When is the right time to start potty training?

While there is no magic age for potty training, most toddlers will develop the necessary physical and cognitive skills between 18-24 months (though some aren't ready to start until as old as four). Look out for some independence and an understanding of what it means to go to the bathroom. They may start telling you when they have soiled their nappy too.

Before potty training begins, it is a good idea to buy a potty and leave it next to the toilet to introduce your toddler to the idea of using it. Travel potties are also useful when away from home as children often form an attachment to their potty, causing distress when it is not available. Some of these will also convert into toilet seats which are great for avoiding problems in public toilets. At home, trainer seats are often used as the next stage in potty training and don't forget a toilet step so that your toddler can reach!

Parents are often under pressure from family or friends to start potty training but, if you start too early, it often means your child has to be reminded about the toilet several times a day and the hanging on is reduced to vital seconds. Leaving training until they show signs that they are ready means that the whole process is a lot easier and quicker.

While some children are soon dry at night too, it is perfectly normal to continue in nappies for a year or more at night, with occasional bed wetting for a few years. It is only when your toddler has regular dry nappies in the morning that you should stop using them at night. A waterproof sheet on the bed is a good idea and trainer pants are perfect for the transition from nappies.

Here are few tips from mums to make the potty training experience easier:

• keep a potty or travel potty in the boot of the car on long journeys. When your toddler needs the toilet, they usually need to go straight away!


• when you stop using a nappy at night, buy a few pairs of trainer pants. It is much easieir to change pants at 3.00am than the whole bed!


• remind your toddler often about the toilet, especially if they are playing, as they may not want to stop their game to use the potty


• it is useful to keep a travel potty in the bottom of the buggy as it is often difficult to find a public toilet quickly when you are out and, if you do, these are not always the most toddler-friendly places!


• once you have stopped using nappies, don't be tempted to go back to one if you are on a long day out as this will only confuse your toddler. Take a couple of pairs of trainer pants with you instead and, if there is an accident, you can quickly change the pants.

Above all, keep calm and avoid putting pressure on your toddler. They will get there in the end!

Sleeping Tips

As any new parent will know, the better your baby sleeps, the better you sleep! Here are some tips to remember to promote a good night's sleep:

• Place your baby on their back



• Do not let anybody smoke in the same room as the baby



• Do not fall asleep with your baby on the sofa



• Keep your baby's cot in your bedroom for the first six months



• Do not share a bed with your baby if you or your partner are smokers, have been drinking alchohol or taking drugs or medication that makes you drowsy or you are excessively tired



• Place your baby in the "feet to foot" position with bedding tucked in and covers no higher than the shoulders



• Do not let your baby get too hot (or too cold)



• Position a room thermometer above the cot and check the room temperature from time to time



• Establish a bedtime routine and keep to it. Baby will eventually understand that after, say, a bath, feed and story that it is time to sleep!



• If you need to attend to your baby in the night, keep lights low and noise down so that baby drops off again quickly.



• Do not use a 2nd hand mattress for a new baby, even if it is only siblings that have used it before. Always buy a new mattress for a new baby.

Product Review - The Buggysnuggle

Buggysnuggle has made some great improvements to their footmuffs this year. To secure the Buggysnuggle on to the buggy, there is now a hook over flap as well as the ties to secure the Buggysnuggle in place. This ensures the Buggysnuggle will stay in place on both forward and rear facing seat units. If the ties are not required, there are mitred corners on the back for tucking them away out of sight. The "floating harness" design means that you can pull the entire harness through for easier fitting. Again, the zip opens from both sides but there is also now a double zip at the bottom so muddy boots can stick out to avoid getting the Buggysnuggle dirty.

As before, the Buggysnuggle remains a good size that will last you throughout the time your child is in a buggy. The top part is still removable to convert the Buggysnuggle in to a seat liner during warmer weather.

The designs and thickness of the Buggysnuggles means that there should be something to suit all tastes and budgets.

We think that the improvements have been well thought out and improve the functionality of the Buggysnuggle. With prices being held at the same price as 2009, these offer great value for money .

Product Review - Lumilove Nightlight

The Lumilove Nightlight is a good alternative to a plug in nightlight. Although, at £24, it is quite a bit more expensive than a basic nightlight, we still think this is a good buy.

The Lumilove comes in a range of 5 really cute designs to suit both boys and girls - panda, kitten, puppy, elephant and rabbit. The nightlight gives out a low-consuming LED light, which continually changes colour throughout the night. The light unit does not heat, despite being on all night, and so is safe for little ones to touch.

Lumilove say that their nightlight is suitable from 10 months under parental supervision. However, because it can be used wirelessly, parents can use it in younger babies rooms as it can be put up on a shelf out of reach of little hands to give a soft light in baby's room when feeding or changing in the middle of the night.

As your child grows, they will continue to get use out of a Lumilove. They are great for toddlers who have developed an imagination and have become afraid of monsters in the dark! They are also handy at potty training stage as they avoid the need for turning on lights in the middle of the night if your child wants to use the bathroom. Children become attached to the character of their light and the reassurance it offers at night helps children to settle for sleep.

... And now for the technical bits - the nightlight comes with a plug in charger and you must initially charge the unit for up to 18 hours to ensure it is fully charged. After that, it can be used and will only take 8-10 hours to re-charge the battery. The light should run for 8 hours. If the light colour stays red, rather than continually changing, it means the battery is running low. This means that you can use the nightlight wirelessly each night and simply plug in to re-charge during the day. Each Lumilove comes with a 2 year guarantee.

We would recommend the Lumilove to:

1. New parents looking for a nightlight for baby's room


2. 1st birthday present for somebody looking for a "useful" present that the child will also love


3. Present for a baby shower, especially if you don't know what sex the baby will be and you are stuck for ideas


4. Toddlers who are sacred of the dark

Babysitting Circles

You've got through those first worrying months and now you feel it's time to start having some "me time" again and you have to find a babysitter. Now for those of us lucky enough to have family nearby then that would be the ideal choice. What do you do though if you don't, or feel you can't keep asking them?

Finding a babysitter can be difficult (and expensive)! More and more mums are forming a babysitting circle with friends. It works by having a pool of friends you can call upon to babysit. In return you have to take your turn, and how you arrange it is up to you but it's always a good idea to draw up some "rules" between you so everyone knows where they stand. The benefits are obvious - you get a night out, for free, and your children are in the care of a parent you know and trust.

Babysitting Do's and Don'ts:

If a babysitter is coming to you:

1. Do show her how to put the central heating back on after it automatically switches off at 10.30pm. There's nothing worse than coming home to find your babysitter jogging on the spot to keep warm.

2. Do leave her a selection of decent snacks and drinks. Otherwise she may have to resort to eating handfuls of coco-pops from your larder – not attractive.

3. Do ensure your children are at least bathed, fed and in their bed-clothes and have had a story read to them. Then all she has to do is pop them into bed - job done.

4. Do arrange to lock your dog in another room if needs be – your babysitter hasn't come along for the evening only for your dog to try and have sex with her leg. Ditto the cat.

5. Don't stumble in, completely trashed at 2am, and ask if she wants to stay and have "one for the road". She doesn't.

And if you're the babysitter:

1. Agree beforehand what time your friend will be back home.

2. Under no circumstances take it as an opportunity to rifle through her wardrobe or bank statements.

3. However tempting it may be, now is not the evening to call your sister in Australia and have a good old chinwag. Ditto hitting the drinks cupboard.

4. Unless they've set fire to the curtains, smile sweetly and reassure your friend that her children were little darlings. No one wants to come home at the end of a great evening to be told their children ran riot around the house.

5. Remember it's against the law to smack someone else's child – however tempted you may be when you find them setting fire to the curtains

BabyStyle Oyster comes top in which? Travel System Test

The Oyster from BabyStyle has been awarded the Which? Best Buy in the Travel System test published in their June issue. This is the 2nd time the Oyster has received this award from Which? in less than a year. The Oyster scored 80% making it the top product in the test. Which? commented "our top scoring travel system has a reversible seat, manoeuvres well and scored highly in our public transport test as it's narrow enough to push down a bus gangway."

BabyStyle has recently launched a wide range of new colours in the Oyster. We think they are great - see what you think at http://www.newbeginningsbabyshop.co.uk/product_details.php?catid=14&prodid=79

Potty Training

Potty training is one of those subjects on which there are hundreds of opinions as to the when and how, so it can be a very confusing issue for parents - if it weren't difficult enough already. And can be even harder to deal with if you feel you're dealing with other people's disapproval, whether it's from your parents, your child's nursery or other mums. While the parental advice market is awash with techniques promising to potty train your toddler in x days or weeks, remember that the best approach will be one tailored to your own child's needs as an individual and at the time when she's ready and receptive to training. Here are a few pointers to get you started.

Is it time?While many experts say that you should wait until your child is at least 18 months to think about toilet training, and some say even longer, your parents may be insisting that you were toilet trained just as soon as you could walk. You probably know mums who had their babies out of nappies at fifteen months and mums who have put it off until their toddler is as old as three. So whose advice do you follow? Well, your parents probably aren't exaggerating all that much, as they most likely come from a generation that used fiddly terry squares and pins and nasty plastic overwraps that they had to wash in not terribly good washing machines. Back then, the incentive to get a baby out of nappies ASAP was pretty strong, particularly if the next child was on the way. These days, however, both cloth and disposable nappies are easy enough that the focus for finding the right timing is more on the child and, if anything, parental convenience often leans towards putting training off for a while.

The truth is that the 'right' age for potty training can vary greatly from child to child, and if you wait until your child appears ready for potty training you may find it is a far quicker and less frustrating process, and one that doesn't cause upset for your toddler.

Signs that your child is ready for potty training A few parents may wait with toilet training until their child comes and tell them themselves that they are ready to use the toilet, but most children will display signs of readiness for toilet training a long time before they come to you and say 'Mummy, I want to use the toilet now'. Signs include:

Being able to tell, or show you, when she's doing, or about to do a wee or a pooh
Showing an understanding that things (not just pooh) belong in certain places
Having words for wee and pooh
Staying dry for a couple of hours at a time
Having fairly regular bowel movements
Showing an interest in other people's use of the toilet An older child may also actually ask to use the potty or ask to wear normal underwear.

When NOT to potty train It's easier to say when it isn't the right time to start potty training, and that's when there's something else going on that could be a potential source of stress or disturbance for your toddler. It's not a good idea, for example, to start her off on toilet training just as you send her to nursery, when a sibling arrives, when there is a family bereavement or as you move house. And if your toddler resists the idea of using the potty it's best not to make it into an area of conflict, be ready to back off and give her some more time or make your approach more casual.

What you can do to prepare the ground Even before you think your child is ready to use the potty you can help smooth the way. From very early on you can talk to your baby naturally about wee and pooh, telling her what is in her nappy 'Oh, it's just a wee wee this time", so she begins to learn what wee and pooh are. Later, when potty time is getting a little closer you can get her used to the idea that wee and pooh belong in the toilet or potty. Get a potty ahead of when you think you need it - let her choose and even decorate her own potty if you think that will help - and tell her what it is and what it's for, but without making a big fuss about it.
To show her what the potty is for you can tip pooh from her soiled nappy into the potty and show her that that's where the pooh goes, and then let her see that you take it to the toilet and flush it away. Very soon if you ask her where you put the pooh from the nappy or potty she'll probably point you in the direction of the toilet door.

Start letting her watch as you, or other family members, use the toilet so that she can see it's completely natural and don't feel silly about explaining her that you're doing a wee or a pooh on the toilet - she may start handing you pieces of loo roll! You can let her get her potty out and sit on it while dressed to practice and you may be surprised by how quickly she sits on it and pulls straining faces pretending to do a pooh. Don't push this don't force her to sit on the potty.

Tips for getting started There are many techniques for potty training and different approaches work with different children, but here are a few ideas to get you started, as well as some of things it's best to avoid.

Dress her in clothes/nappies that make it easy for you to get to her nappies or, with older toddlers, choose clothes that she can easily manage to pull down herself. If it's warm enough to let her run around in her underwear or even the altogether some of the time, then that can make things even easier - the summer is usually an easier time to train than the winter

When you see that your toddler's doing a wee or a pooh, or if she tells you, ask her if she wants to use her potty - have it close to hand with wipes at the ready. Don't make a big panic about getting the potty out on time, if you're a bit late then you can tip the pooh into the potty to show her what the idea is

Talk to your toddler about being wet and dry etc. Talk her through what she's doing if you see that she's doing a pooh by her facial expression, 'you're doing a pooh now, aren't you? Shall we change your nappy when you've finished?'

If you know roughly when a pooh is due you can sit her on the potty and read a book or sing a song together while you wait for the pooh to arrive. It may help to have a particular book or song that is just for potty times. But don't sit her on the potty for too long - no more than a few minutes at a time - and don't hold her down on the potty if she wants to get off

Reward successful potty trips with enthusiasm and praise - some mums like to give a small treat for using the potty successfully

Go at your own child's pace: there's no reason why your child should be potty trained in a week or two

When it comes time to move your toddler into proper underwear have her come with you and choose her own if she's old enough to enjoy this. You'll need a big supply!

Try to be consistent. Once you have made the move from nappies to training pants or proper underwear, try to avoid switching back and forth between the two, as this may confuse her and set her back. You'll need to think about how you can keep as much consistency as possible when you're out and about or visiting.

Consider a travel potty for out and about. These fold up flat, have disposable liners and are fairly inexpensive. This can save you the panic-stricken search for a grown-up toilet when your little one needs to 'do potty'.

Accidents will happen during potty training and it's best not to make a fuss about them and certainly not to punish or chastise your toddler when she does have an accident. Be prepared by having clean up things and spare clothes with you at all times so you can clean up quickly without making it traumatic for her.

Set a good potty routine from the off by showing her how to wipe properly and hygienically and how to wash her hands properly afterwards.

By Maria Meunnich