Potty Training Problems

Image by carpediem37 via Flickr

by Paul Jason James

Potty training is new territory for your toddler. Up until now, they have been happy-go-lucky, learning about her new world at there own pace and making all kinds of exciting discoveries. They have learned how to form sounds into words that communicate what they want, she's learned how to put her legs under her and walk and all this was done at her own pace. They probably thinks she invented walking and talking. Now all of a sudden, someone has decided she will no longer relieve herself in her diaper and plops her down on a potty and tells her to "go".

This is fertile ground for potty training problems. Prevention is the Best Cure Look at potty training from the child's perspective. What kind of introduction has she had to the toilet and the bathroom in general. Has this room been off-limits before now? Let her follow you into the bathroom before you start potty training her. Answer the questions that occur.

Let her flush the toilet and sit on it with the lid closed first. Believe it or not, many children are afraid of the toilet. They see things go down and not come back and wonder if that can happen to them.

When they are comfortable being around the toilet, let her sit on the seat. If they feels afraid, buy her a potty seat that snaps on securely or a potty chair. Humans are born with the fear of falling and sitting on a toilet seat with nothing under her can make your child feel like she's going to fall.

Regression, is when a child begins to learn potty training, then suddenly seems to lose ground. Children who were perfectly happy to go along with the potty training routine all of a sudden begin having accidents frequently. Regression isn't always a problem.

There may be an external factor such as a change in the environment that's causing the regression or it may just be that they want to slow down a little. Most experts agree that periods of regression are normal during potty training and, unless there is a medical condition such as a urinary tract infection, they do not need intervention. Simply continue to gently encourage her with her potty training and they will get back on track.

Most potty training problems can be identified by looking at them through your child's eyes. Inconsistencies, fears, punishment for accidents and regression can all trigger potty training problems.

About the Author:
http://www.pottytrainingtips.us/ provides articles and information Potty Training help for new parents. Great free help, links and more.

Related articles by Zemanta

• This mother to try potty training at 3 months (thestar.com)
• Diaper-Free Baby (neatorama.com)

How To Get The Best Value For Money Baby Clothes

Image via Wikipedia

by Paula Heron

One of the biggest problems with baby clothes is that they don't last very long, because your baby quickly out grows them. Planning your baby clothes shopping trips around the growth of your baby will certainly save you money. So here are seven tips to think about when planning your next shopping spree for baby clothes:

* Buying baby clothes that are a perfect fit is false economy as your baby will very soon outgrow them. It makes more sense and saves you money to buy a larger size as your baby will soon grow into them and they will last longer than a two or three weeks.

* Consider the season: Think for a minute about the clothes labels that give size in terms of a baby's age, such as 9 or 12 months. Then consider what the weather or temperature will be like when your baby is X months old. This will help you to buy clothes that not only fit, but will also be appropriate for the time of year.

* When picking baby outfits look for ones that are easy to put on and don't require removing for diaper changes. Those beautiful outfits with buttons down the back may look good but they can test your patience when you are struggling with a crying infant. It is far better to choose clothes that open down the front and have poppers or zips for easy diaper changes.

* Make sure you have enough: Food often dribbles on to your baby's clothes when you're feeding him and babies often spit up or be sick on their clothes. Whenever messy accidents happen, you'll need a fresh change of clothes ready for your baby to wear.

* It is always a good idea to check out the clearance rails in the stores first rather than paying regular prices. Most store have bargain rails, especially when they are swapping out seasonal clothes, and sometimes they discount them even more at the cash register. If you shop during sale time and on the clearance racks you can save a lot of money.

* If you are lucky enough to have friends or family members with children older than your baby they may have some of their baby clothes they would like to offer you. This can be a big money saver especially on clothes that are for birth to 6 or 9 months old as these will probably be like new.

* What do you do with all the clothes your baby has grown out of? One idea is to sell them to try to recoup some cash. There are various outlets where you can sell off those gently used baby clothes such as a yard sale, on eBay or maybe a thrift shop. Although you won't make a lot of money every little helps!

I hope these money saving ideas will help you next time you shop for baby clothes and I'm sure you can probably think of others.

About the Author
Whether you're looking for newborn baby boys clothes or clothes for baby boys or baby girls clothes, Paula's blog will give you some ideas.