Whenever I talk to new Moms I find that while most of them are open to the idea of using cloth diapers, they have no idea how to apply them.  They have spent their lives listening to the horror stories of their mother and grandmother's days, and they are afraid to even give it a try.  Then when I sit down with them and explain the process and how easy it can be, they are amazed.  Not to mention the benefits to your baby's skin and the boost to your pocket book! 

There comes a time when you stare down at a dirty diaper and feel like it is a phase that will never end.  You will stare longing at the potty and dream of the day when all you'll have to do is remind them to flush.  The good news is that the end is near.  You are officially ready to potty train your child.  The question is, are they?

Readiness

The first step to potty training any child is deciding if they are ready for the challenge.  And while there is no hard and fast formula to tell you when the time is right, there are some clues that you can look for.  To make it easy on you, the AAP has put together the following list:

Before my daughter was born, my husband and I sat down and had a long talk about "distribution of duties."  In short, there wasn't going to be one.  The plan was that each of us would share an equal responsibility when it came to caring for the baby.  Now, I know that at this point many of you are sitting back and laughing, thinking that I'm just kidding myself, but he has really stepped up to the plate.  From day one he was down in the trenches changing nasty diapers right there in the hospital.  He will even change the baby in a restaurant! I'm so proud!