"Once you take it off, you can't put it back on." I have heard this premise many times during these months. But leave the diaper (remove the diaper, rather) does not have to be a fact neither dramatic, nor definitive, nor set on fire in the calendar from one day to another. Remove the diaper gradually it is also possible.
In the case of my oldest daughter, with two years and eight months, we have been giving small steps to leave the diaper, that today I can say that they have been very effective.
Effective in the sense that, after three days without a diaper during the day, Mar controls the subject quite well and we have also become accustomed to being aware that it does not pee or poop on.
Of course, before considering depriving the child of the diaper, we must warn the signs that indicate that he is ready for it, as he understands and expresses that his needs have been made, he asks us to change him, he knows what the toilet is for or the potty, you can take your clothes off and put on (with help) ...
They do not have to show all these points, and besides, as we have already mentioned when talking about sphincter control, not all children do it at the same time. According to studies of Haizea-Llevant psychomotor development, 50% of children control the day sphincters at 2 and a half years, 75% at 3 years and 95% at 3 and a half years.
When we notice that it is ready, we can put it into practice these steps to go leaving the diaperIt can be a process that lasts for months, patience and perseverance are necessary.
- Talk to him and explain often why it is better to do his toilet needs. They are increasingly understanding these ages, but they have not fully developed the language and it may be difficult at first to understand why they cannot wear their beloved diaper that has been with them for years.
- Sit the child on the toilet at the beginning at a fixed time. For example, before bathing, upon waking or before bedtime. At first they may not pee, but little by little they will understand the "mechanism." With my daughter we have done it in the mornings upon waking up and before the bath, and in the end these moments were expected and she always peed on the toilet at those times.
- Remove the diaper at times, at home. They can go with the culete in the air, it is not necessary to put underwear. You can have a potty near where we are so that the child knows that he can sit there if necessary.
- Ask often if they want to pee or poop, and explain that if so, we take them to the toilet (or the potty). So little by little they will understand the cause and the effect: I feel like it, I go to the toilet.
- Even if we continue to put the diaper down the street, ask often if they want to go to the bathroom (this will have to be done for many months even, even without the diaper) when there is a possibility.
- Especially the first times they tell us they do want to go to the bathroom, they won't do anything. We have to understand that they are learning and it doesn't matter.
- During these first steps It is normal for your needs to be met. If we do not want this, do not remove the diaper. Children are having a bad time right now, let's imagine the feeling we would have when we were wet and stained and that they fight us. Many children cry when they pee on, they may not even understand why it happened to them, that they get scared, and we must not add to that they are afraid of our anger. Never ridicule them by telling them they are babies or comparing with older siblings ...
The day we decide to remove the diaper completely during the day (usually at night take longer to control the sphincters) will be a smooth transition if we have implemented any of these small steps to leave the diaper, and the child practically does not know You will notice it.
And neither do we, since it is not the same to have never attended to where the child needs to go to prepare for it and get used to that they still depend on us to learn to go to the bathroom alone, and we have to ask and help them continuously.
In addition to all these steps, we must remember that we can reapply the diaper if we see that it is not the right time. The sphincter control process is not automatic and needs a lot of patience and understanding from the parents.
These small steps to leave the diaper they can be a help to be done in a gradual way and give the child time to get used to that great change that involves removing the diaper.
Photos | Photocapy and simplyla on Flickr
In Babies and more | Reusing the diaper at night, When to remove the diaper at night, Nighttime bedwetting affects 10% of children, Tips to help them leave the diaper
