Step by Step, How Did You Teach Your Girl Child to Wipe Herself?

Updated on March 23, 2012
E.D. asks from Olympia, WA
12 answers

How did you teach your girl child to wipe after bowel movements? At what age did your girl child start wiping herself after BM? Did you get special wipes or did she just use toilet paper? How did you teach them to wipe in the right direction so as to avoid infection? Any other useful tips?

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L.M.

answers from Norfolk on

My kids aren't yet, but a word to the wise.... Don't flush the moist wipes, even if they say "flushable." My mom had serious plumbing issues in her new house because my grandmother (who lives with them) uses them and they just don't disintegrate like toilet tissue. The plumber told her that none of the "flushable wipes" are endorsed by plumbing companies for a reason.

For my son (he's 4, mostly potty-trained and I use regular baby wipes on him after a BM), I put the used wipes in the diaper genie I am still using for my daughters (who are still in diapers.) When the girls are potty trained, I will keep the diaper genie in the bathroom. Perfect receptacle for "that time of the month" ya know?

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T.N.

answers from Albany on

Until she started sighing with annoyance, evertime she headed to the potty, I'd say, "Remember, Front To Back!" If I could sneak it in before she closed the door, I'd say "Get a new TP every wipe, ok?"

Man, that's annoying!

She must've figured it out since she's 15 and hasn't had any kind of infections, doesn't smell bad, and has no skid marks on her gootchies.

However, want to talk about the BOYS?! Grrrrrrr.....

:)

3 moms found this helpful
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M.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

"Front to back!" a zillion times... still doing it for girls age 3 and 5. Five year old doesn't REALLY need me to remind her but it can't hurt, right?

2 moms found this helpful

L.A.

answers from Austin on

From the very beginning of diaper changing, I would talk about what was going on, including the wiping, and now I am wiping, front to back..

When she was in the bath tub, when I would bathe her with the wash cloth I would say "Front to back".

So then when she would want to wash herself in the tub, she would wipe and say, front to back..

When the potty training FINALLY was occurring, she knew the expectation. I would then coach her. "One wipe and try again until the toilet paper is clean."

Of course I helped in the beginning or she would ask for help, but I guess she pretty much caught on within a few weeks or months. Been so long.

2 moms found this helpful
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S.G.

answers from Seattle on

Still working on #2...butfor #1, we do "pat,pat, swipe back and drop it" :)

1 mom found this helpful
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S.P.

answers from Portland on

I have almost 5yr old and a just 3yr old girls. I think the biggest part is teaching them front to back. I think I helped my almost 5yr old until about 4yrs when she could wipe around her back also. My 3yr old tries to wipe but can't really reach all the way back so it will be awhile before I let her do it by herself. I guess the ability to reach is a good point for girls to wipe themselves good. I did teach them to use enough tissue also.

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M.!.

answers from Phoenix on

I thought them to pat the front dry and reach around and wipe the back.
I would tell them "pat, pat, pat, now wipe the back". Of course they needed lots of reminding and help now and them, but they got it.

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T.S.

answers from San Francisco on

I just taught them to "do it like mommy" front to back.
And I LOVE the cottonelle/flushable wipes, we've been using them for years, and without any plumbing problems, but I guess there's some potential.....

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M.W.

answers from Chicago on

I have encouraged my boys to use cottonelle flushable wipes. They just do not get themselves clean enough with T.P. I still have to wipe my 6 year-old sometimes. Have her wipe herself first...then you can wipe to make sure she got it all. I make my kids stand up and bend over a little, reach around and wipe front to back......good luck!!!

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L.F.

answers from San Francisco on

Front to back and to use toilet tissue first and then follow-up with a wet wipe or flushable wipes. Its easier if they stand and kind of squat a little to wipe. Really emphaize the front to back part though so that she doesn't push anything forward where its not suposed to be. GL

K.M.

answers from Chicago on

I hung a mirror at his level so he can SEE what he is doing - got the wet wipes (charmin are the best) and held his hand the first few times then let him go on his own. I would help inspect and after he was good let him go! He was potty trained around 4 and was able to take the mirror away around 5.

T.K.

answers from Dallas on

my girl watched me and I watched and coached her

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