One of the most overwhelming aspects of parenting is helping children go from diapers to the full-time use of the potty. There are so many different methods and ideas behind potty training an entire section may be devoted to it at the local bookstore. Some of the most popular methods follow.

Infant Potty Training

Not for the faint of heart, some parents swear by infant potty training. Theory states if a parent is tuned into a child’s natural rhythms she can anticipate when a baby is ready to go and get them over the potty in time. Obviously this is not an overnight method, but some claim that children can be trained by twelve or fifteen months with consistent parental involvement.

The One Day Method

Other experts claim children can be trained in one day. This method is very appealing to frantic and busy parents. You simply devote a single day to potty training. You don’t leave the house or do anything that might take you away from the potty. Feed your little one plenty of liquids and sit them on the potty regularly (usually every hour.) Eventually all those liquids should come out and the huge amount of positive feedback will convince the child that the potty is the place to go all the time. A variation of this method is to let the child run around naked. Being naked will make them more aware of when they need to go and will speed the process along.

The Reward System

Another parental favorite is the reward system. M&Ms and stickers are given as rewards for a successful trip to the bathroom. Every time your child uses the potty correctly she receives a small award and this motivates her to keep up the good work. This method generally assumes the entire process will take a little while.

The Readiness System

At the opposite end of the spectrum from the infant training is the “wait until he’s ready” system. Rather than being highly motivational and almost forcing your child to use the potty when you feel they are ready, you simply wait for them to tell you they are ready.

Gradually introduce the vocabulary and model the procedures and over time a comfort level will be built up. One day your child will decide that he can probably sit on the potty, too and he will. Experts claim that not forcing the issue will actually make the training easier as it is not emotionally charged.

Most experts strongly advise waiting until a baby is four to six months to introduce solid foods. “Solid food” is somewhat of a misnomer since the pureed baby foods we consider solids are more liquid still than anything else. Babies may be interested in trying out the foods they see on Mom and Dad’s plate, but introducing solid foods gradually is the best method to avoid overwhelming baby and to make the process more successful.

Stage One – Smooth and Simple

The first foods for your baby should be so smooth they resemble a liquid. The most common first food is a cereal, usually rice, to avoid potential allergies, but can be a fruit or vegetable. The first few feedings will be more amusement than substance, but over time everyone will catch on.

Early foods involve very finely pureed fruits, vegetables and cereals. Introduce the foods one at a time to detect any allergies waiting four days between introductions. Many experts feel bland foods should be given first to introduce baby to the texture of a product that doesn’t come in a bottle.

Then vegetables should be added slowly as they don’t have the sweet taste of the fruits. Others find that introducing fruits first makes baby more enthusiastic about the whole idea. So long as you introduce each food slowly and keep the texture ultra smooth, order is not crucial.

Stage Two – Lumps and Bumps

After all the basics have been introduced, although possibly not meats, it is time to move into textures. Babies must work up to solids and this is the in between step. Foods should now be prepared more mashed than pureed and mixing things a bit is fine so long as baby has not shown any bad reactions to anything you’re mixing.

It may take a little while for your baby to decide that little lumps and bumps in their favorite item is okay, and this is perfectly normal. This is also the stage where many parents begin to introduce meat items.

Stage Three – Finger Foods

Somewhere between nine months and a year, babies are ready for a new challenge. They have worked to develop the concept of picking up items and may actually begin to refuse being spoon-fed. They simply want to do it themselves. Humor your baby with finely cut finger foods. Also realize it will take while to get the hand to mouth action down.

Finger foods can be scary for parents as they produce more choking hazards and are usually pretty messy. Babies eat everything with their hands, sometimes well into their toddler years. Keep pieces very small and make sure your baby’s diet is as varied as possible. Also, be aware of highly allergenic foods such as chocolate, egg whites and nut products which should be avoided until your little one is turns one.