potty training girls

Potty Training Girls: Ultimate Guide On How to Potty Train Your Toddler

I potty trained my kid when she was 2.5 years old. She was having severe itching in her diaper area and the doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong. 

They eventually discovered the cause but I’ll tell you about that later. It’s a PSA by the way, so if you really want to know now, click here.

Anyway, I had to test out every method there is to treat her itching.

And that involved not wearing diapers. At all.

So I had potty train my toddler. Took her 2.5 months but after that, she didn’t have any toilet accidents anymore!

Potty training girls are interesting and a little bit stressful at times.

But if you want to know how I managed to make my toddler girl go completely diaper-free and toilet-accident-free by the 3rd month, keep scrolling below!

I hope you’ll love the products we recommend! Just a quick note: if you click on a product link below and decide to buy it, we may earn a small commission.

What Is the Average Age of Potty Training?

Most people will say that the best age to potty train is between 18 months to 3 years old. 

But the truth is, it depends.

Potty training readiness will depend on your kid’s level of development and personality.

Signs of Potty Training Readiness 

Your toddler is ready to be potty trained when you see them doing these things:

  • Can let you know their needs (can talk or motion to you)
  • Can understand and follow instructions
  • Can pull up or pull down their pants on their own
  • Shows interest in potty training
  • Feels uncomfortable about their soiled diaper

If they exhibit at least 4 of these signs, they are ready for potty training!

But if you can see that they’re struggling to do it and they explicitly don’t want to do it, don’t push it.

Try again in a few months or next year.

Toddler Potty Training: How Long Does it Take?

Potty training girls or any toddler for that matter can take a while.

It will depend on your kid’s development, personality and your training methods, and how consistent you are in potty training them.

Some can do it in 3 days, using the popular 3-day-method of potty training.

A variation of this method is done in daycares and child cares, as it’s very fast, efficient, and convenient.

Children in daycares/ childcares have that added pressure of seeing their peers learning to go potty.

They don’t want to be left out so they quickly learn how to pee and/or poop in the toilet, in daycare!

But the 3-day-potty training method, if done at home, requires 3 days of watching your toddler like a hawk and never letting them out of your sight.

That can be challenging, especially if you work full-time from home, don’t have any other help around, have other kids to care for, etc.

For those doing potty training the usual way, it will take at least 2 to 5 months for your little girl to be potty trained.

Mine took less 3 months!

But by that, I mean, she didn’t have any more toilet accidents after 3 months. Ever.

Potty Training Girls: Step-by-Step Guide

Here’s how I potty trained my girl successfully in 3 months:

1st Month of Potty Training

Read them potty training books

I’ve been reading to my little one since she was 2 months old.

I know the long-term benefits of reading and personally, it just makes things easier on my end.

Every time I want to teach her a new skill, like brushing her teeth or bottle weaning, I always pick a book related to that topic, to slowly introduce the concept to her.

It just makes everything so much easier for her to understand the idea of doing something and why it’s important to learn that skill.

So pick out fun potty training books with engaging stories that you know your kid will be interested in.

AND has some more or less realistic zing to it.

What I mean by that is, pick a book where they can see themselves in the character and they will be able to relate to it.

So if you are potty training a girl, it’s better to pick a potty training book with a girl character!

Like this book:

Potty Superhero: Get Ready For Big Girl Pants!

Potty Superstar: A potty training book for girls

Or if they’re into dinosaurs, like my little one, you can introduce this book:

Pottysaurus – Children’s Padded Board Book

Here are more great, practical, no-nonsense potty training books that are highly recommended by a lot of parents:

P is for Potty! (Sesame Street) (Lift-the-Flap)

Superstar Potty Training Book for Girls

I Pooped In The Potty Today: A Potty Training Adventure

Dino Potty-Engaging Illustrations and Fun, Step-by-Step Rhyming Instructions get Little Ones Excited to Use the Potty on their Own!

Keep reading to them every day, even until they’re done with potty training!

Show them how you do it

Now, this is tricky if you’re a dad reading this and you want to potty train your girl.

But if you’re a mom, this would be a breeze.

For moms, just do what you normally do in the bathroom but do it exaggeratedly. And don’t forget to narrate every step.

Tell them that you feel like pee or poop is coming out and you need to go to the bathroom. 

Then let them come with you and show them how you pull your pants down to your legs.

And so on.

Narrate every step – from what you’re feeling to wiping, flushing, pulling up pants again, and finally washing and drying your hands.

Do this consistently so they will know the whole process of peeing/pooping in the toilet.

Get them a potty chair

Surprise your girl with a potty chair! Check out the ones below:

Real Feel Potty with Wipes Storage, Transition Seat & Disposable Liners

Nuby My Real Potty Training Toilet with Life-Like Flush Button & Sound for Toddlers & Kids

Summer 2-in-1 Step Up Potty

Let them practice sitting down on it properly.

But don’t let them play with it as you don’t want them playing on a real toilet!

Some parents have the potty chair in their kid’s room but I wanted my kid to learn early on that she can only pee or poop in the bathroom.

So I placed the potty chair there. Next to the real toilet.

Ask if /Tell them they’re ready

Now that you’ve read enough potty training stories, they’ve seen you do bathroom breaks every day, they have their potty chair, and there’s only one thing left to do.

And that is to actually train them to go potty!

But before doing that, give them the full autonomy of actually wanting to do some potty training.

You can either ask them if they’re ready for it.

OR you can tell them that you think they’re ready to be potty trained.

If they say yes or respond positively, go to the next step.

2nd Month of Potty Training

Buy training pants with them

Go shopping with them for some training pants or underwear.

Pick a brand and size then let them choose a design. 

Doing so will encourage them and empower them. It will get them excited to do potty training.

I made my kid choose her boxer-type underwear, which made her excited to use it for potty training.

She liked using these types of underwear:

Core Pretty Girls Cotton Underwear

BOOPH Little Girls Underwear 6 Pack

You can also just make them use pulls ups or easy ups initially.

It’s really no big deal as one, they will wear those training diapers like underwear – so they will get used to pulling it down and up on their own.

Two, there’s less stress of cleaning up for you if they’re using training diapers.

Three, don’t get too worried about them peeing or pooping in their training diapers and not the potty chair. 

As you will be having a potty training schedule and reminding them to go consistently, which will be explained in the next steps.

Just switch to real underwear when your little one is ready.

Get pee pads

You can get reusable ones or those disposables but I highly recommend getting a pack of them!

I bought 4 reusable waterproof pee pads and it has helped me tremendously, especially when there are toilet accidents at night.

Baby Waterproof Bed Pad

CLOVERCAT 2 Pack Large Size 35×27” Bed Pads

Just take note that these pee pads won’t be able to hold everything in, especially if your kid moves around a lot while they sleep.

But they can still help contain most of the pee. Or even diaper blowouts! (Or make that just regular poop.)

Manage your expectations

Now before you go and do the full, real potty training experience, you need to learn how to manage your expectations first about your girl learning potty training.

Because your little one might be able to get it in the first few days. 

But they’ll still have accidents after that. 

Which can last for weeks or even months!

Or they won’t get potty training and won’t even want to try again, at all.

Or it will take them a really long time to be potty trained.

So whatever the case may be, just keep an open mind, manage your expectations and adapt to the situation.

Tell them when potty training starts

Prep your kid early on.

Remind them of the stories in their potty books, of what they’ve seen in the bathroom, their potty chair and diaper training pants and your earlier conversation about them being ready to be potty trained.

Let them know that potty training starts tomorrow.

Make it a big deal, a big moment for them!

You can get them potty training charts and give them stickers as a reward.

I’ve never done the potty training chart but I did made a big deal of the start of my daughter’s potty training day.

I told her we’re starting tomorrow, danced around with her, told my hubby excitedly about it in front of my kid, etc.

I just basically hyped up my girl to do some potty training!

Have a potty training schedule

Think of the times when you had to change a full diaper and turn that into your toddler’s potty training schedule.

With my kid, at the start, she still wore her regular overnight diapers but the minute she woke up, I let her to her potty chair and let her have a go at it.

Then I told her that this is the start of potty training and we’d be doing this every morning and every few hours.

I then made her wear her boxer underwear, with shorts and pants.

So initially her potty training schedule was more or less like this:

  • Right after waking up in the morning
  • Every 1 to 2 hours
  • Before going to bed
  • In the middle of the night 

It may sound weird to wake up my kid and ask her if she wants to pee or poop in the middle of the night but it worked for us!

But you don’t need to do the nighttime potty training yet.

Just let yours wear overnight diapers and just concentrate on daytime potty training at first if you want.

I had to do both as my daughter had some severe itching so I didn’t want her wearing diapers at all.

Look for cues and remind them

This is one of the most important things you need to do when potty training – looking for cues and constantly reminding them to go potty.

Because kids will tend to forget, will get distracted, and won’t even be aware that they need to until they do at the last minute.

By then, it’s too late – they already peed or they’ve started poopping!

So always remind them to go at a certain time.

You can ask if they need to go but most of the time, you need to remind them. Consistently.

You can set a reminder for yourself via your phone or the alarm clock and ask them every 30 minutes or every hour to go potty.

You can also look for cues that they’re about to pee or poop, such as:

  • fidgeting
  • grabbing their crotch
  • twisting and crossing their legs
  • hiding in a corner and staying there
  • avoiding eye contact
  • grunting while talking to you

Once you notice one or more of these signs, lead them to their potty chair pronto!

Some parents have made their kids go naked, to make it easier for them to go straight peeing or pooping in the potty chair.

I’ve never let my kid do that as I don’t think it’s necessary, but if that works for your child then feel free to do it!

Use pee pads extensively

Put up pee pads everywhere your child is, to make cleaning any toilet accidents/ disasters easier to manage.

Place one on their bed or crib every night and let them lie on it.

Celebrate small wins

Keep doing the steps above PLUS celebrate every small win, at the very start of actual potty training.

Keep celebrating, until they’ve gone accident-free for at least 3 months.

  • If your kid managed to put down her underwear on her own, celebrate it.
  • If your kid managed to reach the toilet when she’s peeing halfway, celebrate it.
  • If she peed in the toilet but pulled up her pants after and forgot to call you to wipe her, celebrate it.

No matter how seemingly small or insignificant their action was, if it’s a 1% improvement in their potty training skills, celebrate it.

Show your excitement, give a big shout of hurray, clap your hands, do a celebration dance – just make it a big deal.

So your little one will know that they’re making some progress and that’ll encourage them to do better.

Then let them know where to improve on their potty training skills.

3rd Month of Potty Training

Don’t teach how to wipe YET

Make it easy for your kid to learn potty training by giving them as few steps as possible.

So initially, just teach them how to do the 3 steps, things that they can do on their own.

Which are knowing:

  • when to go potty
  • how to pull down and up their pants
  • then doing it in the potty!

Then just remind them and show them the other steps such as wiping flushing, washing, and drying hands.

But don’t let them do it YET on their own. 

Those can be taught eventually as your little girl masters get to the toilet without any accidents.

Stay calm

By this time, if you’re consistent with the methods above, your kid might more or less, get potty training.

But remember, every child is different.

Others might be on their way to diaper-free days and nights but yours might have some setbacks.

Your kid might start peeing again outside of the toilet.

Or they might pee in the middle of the night in their underwear.

No matter what happens, just stay zen, stay calm and remember – manage your expectations.

Don’t get angry or even show them the tiniest amount of frustration.

Cause that would set them way back more.

Make accidents normal

Don’t make a big deal when they pee or poop anywhere else but the toilet.

Tell them that accidents happen. 

Let them know that you were like that too when they were a kid. 

Then just keep guiding and reminding them to go to the toilet.

Do this so your kid won’t feel discouraged or afraid, which could setback their toilet training.

Don’t show any signs of frustration

This is another way of normalizing toilet accidents.

Let them know that it’s perfectly okay and normal if they sometimes forget to pee or poop in the toilet.

So hold back any frustration, anger, and even that urge to make a face, give a big sigh, groan or complain, especially in front of your kid.

So your kid won’t associate negative emotions with potty training.

More Tips On How to Start Potty Training A Girl 

  • Manage your expectations

I’ve already mentioned this but again, this is one of the most important things about potty training. 

And in life in general. 

I digress.

You have to learn how to manage your expectations to make it easier for both you and your girl to go through potty training.

So learn early on that every kid is different, how to adapt if your kid is struggling with potty training, and what to expect about setbacks and regressions.

So you won’t feel frustrated and even annoyed at your kid when they can’t seem to get potty training.

  • Keep them company always

You should always stay with them whenever they go potty.

Be ready to drop anything once they tell you that they need to poop or pee.

This is essential so you can clean them up of course, but to also celebrate small wins with them and encourage them to keep potty training!

  • Use easy-to-remove clothes

Make them wear clothes that they can easily remove on their own.

Don’t let them struggle on some tight pants, cute buttoned skirts, or shorts that have a ribbon that they have to untie.

Make sure that they’re wearing something that they can easily remove on their own.

  • Pause potty training at certain times

Don’t do potty training when you’re traveling or on vacation.

Just let them wear their normal diapers. 

But explain to them that eventually, they would need to learn how to go to the toilet every time.

And don’t do it when they’re sick! Especially when they’re having diarrhea.

  • Let them stay hydrated

So their potty time would become more or less predictable.

Besides, it’s healthy for them to drink lots of water!

  • Make it fun

Make it fun for them to go potty training, so they won’t feel anxious.

Some kids are scared to poop in the toilet but if you never make them feel afraid if you don’t show any concern, worry, or anxiety when potty training – they will never feel it.

So make it fun – sing a song, do a dance after, high five after washing and drying hands, take out their favorite doll or dinosaur and make it talk to them and congratulate them, give them stickers, etc.

Just do the silliest things and make potty training a fun experience for them.

Toddler Potty Training Equipments

As mentioned above, you will need the following:

  • Potty training books
  • Potty chair
  • Training diapers OR
  • Underwear 
  • Pee pads
  • Potty training reward charts

That’s it! Nothing fancy, nothing extraordinary.

I don’t recommend buying the potty training seat with the step ladder for a younger toddler, as they have to learn how to get up there and use that. 

Which is another step added to their potty training. And we want to simplify potty training as much as possible. Initially. 

So just get the potty chair. 

It’s easier for them to manage – they just pull down their pants and sit on it!

The potty training charts and rewards are optional as I’ve never used them but just try them and see if it works for your kid. 

Useful Resources on How to Potty Train a Girl

I’m admittedly not an expert in potty training.

Especially potty-training boys.

The way I potty trained my girl may or may not work for you, so if you want to learn from the pros, check out these books below. 

These are popular potty training books that most parents swear by:

FAQ on How To Potty Train A Girl

What is the best age to potty train a girl?

The best age to potty train a girl is when they’re showing signs of readiness such as:
– can understand and follow instructions
– can let you know their needs
– can pull down or up their pants on their own
– shows interest in potty training
That usually happens between 18 months to 3 years.

What is the easiest way to potty train a girl?

The easiest and fastest way to potty train a girl is by doing the 3-day potty training method.
Which would entail watching them closely for 3 days straight, checking their cues, making them go naked at times, and always leading them to the toilet.

Takeaway on Potty Training Girls

By the start of the 3rd month, my girl then had fewer and fewer toilet accidents.

Halfway through the month, she became officially potty trained! 

And by that, I mean no peeing or pooping outside of the toilet. 

Ever.

If you want to know what was causing my daughter’s severe itching, it was UTI.

Which was an unusual case according to her doctors.

As she didn’t show any of the common UTI symptoms in children. Her only symptom was severe itching.

It was so bad, to the point that she couldn’t sleeep properly at night.

We were given special ointments, medicine for constipation and worms, etc. 

I changed her diapers, underwear, laundry detergent, diaper cream, food, etc., but nothing seemed to work.

Until 1 doctor finally discovered she had UTI. Which took a few weeks, darn, my poor baby.

So keep a lookout for anything unusual on your kid. Just a PSA.

Anyway, so that’s my story of how I potty-trained my toddler

I hope this guide will help you in potty training your girl. Good luck! And stay calm, you got this! 🙂

Julie
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