Why Early Potty Learning Is Possible: Myths & Misconceptions
If you’ve ever been told to “wait until your child is ready” before starting potty training, you’re not alone. It’s one of the most common things that parents hear, but it’s also one of the biggest myths! The truth is, babies are far more capable of learning potty skills than many people realise.
In this post, I’ll correct some common misinformation about potty learning and explore what the research really says about babies’ natural abilities, development, and readiness.
Myth 1:
“Babies aren't capable of bladder control”
FACT: Babies are born ready to learn lots of things, including potty skills. They have all the physical tools they need to begin learning bladder and bowel control.
Research shows that sphincter control, the muscles that hold and release wee and poo, is present from birth. By about nine months, babies can begin controlling those muscles to allow for efficient bladder emptying.¹ Regular potty use from infancy helps protect bladder health and strengthen these muscles.²˒³
The bladder is a muscle, and just like any other muscle, it becomes stronger and more coordinated through gentle, conscious use. Studies have found that starting potty training between about 15 and 24 months is linked to fewer bladder-control problems later on, compared with starting after 2 years.⁴
Starting earlier (under 15 months) is logical and the existing evidence suggests it may be beneficial. However definitive proof that starting before this age range is superior is still to come.
When done responsively and at your child’s own pace, early potty learning helps build body awareness and bladder control naturally, without stress, pressure, or punishment. Think of potty learning like you think of them learning to walk and talk: they learn as they go along.
Myth 2:
“You should wait until they’re ready”
“Wait until they’re ready” sounds like respectful parenting, but it can actually cause confusion and missed opportunities. What does “ready” even mean?
The concept of “readiness” was popularised in the 1960s by paediatrician T. Berry Brazelton, and while his ideas were well-meaning, the concept was later promoted by disposable nappy companies to encourage longer use.⁵˒⁶
Before disposables became common in the 1970s, most babies in Western cultures started potty learning as soon as they could sit up. In 1958, 47% of babies were out of nappies by 12 months, and 83% by 18 months.⁷ So what changed? Not babies, just the culture around them.
Readiness isn’t a single milestone; it’s a gradual process of learning. Just like walking or talking, potty skills develop step by step. You wouldn’t wait until your child says they want to talk before you start speaking to them, you model it, encourage it, and celebrate progress. Potty learning should be approached in the same way.
Babies begin to show awareness of their bodily functions from birth. Even before six months, they can communicate when they have a full bladder or bowel through non-verbal cues, wake up before pooing, and learn to associate a sound or cue with weeing.⁸˒⁹ Supporting these instincts early, without pressure, helps your child feel confident and in tune with their body.
Myth 3:
“Night-time dryness is purely hormonal.”
It’s true that a hormone called ADH (antidiuretic hormone) helps reduce the production of urine overnight. But contrary to popular belief, this hormone isn’t something that suddenly “switches on” when your child turns a certain age, it’s present from birth.¹⁰
For the vast majority of children, the hormone works perfectly well. Only a small number (less than 5%) have a medical issue affecting hormone production. Babies who regularly use a potty during the day instead of a nappy can even be dry at night from as early as six months.¹¹
Night-time dryness is a skill that you can help your child to develop. With gentle, responsive support and consistent potty opportunities, your child can learn to stay dry overnight just as they do during the day.¹²
The TLDR version
Baby Pottying isn’t about rushing or forcing independence. It’s about tuning in, responding to your baby’s cues, and making toileting a normal, everyday part of life, just like eating, sleeping, or talking. The research is clear: Earlier potty training does not cause constipation or toileting refusal. When approached gently and positively, starting earlier can protect bladder and bowel health. Babies are born capable of communicating, connecting, and learning, and Baby Pottying is a beautiful bonding experience with many benefits for your and your baby.
About Rebecca
Nurse Rebecca Mottram is a leading expert in potty learning, known for her evidence-based, child-centred approach. She is an NHS research nurse, an NIHR doctoral research fellow, and has worked as an expert advisor for charities like ERIC, the Children's Bowel & Bladder Charity, Topps Nurseries and Pura. Rebecca is also the author of two books Positively Potty and The Baby Pottying Guide, the creator of the Go Potty podcast, and the founder of an Etsy shop selling eco-friendly potty learning products.
References
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Bakker, E. and Wyndaele, J.J., 2000. Changes in the toilet training of children during the last 60 years: The cause of an increase in lower urinary tract dysfunction? BJU International, 86(3), pp.248–252.
Joinson, C., et al. 2009. A prospective study of age at initiation of toilet training and subsequent daytime bladder control in school-age children. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 30(5), pp.385–393.
Olson, A., 2015. The Tiny Potty Training Book: A Simple Guide for Non-coercive Potty Training. Trade paperback edn. Asheville, NC: The Tiny World Company.
Kachmar, M., 2018. Lose the Diapers: The No-Fuss Early Potty Training Alternative.
Douglas, J.W.B. and Blomfield, J.M., 1958. Children Under Five: The Growth, Health and Behaviour of Breasted and Bottle-fed Children. London:
Allen & Unwin. Kaerts, N., et al. 2012. Readiness signs used to define the proper moment to start toilet training: a review of the literature. Neurourology and Urodynamics, 31(4), pp.437–440. https://doi.org/10.1002/nau.21212
Rogers, J., 2002. Toilet training: lessons to be learnt from the past? Nursing Times, 98(43), pp.56–59.
Sureshkumar, P., et al 2009. Risk factors for nocturnal enuresis. Journal of Urology, 182(6), pp.2893–2899. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2009.08.024
de Vries, M.W. and de Vries, M.R., 1977. Cultural relativity of toilet training readiness: a perspective from East Africa. Pediatrics, 60(2), pp.170–177.
Largo, R.H. and Stutzle, W., 1977. Longitudinal study of bowel and bladder control by day and at night in the first six years of life. II: The role of potty training and the child’s initiative. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 19(5), pp.607–613. October 2025
