The first thing you will need to buy is a potty. You should do this well in advance of potty training as it will help your baby to become comfortable with it being in the house, get used to seeing it and then siting on it. You should keep it in full view of your toddler so they can get used to seeing it and then sitting on it.

The more relaxed you make the introduction of the potty, the better. Your little one needs to see it as a natural part of life, not a test. Once they are used to the potty being there, you can sit them on it after a meal. This is a good time to do it since most toddlers will have a poo after eating anyway, not through choice but as a reflex action.

Remember, many toddlers fear falling in to the toilet and a potty will often feel more comfortable than an adaptor for a full size toilet. A potty also allows your little one to have ownership of the potty training equipment, helping them feel even more comfortable using it. To further enhance this ownership, you may want to let your child personalise the potty with stickers or by writing their name on it.

You may also want to consider what nappies you buy. Today’s disposable nappies are so good at keeping babies and toddlers dry that many toddlers come late to potty training, unable to recognise when they're wet. This supports the widely held theory that babies who wear re-usable, 'real' nappies are potty trained earlier – they feel immediately when they are wet and want their nappies changed.