fact that prototypes of such panties existed in ancient Greece. They used animal skins, where the role of the material for absorbing moisture was played by leaves, moss and wool.

Panties, familiar to us today, are the idea of ​​the American chemist-technologist Victor Mills. The man became a happy grandfather, and his daughter, having gone to work, added to his trouble with his grandchildren. Working with diapers tired the talented inventor, and he decided to make his life easier by inventing a disposable diaper, which later became known as Pampers. The idea was liked by his management, Procter & Gamble, who launched the production of new items. Such diapers quickly became popular. Customer feedback has been positive.

Scholars' argument against gossip

In the expanses of post-Soviet countries, the Pampers trademark has become synonymous with the phrase “disposable diaper”, the products of which were the first to conquer our market. Today, no mother can do without such panties in a children's wardrobe.

But there comes a time when it's time to give up diapers and teach the child to use the toilet. This usually happens after the comments of girlfriends and older women who boast that their child has been going to the potty for a long time. A mother who knows the basics of pediatric medicine should note that each child is unique. What some have learned in a year, the second will be much more difficult to master. And that's okay.

"How to wean a child from diapers" is a topic that causes a lot of controversy between folk gossip and scientifically based facts of doctors.

Psychological readiness

There is no reason to speed up the process of “love” for the toilet. But too early planting on the potty can lead to problems. For example, enuresis occurs - urinary incontinence (most often at night) and chronic stool retention, that is, constipation.

It is necessary to wait until the baby develops conscious control over the functions of his body. After all, on the one hand, the child can understand what he wants to use the potty now, but on the other hand, it is very difficult for the baby to manage this situation.

The nervous system and the brain are not yet responsible for the excretory system. And that's completely normal. The brain will be able to control the work of the urinary sac and rectum from the age of 18 months, then it is worth seriously thinking about how to wean a child from diapers.

Until then, it is worth waiting for the peanut to ripen. It is worth noting that girls are more agile in these matters. Boys, due to physiology, need more time.

Pediatrician #1

Especially modern parents listen to the opinion of the famous pediatrician Evgeny Komarovsky. This man was born in Kharkov, in a family of engineers. In his native city, he graduated from a medical institute and forever connected his life with pediatrics. He has dozens of brilliant works on his account, where scientific information is available and clearly described.

But he gained fame thanks to his charisma and talent in detail and simply to state the essence of the situation. Today, his programs are popular with parents who want to know the latest information about children's health.

Komarovsky has his own opinion about diapers.

The doctor assures that they do not bring any harm to the child. If a mother does not have time to wash and iron diapers, then her child can wear diapers all the time. The reason for rashes and scuffs on the legs is the unfavorable temperature in the room or the wrong shape of the panties. Allergies can be caused by unscrupulous goods. But it is almost impossible to determine this in advance.

Best age to go to the toilet

To the question “how to potty train a child in a year?”, Which is often asked by worried parents, the specialist answers: “No way.” Komarovsky claims that science has determined the age when a child can control the bladder and the act of defecation. This time ranges from 22 to 30 months. That is, in any case, the baby will get used to the toilet for about a year and a half. Moreover, you should not forcibly put a child on a pot until 18 months.

The doctor believes that the toilet is contraindicated for a baby who cannot sit or is just starting to master this position. The fact is that in this position there is a very large load on the back. And the body, whose muscles are not sufficiently trained, will do irreparable harm.

When and how to wean a child from diapers, of course, is a private matter for parents. But if the little one vehemently resists, you should not force it. Later, at the age of three or four, when the baby is enrolled in a kindergarten, where he will communicate with other children, it will be easier for him to master this task.

Everything has its time

However, there are certain features that will let you know that your child is potty ready. The first and main one is the established mode. For example, does the baby walk “in a big way” every day at the same time? It will be easier for you if the baby spends this period on the potty. This is the best way to wean a child to poop in a diaper.

Another sign that it's time to comprehend this science is dry diapers for 2 hours. This is a kind of signal - the child's body has learned to control itself.

The next criterion is an increase in vocabulary. It is very important to know the names of clothes and the ability to independently throw off and vice versa, put on panties. No less important is the child's attitude to dirty, wet tights. If the situation causes him discomfort, very soon he will understand its cause and try to avoid trouble.

There is another criterion, without which information on how to wean a child from diapers will not work. It is the awareness of the process itself. A toddler who understands the meaning of the phrases “I want to write” or “I need to poop” will be able to tell you about the “surprise” on his own.

First lessons

No doctor will forbid you to prepare a baby for such a responsible matter. You can train a child from the ninth month. But here it should be noted that the baby should sit down on his own and move around on all fours without any problems. This is a sign that your baby's back is functioning normally.

It is best to plant it on a pot for a few minutes a day. But don't turn the process into a game. The baby should not treat the toilet as a chair or entertainment.

Already at 9 months, the child develops a certain regimen. He usually poops every day at the same time. Therefore, it is better to plant the crumbs on the pot during this period. This will help the baby understand the purpose of the new object. In addition, doctors note this as one of the methods of how to wean a child from a diaper. At night, of course, such a "trick" will not succeed, so you still have to use diapers.

If the baby does not succeed, there is no need to get angry and grieve. Although the child cannot answer you, he still remembers the reactions, and then the pot will be associated with the crumbs with the negative emotions of the parents. Doctors do not encourage and shame the little one if something went wrong with him. After all, later the little one will be embarrassed to turn to you for help.

In addition, each child develops a sense of personal hygiene. They will become uncomfortable walking around with a full, wet diaper. As soon as he strives for accuracy, you can immediately use all the known information on how to wean a child from a diaper. At night, the baby may not hold urine for a long time. A conversation will help solve the problem. Explain that to keep the bed dry, you should go to the bathroom before going to bed.

An example to follow

Also, do not give a lot of water in the evening. Leave the light on, then waking up, the baby can easily ask you for help. If the baby wants you to accompany him to the toilet, go with him. And in the morning, explain that there is nothing to be afraid of, otherwise such trips can turn into a habit.

In families where there are older brothers or sisters, a small child quickly becomes accustomed to the potty, because he has someone to follow an example from. If you have a first-born, you will have to show everything yourself and even comment. There is nothing complicated and abnormal in this. You are parents, which means that you are a support and an example for your child, even in matters such as the toilet.

It has made life much easier for a huge number of mothers who have almost forgotten what a wet diaper is.

However, now another difficulty arises - weaning the baby from diapers and at the same time accustoming to the potty. And if during the day the baby more or less copes with his needs “correctly”, then at night he prefers to do “wet” things without getting out of bed.

And yet there are several effective ways to wean a child from diapers at night and leave your own and children's nerves intact.

Before considering the practical advice of doctors and experienced mothers, it is necessary to clarify some psychophysiological aspects of this process.

Such foresight is due to more and more frequent questions regarding how many months children should be weaned from diapers.

It is no secret that many parents strive for early childhood success, are proud of their unique child, and therefore try to make him go to the potty even before the year.

However, children at such a young age are not physically and psychologically ready for conscious action, so such drill becomes a huge stress for them.

Dr. Evgeny Komarovsky is convinced that the sooner you begin to accustom your child to a night vase, the more problems, tears and troubles await you along the way. The optimal time for teaching a baby hygiene skills is from one to three years.

Of course, even a newborn will be able to get into the pot, but at the age of up to a year, there is no need to talk about any conscious assimilation of the skill.

The processes of defecation and urination in infancy are subject to an unconditioned reflex, that is, they proceed without the participation of the cerebral cortex.

In addition, a number of studies have shown that there are certain links between the acts of urination and the ability of the child to use the flight of stairs. That is, this skill is also associated with the state of the abdominal muscles, bladder, and general muscles.

No matter how much you say “pee-pee-pee” to the baby, do not run after him with a potty, a child up to a year old and a little older is simply not physically capable of consciously controlling his body.

But when the muscles of the sphincters of the bladder and rectum get stronger, the nervous system matures, the baby will finally take these hygiene procedures under his control.

If you want to quickly wean your child from diapers at night or during the day, then consider the following physiological norms that scientists have established:

1. The child begins to control the discharge only after a year, and during the second year this control is actively formed.
2. Usually weaning from diapers occurs between the ages of 22 months and 2.5 years.
3. The process of developing a conditioned reflex is completely formed at the age of 3 years.

And yet Komarovsky does not advise looking back only at the number of years. You can wean your baby from diapers even in a year and a half, unless, of course, you pay attention to the following signs:

• the infant has a relatively stable defecation regimen;
• the child remains dry for two hours;
• understands the words "pee" and "poop";
• he cries when he is in wet diapers;
• can take off clothes by himself.

The most reliable sign that the time has come to wean the child from diapers is that he demonstrates his “I want to pee or ka-ka” in an accessible way (words, gestures).

Regardless of how old you start to wean children from going to the diaper at night, you need to prepare in advance for this process and, of course, be patient. If during the day the baby walks less and less in a boring diaper, then he is not in a hurry to give it up at night.

To properly develop hygiene skills, pay attention to the following points:

1. Be sure to stock up on spares. When the little one, who is used to going to diapers at night, urinates into the crib, not only the sheet will become wet, but also pajamas, a bedspread and even a pillow. These items are worth buying in double quantities.
2. Don't forget the wet wipes you'll need for cleaning. Children should not sleep all night dirty or wet, and carrying them to the bathroom means increasing the time of nightly gatherings near the crib. Wipe the baby with a napkin at night, and wash it completely in the morning.
3. If you have not bought a night light before, now is the time to do so. Wiping the baby and re-laying the crib at night is not an easy task. In addition, a bright lamp will completely disrupt children's sleep, which means that the night will again pass without sleep.
4. At night and all the time when the child begins to learn to sleep without diapers, it is better to put reusable oilcloth or special waterproof diapers in the crib. The advantage of such foresight is that moisture will not affect other parts of the crib, that is, you will spend less time on subsequent cleaning and washing. You can additionally cover the oilcloth with a warm diaper so that the child does not feel anything.

Of course, at first, the child will pee and poop in the crib, because he is used to diapers. You will have to get up several times during the night to change the sheets and wash your baby.

However, after lying a little in wet diapers, the baby will begin to establish causal relationships and, therefore, will soon ask for a potty.

If you want to quickly wean your child from diapers at night, it is important to follow a few rules from specialists and experienced mothers. First of all, remember that at night the baby does not control himself, so it is useless to expect instant results.

1. Limit the amount of drinks your child is used to drinking at night. Of course, this does not mean that it is necessary to refuse a baby asking for a drink of water. It is worth reducing the volume of liquid and not giving the baby drinks that have the effect of diuretics (juices from apples and grapes, rosehip broth).
2. To avoid nighttime surprises, try to follow the evening ritual. For example, a child puts on pajamas, listens to a story, pees in a potty or toilet and goes to bed. It is impossible to interrupt the established tradition, especially when getting used to the ritual.
3. If you are weaning a child of three or four years old, before falling asleep, constantly talk and explain to him that there are no more diapers. Wanted to pee? Let him wake up one of the parents. These words must be repeated every night, because during the day the baby will already forget about this rule.
4. An oilcloth or a waterproof diaper is still useful, even if the baby has stopped doing “wet” things at night. When learning these important skills, failures happen all the time, so do not remove the lining far for another 2-3 months.
5. Be sure to praise the children for the dry bed. Parental praise is a very important incentive for a child, so do not skimp on kind words.

In the early days, watch how the child naps. If he starts to spin, toss and turn in his sleep, most likely this is a signal - the baby wants to pee.

Parents who believe that it is almost impossible to wean off boring diapers have probably made one or more mistakes, which we will discuss below.

1. It is strongly not recommended to force a child to refuse diapers at night. Such steps are fraught with psychological trauma, psychogenic enuresis and other problems that you will definitely encounter when the baby grows up.
2. If a child pees at night, shame or shout at him should not be. Agree that it was you who decided to wean him from diapers, so he has nothing to do with it, even if the parents are forced to change bedding three times a night.
3. You should not specifically wake up the baby and plant him on the potty if he is sweetly napping. Better watch his sleep, as we said. Whining, anxiety, tucking up of the legs indicates that the child wants to go to the toilet.
4. No need to put the baby in the parent's bed. Yes, it is not very convenient to run to the nursery every time to monitor the dryness of the bed and the behavior of the child. However, it is easier to just change the linen in a baby's cradle than to wean the little one from sleeping together with their parents for a long and painful time.
5. If you have already abandoned diapers in a dream, then do not replay the situation. It may take several weeks for the child to develop, but the constant change in requirements and the change in parental decision will certainly not benefit the upbringing of the baby.

In some situations, it is not possible to completely abandon mother's assistants. If you walk on the street for a long time, then you will have to leave the diaper for a while. However, then you should not allow the baby to sleep in diapers on the street, so that he does not form an associative connection - sleep and diapers.

Why do nightly "surprises" continue?

Suppose the child has grown up, according to all normative indicators, the nervous system and bladder have matured, but it is not possible to refuse diapers at night.

In such situations, parents begin to suspect the presence of enuresis in the baby. This phenomenon is extremely unpleasant, since it can significantly complicate a child's life, so you need to get rid of it.

And yet, one should not talk about enuresis if the baby is still only 3 years old.

Urinary incontinence is typical for children from 5 to 11 years old, but if your child is younger, then it is more reasonable to talk about the lack of control over the process of urination.

In addition, the age at which this skill is formed depends on gender. Girls are more likely to learn to pee on the potty and do without diapers, while the boy will develop this skill a little later - up to 5 years.

Thus, your desire to wean your child from a night diaper should take into account how old the baby is. A one-year-old toddler is still mentally and physically not ready for the conscious control of his natural needs, so you will only waste your nerves and time.

The main factor in solving this problem is children's age. Wait a bit, and then use our recommendations, and you will be able to minimize possible troubles.

There is no way to wean a child from a diaper in a few days, you can achieve good results only by gradually accustoming your baby to ask for a potty. This process will take a lot of time, but this is the most humane and effective method to wean the crumbs from disposable panties.

Modern psychologists and pediatricians have developed several methods, following which, you can teach your baby to ask for a potty without whims and tantrums. This information should be studied by all parents, as such simple tips will help you save your nerves and time.

• The 10 tights method is to not use a single diaper throughout the day. For the initial days of weaning, use disposable products only at night, before going to bed. You should have 10 clean tights ready, putting on the first ones, be sure to tell the baby that he does not have a diaper today, so when he wants to go to the toilet, you should ask. Of course, on the first day, the baby is unlikely to fulfill your request, but it will remember it. After urinating into pantyhose for the first time, the child should understand what it is like to walk in wet clothes, so do not rush to remove soiled clothes. It is permissible to leave the baby in wet clothes for 20 minutes, this time is enough to feel discomfort, but not cause much harm and irritation to delicate skin. Starting from the 3rd day, most children almost every time ask to go to the toilet, so this technique can be safely called one of the most effective. When the baby goes to bed in the afternoon, you can also leave him in pantyhose, but be prepared that he may wake up earlier than the due time.
• The technique of a positive example is that the kid saw similar actions on the part of his friends and sought to repeat after them. It is as simple as possible to teach a younger child to do without a diaper using the example of an older brother or sister, but for the only child in the family, his favorite toys can be an example. Put several pots in the toilet - one for the baby, 1-2 for his favorite toys - and explain to the baby that dolls and animals, just like him, will learn to pee in the pot. For clarity, try to use toys in all areas of the baby’s life, feed them during lunch, put them to bed with him, etc. Be sure to praise the baby for perfect success, so the baby will want to repeat his achievement and the need for diapers will disappear.
• The desire to repeat after friends can also be a great incentive for the baby. Very quickly, children learn not to pee in their pants from kindergarten, but it is better if the baby masters this skill in advance, for which you can use the method of going to the toilet together. Take the baby with you, and plant it on the potty as often as possible, when it turned out to guess the time, praise the baby, if not, try to plant it in a few minutes. You will see, soon you will not need diapers, and you will be able to sleep and stay awake without them.

Any technique will help wean the baby from using disposable diapers, but this will take a lot of time. Be patient and try not to scold the baby, he will definitely get used to asking for a potty, but at first it is simply impossible to demand this from him.

Starting weaning from diapers, it should be remembered that this is a long and complicated process, so parents will not interfere with the valuable advice of experienced moms and dads, thanks to which you can reduce the time to get used to a new lifestyle for the baby and keep parents calm.

• At night, the baby may go to the toilet involuntarily, so try to reduce the amount of fluid you drink before bed, this will slightly reduce the desire to pee. To prevent the bed from getting wet, first cover the mattress with an oilcloth or waterproof diaper, and then lay the bed linen. Over time, the baby will learn to control urination and, in extreme cases, will ask for a potty at night, but at first you should endure and forgive the child for accidental blunders.
• Before going to bed (at least during the day, at least at night), you should put the baby on the potty, so there is less chance of involuntary urination.
• Try to use not only a potty, but also a miniature seat for an adult toilet bowl, many children sit on it with great pleasure, which makes weaning the baby from diapers less painful.

Try different methods, but the best thing is to start potty training your child from an early age, this will save you a lot of time and will significantly reduce costs, since most of the children's money is spent on diapers.

Starting from the 6th month of a child's life, a pot should be purchased, even if the baby will not use it to the fullest, but from the very beginning he will know why such an item is needed. By six months, babies are already able to sit on their own, so from time to time you can try to plant the baby on a potty, so by 8-9 months the baby will most likely get used to doing without a diaper.

When the baby himself shows interest in the potty, be sure to praise his desire to be an adult and independent. If the child likes the potty, it will be much easier to wean him from the diaper, so you can take the baby with you when you go to buy it - the baby will definitely point to the model that he likes.

At first, it is worth refusing to use disposable panties only during the day, at night it is worth leaving them, because it is better to wean the baby from the things that are familiar to him gradually. Starting potty training at 6 months, it is worth removing diapers at night by about 8 months, but it is not at all necessary to completely abandon them at this stage. It is allowed to use diapers in emergency situations, for example, putting the baby to sleep in the car or at a party.

Remember, every child will get used to asking to go to the toilet, it’s just that some babies need a little more time for this, do not rush the baby, but try to convince him that dry pants are much more comfortable and pleasant than wet ones.

Almost all parents consider diapers to be the best invention of mankind. They allow moms to live without having to constantly wash diapers and baby clothes, and dads to fearlessly take a child in their arms, due to which we have more time to enjoy happy motherhood (and fatherhood, of course). In a diaper, the child sleeps better, you can take him to visit without worrying about various surprises. However, the baby is growing, and sooner or later the time comes to part with diapers.

Weaning a child from diapers at night

is always a decisive step forward. And to do this is a little more difficult than to teach to go to the potty during the day. At night, you won't be able to use the same tricks as during the day. And, of course, a lot depends on the nature of your child. There are children who wake up easily, but then fall asleep hard, and vice versa, when the mother cannot wake the child for the potty or the child wakes up screaming. In general, everyone has their difficulties. So how do you do it anyway? Let's sort it out in order.

When to start diaper weaning

Many mothers really want to skip the “diaper” period as soon as possible, and they begin to rush their children, which is a lot of stress for babies. Yes, it used to be that you need to potty train your child before the age of one, and even earlier is better. But since then, medicine and psychology have stepped far forward and now this is not advised. The children have also changed, you need to understand that mother's big desire is not enough if the baby is not ready for the year. And if you continue to insist on your own, then everything can turn into disappointment for the mother and tremendous stress for the child.

In general, there is no specific time for weaning that is suitable for each child. Only parents can choose the best time, and then you need to constantly monitor how much the child has matured for this physiologically and psychologically. According to psychologists, stable control over defecation and urination in a child should begin between 22 and 30 months. Until that time, you should not torture yourself and the child. Yes, you can catch a child in the process and put him on a potty, but this does not mean that you have taught him, because he will not be able to go to the potty or ask himself anyway. In practice, even a newborn will be able to get into the pot if he is kept over it all the time, but at the age of up to a year, there is no need to talk about any conscious assimilation of the pot.

Sometimes, of course, there are cases when a child has been weaned from diapers for up to a year, but this is rather an exception. It happens, and vice versa, that children under 7 years old cannot control this process.

How to determine when it's time to wean from diapers:

• firstly, age, before one and a half years it is not worth starting;
• watch the child during the day, look at what intervals he goes to the potty, if you notice that he has developed a certain regimen, then you can proceed;
• the child can independently take off his pants and sit on the potty, or ask;
• the child crying or screaming shows that he is wet and he is not comfortable in wet clothes;
• The diaper stays dry for 2-3 hours.

How to prepare for weaning your baby from diapers at night

No matter what age you decide to wean your baby from diapers, you and your baby will need to prepare. First of all, parents themselves should be ready to refuse the use of diapers. This is a rather difficult moment for both the baby and the parents, and you need to understand that once you start, there is no going back.

It is best to start weaning from diapers in the spring and summer, the reason is simple - there is no need to put on a lot of clothes for the child, summer clothes are made of thin fabric, which means they dry faster. The procedure for acquiring a new habit should take place in a calm, comfortable environment, when parents and the child are in a good mood. Mom needs to tune in to a long process, try not to be nervous and not upset the child and herself.

If during the day the child walks less and less in a boring diaper and this gives him pleasure, then at night he is in no hurry to give up diapers. Of course, at first the baby will do all the “wet things” in bed, so you should pay attention to some points:

• First of all, prepare more diapers, duvet covers and pillowcases. And, of course, a change of pajamas (and preferably 3). Since your child is used to writing in his sleep, then most likely everything will be wet;
• be sure to cover the mattress with oilcloth or you can use absorbent diapers, which greatly simplifies the matter;
• also, you need to buy a night light, because how to make a bed in the dark is not an easy task;
• Be sure to create a bedtime ritual. It should be a set of daily activities, which include evening dress, and it should be done at the same time. It is easier for the body of babies who are used to going to the potty and sleeping according to the regimen to learn how to control physiological processes.

How to wean a child to sleep in a diaper

The first and probably most important thing to do is to limit the amount of fluid you drink before bed. This does not mean that if a child asks for a drink in the evening, you should refuse him. Just give quite a bit, and it's better if it's just water, not tea, compote or milk. After a while, put the baby on the potty, let him sit, maybe it will work out. If it didn’t work out, it’s okay, you don’t need to torture the child on the potty until the “deed” is done.

After you decide to wean your child from diapers at night, check his sleep in the first hours after falling asleep. As soon as you notice that the baby is worried, begins to toss and turn, carefully tuck his legs into the potty, preventing him from finally waking up. This will help him sleep dry until the morning, and the brain will quickly build a connection between the urge and the potty at night.

Then you have two options for events, wake the child up at night and put him on the potty, or teach him to endure until the morning. Here you have to choose for yourself, because no one knows all the features of your baby like you. One can only add that the first option is faster, but very nervous, because most children do not like to be awakened, especially at night, and most likely the baby will cry and scream. And some children cannot be woken up at all, they sleep so soundly. The second option is more calm, but it also takes longer to teach.

And one more fundamental rule - you need to have a short conversation before going to bed - explain to the child that today he sleeps without a diaper and if he wants to go to the toilet, then you need to wake up mom or dad and ask for a potty, otherwise he will wet the crib and pajamas. You need to do this every evening, because the next day the child will already forget.

In the morning, be sure to praise the baby for a dry bed, then he will be full of pride in himself and will try harder to do everything right, so that he will be praised again the next morning. If the matter has not moved yet, you should not scold or shame the child, because you decided to wean him from diapers, he has nothing to do with it. Most likely, the baby will not even understand why he is being scolded, and this will only make him even more upset.

And one more thing, if you have already begun to wean your baby from diapers, then do not replay the situation. Do not expect quick results, it can take from several weeks to several months. In addition, constantly changing parental requirements certainly will not do any good.

Give your child time to get used to the new rule. Yes, at first there will be accidents (at first it’s not a week, but rather a month or even three). Scientists have proven that it takes 21 days for a person to form a habit. Of course, the child may need much more time, but you will definitely achieve results if you act consistently and with a friendly attitude. Be patient and you will definitely succeed.