You’ve already verified that your child is ready for potty training and tried some best practices to help your toddler get started. You may have even tried some tips and tricks that can help stubborn toddlers go with the flow. But your child is still not using the potty consistently and doesn’t seem to be making a clear transition. What’s next?

It may be time to train you. (No, not to use the potty). Adults and children alike benefit from consistency and structure, and a broad strokes best practices approach may not be giving you all the tools you need to provide consistent guidance to your toddler in the potty training process. That’s where other tools and strategies can come in. They wouldn’t exist if they didn’t help, so consider adding in some of these to your potty training approach if you’ve been hitting a wall:

1) Apps and timers

Potty Whiz is an app on both Android and iPhone that can help you keep track of when your child went, how long they spent on potty, when they had accidents, and what their fluid intake was that day. A built-in timer reminds you when it’s time for them to go so you can get a consistent routine going, and handy tips pop up based on the data you entered to help structure your potty training journey more effectively.

If you don’t want to download a specialized app, the timers and alarms on your phone are a great choice too. Don’t let yourself miss prompting your child to go to potty and losing an opportunity to reinforce the process. Set a timer or put regular reminders in your calendar daily so you don’t forget. Ask your pediatrician about the time intervals that make the most sense for your child’s developmental age.

2) Potty training consultants

This is another option where training for the parents happens alongside training for the child. People who choose to hire potty training consultants rarely hear advice and tips that no one has ever told them before. The information is not “top secret.” Parents who use potty training consultants benefit from having an experienced professional develop an understanding of their home environment, their habits, and their child’s personality and habits to create a plan that’s made just for them.

The caveat is that potty training consultants are expensive. Searching for consultants, we saw a range of prices—none of them that low: from $99 for a 30-minute phone consultation from one consultant, $249 per in-person visit from another, and even $5,000 for ongoing daily support from another. Since most people in business will not charge a price no-one will pay, we assume that plenty of parents are finding value in their services. If you’re thinking of going this route, interview potential consultants on the phone and be sure to ask your pediatrician about their approach to ensure it’s safe and developmentally appropriate for your child.

3) Books

Books are the DIY alternative to hiring a consultant. The great thing about a lot of potty training books is how they can propose different methods to structure and systematize your potty training approach to get results. Choosing between the methods in books should be about what you, as the parent, are willing to do, along with what your child comfortably tolerates. Lots of people swear by the “Oh Crap” method, for example, but the initial stage of the method outlined by the book involves being at home with the child, focused one-on-one with them for at least 3 days. That just isn’t a realistic approach for lots of lifestyles.

With books, never forget: just because something is written in a book doesn’t make it true, developmentally appropriate, or beneficial. Ask your pediatrician about books and structured methods they recommend or bring by the book you’re considering for them to take a quick look. Potty training should never come at the cost of your child’s well-being.

4) A Break

This isn’t a method, nor is it a structure to help train parents and kids to cooperate in the quest to potty train. But a break can be very beneficial for parents who have been struggling to make different methods work with a child who may be confused or frustrated with changes to their routine. Think of it as a “cleanse” for the process.

Take a break of one or two weeks where you just let your child eliminate in the way they’re most comfortable with. If that’s 100% diapers, okay. If that’s an occasional casual sit on the potty with no pressure, that’s fine too. Just take your hands off for a bit and recharge.

Once you’ve given yourself and your child a break, talk over next steps for potty training with your pediatrician. Make a plan that you’re comfortable sticking with for the long haul, and jump back in.

At Coastal Kids, our pediatric practitioners are always happy to advise you on potty training methods that are appropriate for your unique child. Ask us about the process at your next well visit or request an appointment to come in and discuss the issues you’ve been having. Your Coastal Kids pediatrician would love to help you navigate this next step in your child’s life.