Our Potty Training Experience: What Worked, What Didn’t, and Encouragement for Moms

Potty training can feel overwhelming, especially as a stay-at-home mom juggling so many moving parts. I hope our experience encourages you and gives you a simple, realistic picture of what this stage can look like.

Our Potty Training Story

We officially potty trained Noah a couple of weeks before his second birthday. I was pregnant at the time, and one of my personal goals was to have him potty trained about two months before our second baby arrived. I knew I didn’t want to be in the middle of potty training during the postpartum season, especially not knowing what life would look like caring for two little ones. I’m really glad we chose the timing we did—but this is simply what worked for us.

Every child is different, and you truly know your child best. If you try and it goes terribly, that’s okay. You can pause and try again later.

Going into potty training, I felt both excited and nervous. I’m naturally very goal-driven, and honestly, being a stay-at-home mom has stretched me in that area. There aren’t always clear milestones, and each day looks different. But having a goal like potty training felt purposeful.

Still, when the week actually came, I felt overwhelmed. I questioned if Noah was ready, how he would do, and how I would handle it. Potty training wasn’t perfect for us—but here’s what helped.

Training Before Potty Training

You’ll often hear that you should wait until your child shows clear signs of readiness. For us, we gently introduced the potty ahead of time. We started about two months before officially potty training. The main readiness sign Noah showed was telling us when he was pooping in his diaper. Beyond that, we focused on helping him become familiar with the process.

Here are some signs your child may be ready:

• Staying dry for longer periods

• Showing interest in the bathroom

• Telling you when their diaper is dirty

• Wanting independence

• Copying parents or siblings

What We Did to Prepare

We started very simply. Before bath time each night, we had Noah sit on the potty for a few seconds.

At first, nothing happened.

I noticed he would almost always pee once he got into the warm bath, so I began saying, “Pee goes in the potty.”

After about a week, it didn’t seem to click—so I tried catching his pee in the potty insert and then showing him how we dump it into the toilet and flush.

I think that really helped him understand because after a few days, something clicked.

He began going before bath time.

From there, we added:

• Before nap time (for a week)

• After nap time (added the following week)

Slowly, it became part of his routine.

What We Used to Potty Train

We kept things simple, but these were helpful:

• Toddler underwear (https://amzn.to/4sJG7gX)

  • I recommend sizing up so it's a little looser, we used 3T because we didn't want him to think he was still in a diaper

• Small potty (https://amzn.to/4vJIHq2)

  • We used this a lot when introducing the potty to our toddler and during the first day of potty training

• Travel toilet seat (https://amzn.to/3Qq3PRZ)

  • SO helpful! This was great for transitioning to the regular toilet and was really nice to travel with and use in public restrooms.

• Star/reward jar (https://amzn.to/4coHnkO)

  • We only used it for a day during potty training but it was fun to get excited about filling up the jar with stars.

You don’t need a lot—consistency matters more than anything.

Our Potty Training Method

I chose to try the 3-day potty training method, which involves staying home for a few days and then slowly introducing outings.

We focused on daytime training first. Noah continued wearing diapers during naps and nighttime.

Day 1: Stay Home + Frequent Potty Trips

• Underwear only (no pants)

• Potty every 30 minutes

• I guided him instead of asking

• Gave diluted apple juice to encourage frequent peeing

• Stayed home and watched closely

Day 2: Building Independence

Morning:

• Potty every 45–60 minutes

• Encouraged him to tell me when he needed to go

Afternoon:

• Added shorts

• Transitioned to him initiating vs me taking him to the potty

• Introduced the regular toilet with a travel/training seat cover

First Outing:

• Walk to neighborhood park (total of 30 min out of the house)

• Brought the potty in stroller (just in case)

Day 3: Unexpected Setback

This day felt discouraging.

Noah suddenly became fearful of sitting on the toilet to poop, which made me nervous about progress. I gave us grace and added another training day.

Morning: underwear + shorts

• Potty every 45–60 minutes

• Park outing (30 min out of the house)

Afternoon: underwear + shorts

• Park outing (30 min out of the house)

Day 4: Adjusting + Adding Encouragement

We introduced a reward system with the star jar:

• 1 star for pee

• 2 stars for poop

Once the jar was full, he could watch an episode of Puffin Rock (his favorite show).

To be honest, this didn’t last long—he was more interested in playing with the stars than earning them.

After these four days, I felt much more confident leaving the house.

What Worked Really Well

• Underwear instead of going naked

  • Easier cleanup and reinforced the feeling

• Having extra underwear on hand

  • We ran out quickly—definitely buy more than you think

• Verbal praise

  • This worked better than rewards for us

  • We even FaceTimed family to celebrate

• Staying calm during accidents

  • No pressure, no shame—just learning

Handling Accidents Without Frustration

Accidents are part of the process.

At first, I reacted with, “Oh no!”—and I could tell it made him feel uncomfortable.

I quickly shifted to:“That’s okay, accidents happen. Pee goes in the potty—let’s go try.”

Then I would:

1. Take him to the potty

2. Change his clothes

3. Clean up

I found it helpful to bring him to the potty before cleaning so he could make the connection.

Stay calm. Stay encouraging. It makes all the difference.

Biggest Takeaway

Potty training requires patience and consistency—not perfection.

Those first few days lay the foundation, but learning continues afterward.

Yes, Noah still had accidents—and that’s completely normal.

Let go of the expectation that everything should go perfectly. It creates a much more peaceful experience for both you and your child.

Encouragement for Moms

If you’re in the middle of potty training, I know it can feel exhausting. But these small stages of motherhood matter so much. You are teaching and guiding your child in such an important way.

Give yourself—and your child—grace. If it’s not going well, it’s okay to pause and try again later. That doesn’t mean you failed.

They will learn.

Final Thoughts

If you’re about to start potty training and feel nervous, I understand. But you and your child are capable.

And if you’re in the thick of it right now, take a deep breath—you are doing better than you think.

Celebrate the small wins. Don’t rush the process. Every child learns at their own pace.

You’ve got this, mama 🤍