Please help with my stupid potty training questions!

[Rainatnight]

We haven't even started yet, but there are are a few basic things I need to get my head around before we do.

How long do they use the potty for, before switching to the loo?

When they switch to the loo, isn't it a massive faff, full of accidents, to get them there in time? Our loo is upstairs, and DD takes an absolute age to get up.

Am I right in thinking that life out of nappies might be more difficult and full of faff? I see parents in the playground getting potties out, sprinting to the loos (miles away) to prevent, accidents etc. I'm all up for doing it early, as advised in Oh Crap, but this aspect is making me think 'what's the hurry? Maybe life is easier now!'

I know you can get one of those special loo seats for home but what about when they're out? Surely they'd be terrified by sitting on the big gap of a normal loo seat?

Thank you thank you for any advice you can give!

[AssassinatedBeauty]

We took a travel potty with us everywhere whilst in the first months after potty training.

At home we had a loo seat and a step to make it easier, and as he got bigger he gradually switched to usually using the loo.

Not being in nappies seems scary to begin with, but then once they are reliable it is much less faff.

Often baby change places have small loos exactly for this situation, or they have a double loo seat with a child seat. Especially family places like children's farms, soft play etc.

Some children are ok with being held whilst on a grown up loo when out and about.

[Haggisfish]

We waited until dd said she was fed up of nappies at 3. She took it off and we had no accidents etc. I would happily do this again. Don’t see the point in rushing it and having all that palaver.

[Soundsgood]

I kept a potty in the car.

I probably kept pull ups on DD far far longer than they are supposed to be on, whilst out shopping.

She still has one on at night, & only wets every few months.

When out I think I held her over the loo.

To me I just thought dont sweat the small stuff.

You wil know when its time to start.

[Haggisfish]

Disclaimer-she wasn’t happy pooing in potty for ages-we had to put nappy back on for poo for about a year.

[Rainatnight]

She's really into it, shows kids of signs of read ones, and just this evening had a tantrum that I wouldn't go out and buy her a potty straight away.

She's on the young side though, and I need to get my head around it, as my post shows!

Thanks, all. Keep em coming.

[Rainatnight]

Blimey, can't type tonight. That was supposed to be 'shows lots of signs of readiness'

[athingthateveryoneneeds]

My dd is four, and we are currently dealing with some serious constipation issues with her. I'm certain it stems from potty training at a young age (she was dry in the day at 19 months but still needed help of course). I didn't force her to train, she seemed ready, but now I wish I hadn't bothered. Training young isn't necessarily the right choice for everyone!

As for your question, yes it is a faff, yes you do need to bring spare clothing and a travel potty everywhere, and yes you need to plan your life around proximity to public loos. There's no easy way around it ime!

[Rainatnight]

How long would you say that stage of faff goes on for?

[LivininaBox]

Hello, once you are past the initial stages your DD should be able to hold on long enough to get to a loo. Until then just carry a potty - I found the travel potties a bit useless so just carried an ordinary potty in a plastic bag hanging off the pushchair.

I have tried to get mine comfortable with using both toilet and potty from the beginning, so there is no transition.

You may find your DD is quite happy to sit on the big toilet while you hold her securely with arms round her back. If not, I have occasionally sat on the toilet behind my DS (me fully clothed!), with him between my legs. This makes him feel secure as he is resting back on my legs. (I do worry about involuntarily wetting myself when doing this but it hasn't happened yet!)

[bridgetosomewhere]

Mine took to it within a week. I waited til it was warm enough for them to go around bare bottomed and had a week at home. We started ds at 22m and dd at 19m as she wanted to use the toilet.

They both got it really quickly and then we carried the potty around for a bit in the car but didn’t really need it.

Made sure they tried for a wee before we went anywhere and when we got there.

Ds had pull-ups on at night for a good while but dd went cold turkey as “me big girl - no nappy” and she was fab!

[Rainatnight]

Thanks, really helpful.

Livininabox, getting them used to both from the start is a really good idea. I'm tickled at the mental image of you trying not to wet yourself!

Bridget I'm thinking of warm weather and no bottoms too, hence thinking about it now (if we ever get our summer back...)

Was your DD in a bed when she went cold turkey at night? I read on here something about them needing to go to the loo at night and that not being possible in a cot, which is true, of course. DD is still in a cot and thrashes about like mad so we're inclined to keep her there.

[welshweasel]

We’ve just trained DS (27 months) using the oh crap method. We went straight for using the toilet with a toddler seat on it. We have a potette for when out and about but only use it as a seat, not as a potty (although may come in useful for long car journeys I guess). Sometimes I just hold him on the toilet if he hasn’t given much warning. I found the first week hard then it all seemed to click and now it’s way easier than being in nappies.

[BeeMyBaby]

Agree with PP, first week is hard then it's much much easier. No more sniffing out a poop in a nappy, if DS needs he will just point and there is time to find a toilet or a bush if out at the park. DS is much happier in himself and has a lot more confidence (27m now). My DDs trained at 23m and 19m, and they loved it as it's a fairly easy way to get masses of praise. If nothing else, think of the environment with the reduction of plastic. Mine all used potties (which live next to the toilets) for at least 6 months but I still find quickly rinsing a potty is easier than scraping off poop squished into their bum from sitting in it in a nappy.