When I was a newly qualified health visitor in the late 70’s I used to carry around checklists of objectives to be covered at various developmental checks. At an 18 month check I would discuss potty training with the Mother and would find most had started but hadn’t got far. At my return assessment at 2 and a half it was very unusual to find a child not potty trained during the day and most were well on the way to being trained at night.

Then of course there’s the Mother’s perspective. Talk to any old lady about her child rearing years and her reminiscences are always associated with the nappy years. “I had 3 at one time still in nappies”. If you have to wash and dry nappies (and don’t have a tumble drier and live in a damp country), as well as look after the babies and husband, then believe you me your number one goal is to get that baby out of nappies as soon as possible. I come across quite a few mums now in Hong Kong who are using washable nappies (mostly because they are sensitive to environmental issues but some because they believe it is more cost effective) and I will be very keen to see how quickly their babies are potty trained in comparison to the rest of the disposable nappy using population!

By the age of 2 the average child will have used 4,000 nappies. In some countries the use of nappies ceases after a few weeks. The baby is held over a sheet of newspaper at regular intervals as the carer anticipates when the baby will wee or poo. The baby is obviously not “potty trained” in the sense that he is aware and able to indicate when he wants to empty his bladder or bowels but he does quite quickly begin to learn when he is expected to perform at the appropriate time. Whilst this is clearly not the most practical of methods for the modern Mum it does demonstrate how quickly a baby can learn to indicate his need for the potty.