It felt like a big accomplishment the first time I changed my baby’s diaper. It became more challenging, though when she became more active and started learning to crawl. When she learned how to sit, it was one of the most difficult parts of my day. Now that she seems to get the kick out of mommy having to run after her, diaper changing becomes more exhausting than giving her a full bath.

Makes me wonder if I should start training her to use the potty. Here’s what I’ve gathered from my mommy-friends who’ve been successful at potty training.Read on and check if your toddler is showing signs of readiness, too.

1. Dry diapers for at least 3 hours at a time.

2. Has regular bowel movements.

3. Indicates through facial expression that he is about to “pupu.” My 19 month-old daughter pauses while playing and grunts, indicating that she’s “going potty.” Right after the grunting, she’d say, “Pupu! Pupu!”

4. Can pull diapers up and down his legs. This is not similar, though to trying to remove the adhesive on diapers.

5. Feels icky about wearing a wet diaper. Your toddler may tap his diaper or scratch the back part of the diaper indicating that it’s already soaked.

6. Shows interest in the bathroom and the toilet bowl and even wants to try sitting on it.

I’ve been told that forcing the toddler to use the potty even before he is showing readiness signs can be detrimental and can even push the process backwards