We inadvertently used the naked potty training technique on our youngest toddler. He just has always been a stripper, and suddenly he started using the potty, likely from watching his older brother, but the problem is if you put clothes on him he doesn't even try to use the potty. He's potty trained-naked. While that can still effectively reduce my diaper bill, it certainly isn't a practical long term solution. He can't be naked all the time nor everywhere. Logically, since naked potty training is actually a well-known technique, it should offer advice for this potty training problem, right?
What does the naked potty training regime say?
I read myself a fair number of naked potty training guides and the overall suggestion was a slow clothing transition. The reason naked potty training works is your toddler can at first see when they start to pee or poop, and then begin to associate that with what it feels like to have to pee or poop, and finally use the bathroom before they go. This isn't unlearned when they start wearing clothes, but by leaving them naked you may have conditioned them to believe that when you're wearing clothes or a diaper, you don't have to use the potty. To transition back to clothes, start with just undies. You want your child to be able to feel when he or she is wet. When an accident happens don't get mad, but let your child know what happened verbally. You could say something like, "It's OK it was an accident, but if you remember to go potty in the potty next time your underwear won't get wet." It can help to get character based undies that your child won't want to pee on. You could then say, "Oh, no! You peed on spiderman! It's OK…" and so on. Once your child has mastered underwear, move on to pants using the same system, and eventually, you'll have a clothed toddler again.
Unforeseen snags in the plan:
Loving to be naked- It's also possible that your toddler will learn how to use undies just fine, but still prefer to be naked. You can read a guide to dealing with streakers by clicking the phrase in this sentence.
No improvement-If you've been trying to transition to underwear awhile and are having no success, some parents find that the tightness of underwear reminds their child of a diaper. Try loose underwear such as boxers, or even go commando with pants or a skirt and no undies underneath. This close-to-naked step can help a resistant toddler see they need to use the potty even with clothing on.
Feeling like you have a puppy- Accidents will happen with the naked potty training method. My biggest advice to avoid frustration is to get a handheld upholstery cleaner such as the "Little Green Machine" by Bissell. They work for spot messes on carpets and couch or bed accidents all the same. No scrubbing, and the spot gets nice and clean.
You may also enjoy:
Qualifications for Potty Training is Your Toddler Ready?
Is Potty Training a Second Toddler Easier?
Dealing with Potty Training Regression
