How do I pee in this situation?

[Moonbabysmum]

I'm going on my first 'long' drive solo with my children (2.5 and 4.5) soon. I'm a relatively new driver, and its a 3.5-4hr drive, setting off early evening. The hope is that the children fall asleep on the way (amd stay asleep).

Obviously I'm going to need to stop off for at least 1 break, and will inevitably need to wee at some stage. I can't leave them in the car whilst I go to the services, and I really don't want to wake 2 dozy children/carry two kids in.

How do I pee?

Am I going to literally have to wee in a potty in a deserted part of the car park? 😳🤢

Am i missing a trick here?

I've taken a container to pee in before. With toilet roll and hand sanitizer and a blanket. Then just pulled up in a quiet/dark part of the car park and done it in the car.

I have also used a takeaway cup before for the same problem, but when unplanned. And poured it away discreetly in bushes.

Agree with Saleorbouy.Just do this ! TBH I am well versed in needing a wee /popping behind a nearby bush when out with my dog .(She always looks surprised when I do this !)

I would just hold it. If I couldn't, I would go for the bush next to the car option or the container as a pp mentioned.

Travel Jon's are your friend

Also envious of people who can travel 4 hours without a pee. Country roads are your best friend here!

I would need a break but not necessarily a wee in the middle of that driving.

What time is bedtime usually?? Can you leave straight after rehearsal, do the first hour. Stop with everyone awake and go to the toilet, maybe a snack. Then back in the car and the kids sleep while you finish the journey?

Ok, this is what I have done in an emergency. First, make sure you are wearing a long skirt for the journey - no tights! Drive off the main road, into a country lane if possible. Open passenger both doors. Sit on ledge of door on passenger side, pull up skirt at back (obvs, having removed knickers before you get out of car!) , wee over edge onto ground while in a sitting position. Not a very elegant solution, but it can be done in an emergency!

@HPLikecraft

I don't quite understand Travel Janes and she-wees. You have to park somewhere and have a bit of privacy to use them, so how is it an improvement on darting behind a bush?

There’s a risk of peeing on your knickers/trousers/skirt when squatting down and trying to be quick but a she-wee allows you to pee like a man and aim it forwards away from you. Plus you can do it with your trousers only undone a bit and not all the way to your ankles.

Brilliant invention and I keep mine in a pouch in the drivers door pocket.

The emergency kit in my car includes a Tupperware for peeing in. I was stuck on a motorway with standing traffic for 7 hours once.

Skirt, she-wee and a wide neck bottle. Oasis bottle works well from previous experience. Slide the car seat back, squat and off you go into the bottle. Get the wider style she-wee. The narrow originals are a bit tricky!

I can't do that length drive without stopping, always need to stop after around 2hours.

I'd wake them, they'll soon drift off back to sleep in the car.

Another one who couldn't last that long without a wee and it would be even worse if I was stressing about it too. It only makes me need to pee more!

I would say pull up in a lay-by, quiet road etc and just go quickly in a bush. Definitely plan something in advance though because the feeling of control will help reduce urgency...if you're anything like me anyway!

Petrol station at services rather than actual services lock car run in wee and out again

Dont forget to pack some toilet paper and a bag to put it in. And pack it accessibly (remembers the time she packed the snacks first so she didnt forget them and they got buried with everything else)

Also all the 'surely you can hold it for that length of time' comments are pointless and unhelpful. She wouldn't be asking if she felt she could hold it. People have all sorts of conditions that make them need the loo more than others. Not all physical either.

Oh and remember service stations have loads of cctv in the car parks so be careful peeing al fresco there!

Giving birth left me with a damaged pelvic floor and this causes problems from time to time. I have to make long journeys with my toddler on a regular basis, and it isn’t always possible to take her in with me. I keep a small washing up bowl in the car in case of dire need. I can slide it underneath me in the drivers seat, pour it away subtly, and clean it with a bottle of dettol I also keep in the car. It has saved embarrassment on a couple of occasions.

Have you driven that far, in the dark, without a break before? I would find that very tiring.

No. And I know I will be exhausted when I arrive. But I learned to drive with 3hr long lessons (and yes we stopped but only to talk through things and then carry on), and frankly I need to do a long stretch to get me out of my comfort zone of just toddling round my local city.

I'll check availability on a couple of travel lodges en route, before I go, in case I get too tired, and we'll power through.

I am the queen of all nighters in general, and passed my driving test whilst ill, and on 4hrs broken sleep, so whilst Im not going to attempt anything stupid/dangerous, I think its achievable, and if im struggling, I have contingency.

I last the full drive or we stop somewhere and all go in. My eldest (5) often wouldn't sleep on the journey, he loves a late night tesco trip in his pjs when we travel.

Just a warning though, unless you pee a very small volume don't use a nappy. I once was pregnant and staying with my inlaws and the toilet was in use for an extended period. I waited for ages and eventually thought ill just pee in a nappy....absolute disaster and once the floodgates are open its hard to stop them!

Shewe and a pee bottle. Wear a longer wrap skirt or loose fitting zip front trousers to make the process easier.

Practice using it in the shower or over the loo before you need to use it in a pinch.

Circe care pee cloth for drying. Or loo roll/wipes.

I use the pee cloth and shewee when hiking as squatting isn’t always easy or appropriate.

Always handy to keep a couple of bed pads in the car under your kids too as well as nappies if needed and you can put one under yourself if you have urgency/incontinence issues yourself. Ditto a change of bottoms just in case.

I used to put a bed pad under DC when in the booster seat and positioned so it went up the back of the car seat to catch any leakage from them too.

Planning this all out can make it easier especially as some times service station loos are closed between the earliest hours.

Peeing aside, you really shouldn't drive for longer than 2 hours without a good 10-15 minute break where you get out of the car, walk around, swing your arms etc etc. Especially as a fairly novice driver as you won't be used to concentrating for that long in one go.

I just wake the kids.

How about kneeling on the passenger seat facing the back seat and using a she wee?

I tried to do something similar parked in the woods once. But dispite many many similar dreams on this subject I had "performance problems" so have a practice at home first

I would park at a service station and wait for a woman to leave her car or return and ask her to stand by the car for five minutes.

@blobby10

I'm not intending to. But a 15 mins stretching my legs, outside the car, and eating snacks will do the job. And if I need to stop somewhere overnight I'll do that without hesitation.

@HollowTalk that's incredibly naive of you. Far safer to pee in a lay by OP.