How Many Potty Training Accidents Are Normal?
When potty training, how many accidents are considered normal? We address this important question and explain how many to expect, whether on the first day or weeks and months later.
You’ve more than likely asked yourself how many accidents are too many (especially when cleaning up after them is such a hassle). After three kids, I’ve noticed that there are a few similarities with the number of accidents you’re bound to see. Here is a summary of how many accidents are normal depending on the stage of potty training you’re in:
- In the first few days of potty training: 6-10 accidents on the first day, going down to about 3-5 the next subsequent days.
- A few weeks into potty training: 1-2 accidents per day with some days having no accidents.
- Months after potty training: 1 accident every 2 weeks.
Want to learn more? Take a look at the different stages and how many accidents you might expect for each stage:
Table of Contents
At the start of potty training
Regardless of the potty training method you choose, you’re more than likely going to see the most accidents in the early stages of potty training. With my kids, I would see anywhere from 6-10 accidents on the first day, dwindling down to about 3-5 the next subsequent days.
This may seem like a lot, but think about how many times we typically use the bathroom. All this time, your child had been peeing and pooping in a diaper or pull-up so discreetly that you may not even have noticed he had soiled himself.
With potty training so new, you can expect plenty of accidents. He’s still learning about how to hold his bladder and use the potty. And potty training resistance might mean not just more power struggles, but more accidents as well.
Rather than feeling discouraged by so many accidents, factor them into your day. Have plenty of rags and cleaning supplies handy and spend a lot of time hanging out in the bathroom or on tile floors, not the carpet. Cover your furniture with large towels, and be prepared mentally to expect them to happen.
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A few weeks into potty training
How many accidents are normal a few weeks after potty training? Maybe your toddler is potty trained but still poops in his pants, or despite mostly getting the hang of it, he still has a few accidents here and there.
You can still expect about one or two accidents a day, even weeks after you’ve started potty training.
After all, like any habit, using the potty needs time, repetition, and consistency to finally “stick.” Just because your potty-trained child is still having daily accidents doesn’t mean he has failed or that you should put potty training on hold. So long as you’re seeing an upward trend, you’re on the right track.
Continue to reinforce using the potty and dealing with the inevitable accidents. So long as he’s not crying about using the potty, these accidents are likely normal even a few weeks after having started potty training.
Months after potty training
What about accidents that happen months post-potty training? How many accidents are considered normal at this point?
Despite your child’s success with potty training so far, you might still see the occasional accident, perhaps once every two weeks or so. Why is it taking so long to be completely accident-free?
For one thing, you may have noticed that many of the accidents have more to do with poop than with pee. Maybe your 4 year old poops in his pants and doesn’t care one bit, even though he seems to pee just fine. Why does this happen?
Kids may not completely master pooping in the potty until after a full year later. So, even though he pees in the potty just fine, you can still expect to see poop accidents here and there.
That doesn’t mean you’ll have a year of frequent poop accidents before they suddenly disappear. You might start off with plenty that decrease over time until you can’t remember the last time you saw one. But it can take a full year before poop accidents go away (that was certainly the case with all my kids).
And second, accidents at this stage can also happen more frequently overnight or during nap time. That’s because we can’t actually potty train for the night the way we can for the day. In other words, it’s not their fault—kids simply can’t control their bowel movements during sleep, which is why we rely on overnight diapers.
In fact, bedwetting is still considered medically normal until the age of eight. This doesn’t mean you need to put up with wet sheets for the next several years—there are ways to encourage your child to wake up at night to pee (see the frequently asked questions below). But you shouldn’t be too hard on yourself if you still see accidents at night.
Frequently asked questions
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You can take your child pretty often during this stage, especially if you see an uptick in accidents. Take him about every hour or two to sit on the potty. He won’t pee every time, but by going frequently, you increase the chances that he’ll go some of those times.
Tip: Don’t “ask” if he needs to go, as he’ll likely say no. Say, “It’s time to use the potty!” instead.
Go to the potty before and after an outing. Many accidents happen when you’re out and about—to reduce the number, make it a routine to use the potty before you leave. Then, head straight to the bathroom after you return home.
If your child does well during the day but has accidents at night, a pee alarm like this can help. It’ll either vibrate or ring the second it senses any urine, waking him up to pee. Be warned though: he’ll probably have to wake you up at night to help him turn off the alarm.
If he gets upset and is having far too many accidents, it’s also okay to stop potty training and wait. Every child will eventually learn to use the potty. And the older he is, the fewer accidents he’ll likely have.
The bottom line
Every exasperated parent has asked how many potty training accidents are normal in various stages. Now you have an idea of how many is too many. Rest assured friend, these accidents are more than likely normal—even if cleaning up after them is a hassle.
Get more tips:
- Is Your 5 Year Old Starting to Poop Their Pants?
- How to Handle Your 3 Year Old Wetting Their Pants During the Day
- Potty Trained Toddler Having Accidents on Purpose? Here’s What to Do
- How to Handle Your 4 Year Old Having Accidents During the Day
- What to Do When Your 3 Year Old Won’t Potty Train
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