What do you use out and about?

[sunnysunnyshine]

Starting the dreaded potty training this week. I've got a potty for at home but was wondering what to use out?

Seen a portable padded fold up seat that looks quite good, but had mixed reviews on amazon. What other options are there? What does everybody use?

[Mum2Fergus]

I have the potette but in all honesty have used it once...DS always preferred just to go on toilet.

[bonzo77]

Take the potty in a carrier bag.

[mogandme]

Took potty in a bag for a couple of days then we just managed to hold it until we found a toilet - would always go on the arrival of every new place and when we left.

[forevergreek]

Just a regular toilet.

Cafes/ store etc are usually great with letting little ones use the toilet regardless of whether you were using or hit passing

Toilet before you leave and as soon as you arrive, then before you Lear again and at home on return

[Hattie11]

Public toilet.

I don't get travel potty's its disgusting seeing children use them in the middle of public areas where there is a public Loo.
I've potty trained 3 children without a travel potty and only one public accident.
Make sure they use the Loo before u go and remind them every now and then when you're out. I find mine asking more than they really need to when they are out because its some sort of adventure!

[Princesspond]

I think the new potette thingy also doubles as a toddler toilet seat. I had one (from a friend) and it was really useful in the early days as you can get it out quickly when no toilet around and the bag (with sap gel to absorb the urine) can be thrown away in a nearby bin.

[shattereddreams]

Ds peed into an empty drink bottle on a shitty London train with no loos yesterday!
Otherwise public loos.
Had it been DD then I guess she would have wet herself!

[kingfix]

depends what sort of places you are out and about in. Toilets are fine in town /shopping centre. Our local park/playground has no loo so I've found a potette really useful there. Also used just the liners for the kids to poo in when out on country walks.

[Arkady]

Trees mostly.

[drcrab]

Potette. Excellent piece of equipment. Brought it all around the world and other parents tried to buy it off me!

[sunnysunnyshine]

Thanks for all the replies.

Yes I was planning on using toilets while out but assumed I'd need a seat - ds is quite little. I can just hold onto him until he gets used to the bigger toilet seats I guess.

Looked up the potette which looks like it has got a transferable seat on it? Is that right?

Ha yes, trees will certainly do for the odd wee in the park. I can remember my mum holding me over a drain while I weed once!

[Nitwit]

I always had a cheap potty in the car. Failing that squat over edges of roads/verges if no available facilities.

[RyleDup]

The potette is good, I used it loads with dd, although never used it as a seat on the loo, just held her up. With ds, I haven't actually used it at all, and I hold him up on the big loos too. Having said that, it would come in handy for those times when there is no loo around. Must buy some bags for it.

[LightTheGooTouchpaper]

only ever a normal toilet or normal tree

I put him back in a nappy when we had to drive a long way to holiday. It just wasn't worth the risk.

[Shaky]

The toilet. If your child won't sit on the toilet take a potty with you but only use it in a toilet cubicle. My ds has never had an accident while out. However if you are going on a car journey for more than 30 minutes consider using a pull-up but make sure child goes to toilet ASAP after getting out of the car.

[LightTheGooTouchpaper]

oooh long journey x-posts

[Shaky]

One tip for using the toilet if he is scared of falling in, is to turn him round 90 degrees so he is facing the wall rather than the door. It means his bum can be on one edge of the seat and his legs will dangle over the other side while he is still supported. My ds found this a much better way and now doesn't bother with the potty, he just uses the toilet.

[simpson]

Another one for the potette.

It's fab!!

DD is now 4 and until very recently has point blank refused to wee behind a tree if in the park (there is no loo nearby) so it has been worth it's weight in gold!!

[Shaky]

Light

[HipHopOpotomus]

Ah bless it's been so long since DD1 has said "mummy I need to wee under a tree".

But I also have a pottette convertible one which is quite good. Will be using it again soon with DD2

[forevergreek]

Yes just as you said, kinda hold him on the toilet as too big. They soon learn to balance :)

Also most kids sit on the toilet for ages at home but just quickly when out so usually fine

We take a spare change of clothes just in case but I think we have only had a wee out once ( and that was in a gym class!)

Depending on where you live, if it's a busy area I don't think there is anywhere discrete to set up a potty in the street so a dash to John Lewis/ Starbucks/ the library works fine. Nobody wants kids to hae accidents so they aren't going to deny.

[Princesspond]

It really depends on your child and circumstances. I had a toddler and a baby, once in BHS cafe my dd had just used the toilet, we sat down for lunch, I'm feeding the baby. Dd declares she needs another wee, I didn't think this was possible and was debating putting ds in pram, leaving food and heading to toilet when she wee'd all over the floor . In retrospect I wish I'd got the potette out there and then would have been a lot less embarrassing than my grovelling apology to the staff. Who were brilliant may I add.

[LivingThings]

Potette Plus - never really used it as a potty much with DS but great as a loo seat in restaurants friends houses etc. Easy to take on hols for use as kids loo seat. starting to use it again now with #2.

Have let DS wee in flower bed or down drain in desperation though. Always carry spare clothes, wipes, bags (for dirty clothes) some bits of kitchen roll and antibac wipes.