Getting your little one to the potty can be a breeze–or a nightmare. If the timing is right, you can potty train in one day. Alternatively, if you are ready to work from the beginning, your baby may never use diapers. It all hinges on your child’s personality, how much time you want to invest and the potty training method you choose.

Elimination Communication

You can start the elimination communication method from birth. It involves staying in touch with your baby and learning the signs that she’s going to go, then placing her over the toilet to do her business. This method requires a strong commitment on your part. You must constantly be ready to drop what you’re doing to bring your child to the toilet, especially when she cannot walk or talk herself.

Fast Track Methods

If your child is ready to use the potty, you may be able to take a fast track method–a method that could have him potty trained in one to three days. While specifics of these types of methods vary, you typically spend on day allowing him to have a naked bottom, placing potties in every room. You may have a few accidents, but it’s easy for him to get to the potty, since he’s already naked and the potty is right there. After he does that for a day, you can take him on a short trip outside the home immediately after her goes to the potty. Place him in loose-fitting clothes without underpants. These loose clothes are easy to get down when he has to go. Then, transition to wearing underpants, but dress him in clothes that are easy to take off quickly for several months.

Child-Led Potty Training

In child-led potty training, you wait until your child shows an interest in using the potty and don’t pressure her to use it. You might allow her to watch you use the toilet to generate an interest. She may also want to sit on the potty as play, only pretending to go. This method can take a long time, but she will eventually learn to use the potty for its actual purpose.

Rewards

Some children respond well to receiving rewards for good behavior. You can reach an agreement with your child about appropriate rewards, but a common method is to create a sticker chart and to give your child a sticker every time he uses the potty. Some children have a more difficult time pooping in the potty, so you can purchase a bigger reward–such as a toy that he wants–to give if he poops in the potty.

Training Pants

Training pants allow your child to practice using the potty without having to worry about cleaning up messes. These are waterproof, like diapers, but they pull up like underpants. Some brands will even turn cool when your child goes in the pants, allowing her to feel the coolness of being wet, which will encourage her to use the potty instead of the training pants.