In a nutshell: Between 12 and 16 months, some children's elimination signals may appear more communicative. Your child might come to you, pause in the middle of playing, reach for their backup, make a specific sound, or move towards the bathroom. Other children continue to signal pee in barely recognizable ways, or only show something during or after elimination. What's crucial isn't the age on the calendar, but whether a behavior repeatedly occurs in a similar situation around elimination for your child.
Perhaps in the first year of life, you primarily paid attention to subtle body signals: a change in tension, brief restlessness, or a pause in play.
And now, communication suddenly seems more active.
Your child looks at you, comes to you, pulls at their clothes, or takes a familiar path. Perhaps they already understand short sequences, want to help – and in the next moment, very clearly say no to being held over a potty.
This mix of increased understanding and greater willfulness can be exciting, but also contradictory. It doesn't mean your child must now be "potty-ready," nor does every glance or movement constitute an elimination signal.
In this article, you'll learn about potential changes between 12 and 16 months, how to recognize personal patterns, and how to respectfully offer a potty even when your child doesn't want to participate.
Do elimination signals change between 12 and 16 months?
That can happen – but not identically for every child, and not at a fixed time.
Around their first birthday, many children experience changes in movement, attention, and communication. Some are already walking, others are crawling, shuffling, or practicing standing independently. Some use their first words, others communicate primarily through sounds, glances, and gestures. Language comprehension and enjoyment of recurring routines can also grow.
As a result, parents may observe new forms of communication around elimination. A child might look at the potty, come to a caregiver, or reach for their pants. This is possible, but not a universal developmental stage.
There is no scientifically proven list of elimination signals that a child must exhibit between 12 and 16 months. Furthermore, a first word, confident walking, or increasing independence do not automatically imply bladder and bowel control. Therefore, age indications are only a guide.
You can find an overview of all age phases in the pillar article "Elimination Communication for Babies: Recognizing Signals – Explained by Age".
If your child has just become more mobile and you are primarily observing crawling away or behavior that is difficult to categorize, the previous cluster article "Baby 7–12 Months: Recognizing New Signals for Elimination Communication" will help you first.
Why communication might seem more conscious now
An elimination signal doesn't arise solely from physical perception. For it to be recognizable to you, your child must show a reaction that you can interpret in this context.
Between 12 and 16 months, new possibilities may open up for this:
- More ways: A mobile child can come to you, to the potty, or towards the bathroom.
- More gestures: They can point, bring something, grab clothing, or take your hand.
- More sounds: A recurring sound or a first personal word can become part of your communication.
- More routine knowledge: Your child may recognize what usually happens after waking up, when changing clothes, or in the bathroom.
- More personal decisions: They can show more clearly whether they currently want an interruption, a place, or a position.
All of this can expand communication around elimination. However, it does not prove that your child can already reliably announce their urge to urinate, wait, or go to the toilet independently.
First words, in particular, develop over a wide time span. Therefore, a child doesn't need to say "pee-pee" or be able to answer a question for you to accompany them attentively.
What elimination signals are possible between 12 and 16 months?
The following observations may occur in individual children around peeing or pooping. None of them alone is a definitive indication:
- pausing briefly or suddenly becoming still in the middle of playing
- deliberately seeking eye contact with a trusted caregiver
- coming to you, taking your hand, or bringing something specific
- grabbing their pants, bodysuit, backup, or diaper
- pointing to the potty, toilet, or towards the bathroom
- making a recurring sound or using a personal word
- changing their body posture, pressing their legs together, or moving their pelvis
- restlessly walking back and forth or going to a familiar spot
- withdrawing or appearing focused before pooping
- only drawing attention to a wet or full backup after elimination
Some children show clearer changes before a bowel movement than before urinating. Others only react when elimination has already begun or the backup is wet. Even a sign afterwards is valuable communication – just not a timely announcement.
A possible signal only becomes helpful through the context:
Behavior + Situation + Repetition + Elimination = possible personal pattern.
Is eye contact, pulling at the diaper, or going to the bathroom already a clear signal?
Not automatically.
A child might pull at their diaper because it's wet, uncomfortable, slipped, or simply interesting. They might walk to the bathroom because there's water, a mirror, or a familiar person waiting there. They might look at you because they want closeness, help, or a reaction.
Instead of immediately defining a single behavior, four questions can help:
- In what situation does it occur? For example, after waking up, when opening the backup, or in the middle of any game.
- What is different than usual? Is there a specific posture, a sound, or an unusually concentrated gaze?
- What happens directly afterwards? Does pee or poop actually follow a brief offer or a little later?
- Does the combination repeat? Several similar situations are more meaningful than a single hit.
Your interpretation can remain a friendly assumption. You can offer without claiming: "I know you have to go."
Before, during, or after: When does your child signal?
Many parents hope for a signal that allows enough time to open clothing and get to the potty. However, this pre-announcement is not a given even in the second year of life.
- Before elimination: Your child comes to you, pauses, points to a place, changes their posture, or makes a familiar sound.
- During elimination: They become focused, strain, make a sound, relax, or only now verbalize what is happening.
- After elimination: They grab their backup, want to be changed, say a word, or lead you to the bathroom.
A reaction during or after elimination is not "too late" in terms of learning or communication. Your child is communicating something about their body or the changed situation. This can later develop into an earlier notification – but there is no fixed timetable for this.
More understanding doesn't always mean more cooperation
This particular phase can feel contradictory: your child seems to know a routine but still doesn't want to go along with it. They might point to the potty and then run away the next moment.
There can be many reasons for this:
- The game is more important right now.
- Your child meant something else.
- They don't need to go, or the body sensation is already over.
- The position, location, or undressing is uncomfortable.
- They are tired, hungry, overstimulated, or want closeness.
- They want to decide what happens next.
A "no" is not proof of regression or a behavior that needs to be overcome. It is information. Even a child who perceives a potential elimination urge is allowed to decline the offer.
End the situation if your child turns away, cries, arches their back, runs away, or clearly protests. Holding them down, coaxing, or repeatedly asking turns an invitation into pressure.
Invitation instead of control: How you can use language
Short, calm language can help make situations predictable. It should accompany your child, not test them.
Instead of "You have to go, don't you?", you could say, for example:
- "You're grabbing your pants."
- "Maybe you need to pee."
- "The potty is here."
- "Would you like to try briefly?"
- "No? Then we'll get dressed again."
- "Your backup is wet. We'll change it."
This way, you describe what you observe and give your child a simple choice. You don't demand a correct answer or a result.
If your child uses their own sound or gesture, you can pick up on this expression and also say a neutral word like "pee-pee," "poo-poo," "potty," or your family's term. The shared vocabulary can develop slowly.
The five-step check for new signals
If you feel your child is suddenly communicating differently, you don't have to observe all day. Choose a possible new sign and proceed as follows for a few days:
- Perceive: What exactly is your child doing – without immediately interpreting it?
- Check context: What situation, time of day, and other changes are associated with it?
- Offer briefly: If the moment is right, kindly invite your child to use the potty.
- Respect the answer: If there's a refusal or nothing happens, the offer ends immediately.
- Compare in retrospect: Does the same combination repeat around an elimination?
A brief note like "after sleep – hand taken – pee-pee" is enough if that helps you. You don't need a hit rate or a seamless record. Perhaps a pattern will emerge. Perhaps a familiar timing will remain more helpful than visible signals.
What consistent moments can now bring relief
Even with more active communication, everyday situations remain valuable. They remove the pressure of having to recognize every signal in time.
It's best to choose a few transitions that happen anyway:
- after waking up
- when opening or changing the backup
- before getting dressed to go outside
- after a long car ride or babywearing period
- before bathing or putting on pajamas
- after a meal, if it fits comfortably
These moments are not fixed potty times. Your child doesn't have to do anything, can get up immediately, or completely refuse the offer.
You can find more ideas in the article "Elimination Communication in Everyday Life: The Best Moments for Your Baby".
If your child runs away or won't stay on the potty
A child between 12 and 16 months does not have to sit still just because you suspect a signal. Many children want to control their movement and keep interruptions as short as possible.
This can help:
- announce the offer with a short sentence
- prepare clothes as much as possible beforehand
- wait only a few moments
- offer a familiar, secure position
- dress them immediately if they refuse
- wait for the next suitable transition
Do not repeatedly ask at short intervals. If your child runs away, the offer for that moment can be considered over. A backup catches what doesn't go into the potty.
Safe EC and appropriate support for independence
Some children now want to go to the potty themselves, touch their pants, or help with undressing. You can enable this participation without making assumptions about their abilities.
- Place the potty stably and non-slip on the floor.
- Stay directly with them and never leave your child unsupervised on the toilet or an elevated surface.
- Only use a position where your child is safely and comfortably supported.
- Let your child get up as soon as they want to.
- Take over fasteners and movements that they cannot yet manage safely.
Independence can mean your child cooperates, points to something, or helps open clothes. It doesn't have to mean they reliably recognize the urge to urinate, undress themselves, or stay on the potty independently.
Is this already potty training readiness?
A glance at the potty, a word after peeing, or grabbing their diaper can show that your child is aware of a routine, a bodily sensation, or a wet backup. However, this does not mean they already possess all the skills for independent toilet use.
Elimination communication and traditional potty training do not necessarily pursue the same goal. With elimination communication, you offer your child an opportunity to eliminate and respond to signals, timing, and routines. They don't need to be dry or consciously able to hold it for this.
You can appreciate new communication without making it the next step in performance.
Withdrawal before bowel movements: Signal, privacy, or discomfort?
Some children become quiet before a bowel movement, go to a familiar place, or want to be undisturbed for a short time. This can be a recurring hint for parents. However, it is not automatically a conscious request for the potty.
Respect the withdrawal and observe the entire context. If your child refuses an offer, you don't have to pull them out of their corner. You can stay nearby, calmly state what might be happening, and then help with changing afterwards.
At the same time, pay attention to any discomfort. Hard, dry, or pellet-like stools, pain, excessive straining, blood traces, or repeated withholding can indicate constipation. Pressure during pottying can further intensify a painful cycle.
Elimination communication can provide a comfortable position, but it does not replace a pediatrician's evaluation for discomfort.
Backup and clothing for quick, voluntary offers
In this active phase, a backup can provide security. Your child can wear a diaper and still be offered a potty. A wet backup is not a setback; it has served its purpose.
An easy-to-open EC diaper made of wool can simplify short offers without you having to fully undress your child. Practical clothing allows for freedom of movement, fits comfortably, and can be closed again just as quickly after a "no."
The best solution is not the one with the most successes. It's the one that makes your daily life easier and respects your child's boundaries.
Elimination communication with caregivers or during settling-in period
Around their first birthday, some families encounter new childcare situations. Other caregivers don't need to fully understand your personal signal language immediately.
A simple agreement is often sufficient:
- name one or two truly helpful signals
- explain a familiar anchor moment
- show how to open the backup and clothing
- describe a safe position
- clearly state that a "no" will be respected
If EC is not possible in childcare or is too much at the moment, it can be paused there. A backup provides continuity without all adults having to follow the same routine.
What if your child still doesn't signal in a recognizable way?
Then you don't need to observe more intensely or invent new signals. Some children, even between 12 and 16 months, show no sign before peeing that adults can reliably and timely recognize.
You can use individual everyday situations, wear a backup, offer only during bowel movements, or take a break. In the article "My baby isn't signaling anything - what to do when holding?" you'll find a simple, pressure-free restart for this.
You can also read why signals can change over time without following a fixed developmental chart in "Do elimination signals change with age?".
When you should have complaints checked by a doctor
New gestures, changing cooperation, or a temporarily different pattern are usually not a medical problem in themselves. Please seek pediatric advice if your child experiences pain when urinating or defecating, if blood is visible in the urine or stool, if the urine appears unusually cloudy, or if your child urinates unusually frequently or noticeably little.
Fever, vomiting, poor fluid intake, a very tense or bloated abdomen, hard, dry stool, persistent painful straining, or a noticeably lethargic and altered child should also be medically evaluated.
Assisted toileting is not a treatment for constipation, pain, or a urinary tract infection. If you have complaints, do not wait for the signals to change on their own.
Your next step: observe, name, offer
Choose a behavior that you notice for the first time. First, describe it neutrally, check the situation, and only offer briefly if it fits. Accept a "no" and look back to see if the same combination repeats.
If you would like to learn about positioning, signal sounds, and suitable everyday situations in a compact way, our free Mata Origin start guide to assisted toileting will accompany you through the next steps.
Frequently asked questions about elimination signals at 12 to 16 months
Do children between 12 and 16 months consciously show that they need to go?
Some children now use more noticeable gestures, movements, sounds, or first words. Others still hardly signal urination or only after elimination. There is no fixed age at which every child must show conscious elimination signals.
Is pulling at the diaper or pants an elimination signal?
It can be an indication, but it doesn't have to be. Clothing can be wet, uncomfortable, slipped, or simply interesting. Pay attention to whether the grabbing repeatedly occurs in a similar situation and around urination or bowel movements.
Why does my child tell me after urinating, but not before?
A child can perceive the wetness or the just-completed process without being able to announce it in time beforehand. Even a notification afterwards is communication. Whether this will later become an earlier signal cannot be promised in terms of time.
What do I do if my child runs away or says no when I'm holding them over the potty?
End the offer and dress your child again. A "no" should not be overcome by holding on, distracting, or repeatedly asking. Later, use an appropriate transition anyway, or let the backup take over for that moment.
Is my child ready for potty training at 12 to 16 months?
Individual gestures or words do not automatically demonstrate all the skills for independent toilet use. When assisting, you may continue to offer opportunities without expecting dryness, conscious holding, or independent undressing.
Is withdrawal before a bowel movement normal?
Some children seek peace or a familiar place. Respect their withdrawal and do not force them onto the potty. In case of hard stool, pain, blood traces, or repeated withholding, a pediatrician should be consulted.
What can change from 16 months onwards?
With increasing communication, gestures, routines, or words may become even clearer in some children. This remains individual and is not a fixed developmental leap. The follow-up article explains the next phase: "Recognizing elimination signals from 16 months onwards".
Conclusion: More communication can still remain changeable
Between 12 and 16 months, new forms of communication around elimination may emerge. Perhaps your child comes to you, grabs at their clothing, uses a sound, or points to the familiar spot.
However, not every behavior is an elimination signal, and more understanding does not automatically mean reliable announcement or cooperation. Pay attention to recurring combinations of behavior, situation, and elimination. Use a few relaxed anchor moments and respect every "no."
Perhaps your personal language will become clearer during this phase. Perhaps it will remain changeable. Both are fine. Assisted toileting can remain an invitation - without potty pressure and without expectation of a specific developmental step.
Is assisted toileting new to you?
Here you can find out what assisted toileting means and how you can start without pressure:
Sources and professional classification
- Hindmarsh et al. (2025): Assisted Infant Toilet Training and Bladder and Bowel Health – Research overview on early supported toileting. Evidence is limited; fixed elimination signals or a developmental leap between 12 and 16 months cannot be derived from it.
- Federal Institute for Public Health: Basics of Language Development – professional guidance on the wide individual variation in the onset of first words.
- NHS: Constipation in children – indications of hard stools, pain, blood traces, withholding, and the possible influence of pressure during toileting.
- Federal Institute for Public Health: Urinary tract infections in children – indications of possible warning signs such as pain or burning during urination, frequent urination, fever, cloudy urine, and blood in the urine.
