Toilet training and bedwetting

Toilet Training

Learning to use the toilet is an important skill for your child. Little accidents will happen along the way and this is totally normal. Your health visitor can give you lots of toilet training tips. You might want to watch their video, drop in to the next clinic near you or call them to arrange an appointment on 0191 282 3319. 

A healthy diet

Having a healthy diet is important for toilet training. Too much dairy (milk, yogurt or cheese) or not having enough fibre from fruit and vegetables could make your child constipated which will make it difficult for them to poo. Drinking enough water through the day is important too. 1 to 3 year olds need around 900ml a day, and 4 to 8 year olds need between 1 litres to 1.4 litres of water a day. 

Top tips 

  • Trying sitting your child on the toilet or potty about 20 minutes after eating
  • Give lots of praise when your child uses the potty successfully. You might want to use a sticker chart. 

When to see the GP?

If your child is constipated, you should make an appointment to see the GP. Signs of constipation include;

  • having less than 3 poos a week
  • struggling to poo
  • pooing over night when they're asleep
  • watery or dry pellet like poo
NHS Logo

Potty training and bedwetting from NHS

The NHS pages have useful information about how to potty train, some common potty training problems and bedwetting.

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Potty training and bedwetting from Healthier Together

Healthier Together is a local NHS resource with information about potty training and bedwetting.  

ERIC logo

Potty training from ERIC

ERIC is the children's bladder and bowel charity. They have a 3 step Let's Go Potty approach. It begins with preparation to use the potty, next is practising potty skills before eventually stopping using nappies as your child gains confidence. Read more on their site. 

Information from https://childrenandfamiliesnewcastle.org.uk/
Printed on December 29th 2025
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