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Original poster

Is a potty essential for potty training?

60 replies

abigboydidit · 15/10/2013 08:46

Just that really. I really don't like pottys and my only (very limited) experience of potty training has been using children's seats over the loo. However, I need to accept that the most tried and tested method is likely to be the most effective, so thought I would do a quick poll!

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MoneyMug · 15/10/2013 08:51

My eldest DC has just turned two so I don't have any experience with potty training yet, but I do know someone that skipped the potty stage and went straight to the toilet, so it can be done. I think the toilet is quite a scary thing for alot of toddlers though. My DD is terrified of it, so even though I don't want to, I'm probably going to have to use a potty with her first.

MoneyMug · 15/10/2013 08:53

Oh and I suppose an advantageof pottys is that you can take them out with you. Long car journeys ect. When they first start training, they won't always be able to hold it in long enough to find a toilet.

MadeOfStarDust · 15/10/2013 08:56

we did without a potty.... just waited until they were ready (nearly 3) - then car journeys etc didn't matter because they were already "holding it" IYKWIM....

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StupidFlanders · 15/10/2013 08:58

Depends on their age. Under 2 would probably be easier on a potty. If older, straight to the toilet.

fieldfare · 15/10/2013 08:59

I'm a childminder and prefer not to use potty's. I've got a toddler friendly toilet seat that has a smaller seat built in and they're all very happy to use that.
I just plan plenty of toilet stops into our days.

BarberryRicePud · 15/10/2013 09:02

It depends on the size and age of the child. They need to be able to easily climb on the toilet (and kiddy seat) themselves, so coordination and height are essential.

Also, the benefit of a potty is that their knees are higher than their bum, making it easier to poo.

DS is 98th centile for height and potty trained at 2. He definitely needed a potty. It's a lot easier if you choose a good sized one with a middle section to poor the contents out easily.

hillyhilly · 15/10/2013 09:06

I have two kids, both pretty big for their age, we barely used the potty, the first one for maybe a week because I put her on it, the second not at all I don't think. We had a toilet seat inner, which was also not used for long at all

RoadToTuapeka · 15/10/2013 09:07

I've just started 'toilet learning' as I read it being called somewhere, with my DS aged 2yrs 9months. He really seemed ready, very keen to wear pants and it's helped that he's seen his slightly older cousin through the process a few months ago.

We went for a potty as he wanted one (having seen cousin's) but we also have a seat that fits onto the toilet. He's been great doing weed and poos on the potty, advantage is he can get there himself, take pants down etc and sit himself down whereas toilet he needs a hand up. Usually he wants to do poos on the 'big toilet' and wees on the potty.

I am a bit worried about transition from potty to toilet though as when we are out he doesn't want to sit on a toilet, he's small for his age so it must seem a bit daunting. Maybe I will have to get a spare seat to take out with us. Joy, more clobber to fill up the car, just as well I have a baby so can stuff it all into the buggy!

RoadToTuapeka · 15/10/2013 09:09

Just to add, we have a Jo Jo maman baby potty which he prefers to the other we bought, is more comfortable he says, with curved moulded sides it certainly looks more comfy.

Original poster

abigboydidit · 15/10/2013 09:10

Thanks. DS is only 2 years and 5 months. I am determined not to succumb to the pressure my MIL is putting on me as we are in no hurry (though having 1 DC in nappies rather than 2 would be nice ) but equally am aware he is showing some signs of readiness. He will sit in the child's seat on our loo and has done the odd wee on it but not in any structured or planned way - just when he's shown interest.

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Original poster

abigboydidit · 15/10/2013 09:11

Sorry - I meant to add he's a giant Tallet than his 3 year old pals so able to get on and off the child seat and to pull up/down trousers.

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Artandco · 15/10/2013 09:11

Iv never used a potty ( have trained many as a nanny)

The best toilet seat is the babybjorn one as goes up at the front so no weeing over and adjusts to toilet seat so no wobbling. Is pricer than others though.

And get a step for toilet and sink for easy reach.

Always train soon after 2nd birthday

I have always found it far easier as no dirty potties needing cleaning, no smaller siblings touching potty content! And they have no fear of toilets so easier when out as can use any toilet anywhere just by holding them.
Personally if they can't hold on enough to go to toilet in house rather than straight on potty next to them then they aren't trained IMO and you need to wait a few more weeks.

I always read them books on the toilet and give choc bribery the first week! :) seems to work

HairyPorter · 15/10/2013 09:12

My DS refused to sit on his potty but is tea insisted on using a toilet seat. Made life a lot easier! He was 2.4 (2m before starting nursery) when we started and on now reliably dry during the day but has issues with poo.

Original poster

abigboydidit · 15/10/2013 09:14

More replies. Thanks. Afraid my MILs constant criticism feedback is knocking my confidence and I do fear her eye rolling when every week she asks about the potty..

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choceyes · 15/10/2013 09:23

I have two DCs and I didn't use a potty with either. We did have a potty (bought because I thought I HAD to - but hated the idea of cleaning a dirty potty and having it around the house), but they just sat on it for a laugh, threw it away after a few days.
DS trained shortly after 3yrs and DD at 2.5yrs. Both straight on to the toilet. DD was a tiny little thing at 2.5yrs (still is now at 3!) but she had no fear of the toilet.
Both of them were great at holding on to find a toilet if we were out and about, so I never carried a travel potty with me. They both go on any toilet in public, no need for a child seat either.
I think if you can get away with not using a potty it is easier as then you don'thave to retrain them to use a toilet too - a lot of my friends had this problem.

snakeweave · 15/10/2013 09:41

dd is 3 and has never used the potty. we have one, she just would rather use the toilet with her special "princess" seat (cheepo pink plastic from tesco).
the disadvantage is that she can't really go on her own because she has to climb on a stool and is not the most coordinated so i need to help her but at least there's less cleaning.
as for out and about, we just find a loo or she pees behind a bush (which might be unacceptable to some i'm not sure).

TinyTear · 15/10/2013 09:42

My dd is 20 months.
I just bought a potty but keep it in the bathroom, don't like the idea of it all around the house.

She says 'potty' and sits there but so far we haven't had any success... she is so young I am not pushing when she is ready I will take her there...

teenagetantrums · 15/10/2013 09:47

My DD went straight on the toilet at the age of 2, but she was very tall for her age and found it easier than sitting on a potty, we had a toilet seat for her, she wanted to go on the toilet like her big brother so i wasn't going to argue, i hate potties another thing to clean.

Original poster

abigboydidit · 15/10/2013 09:50

Thanks. The only advantage I could think of for a potty at the moment is that DS can be in the same room as DD. However, I had planned to wait till DH was home to start a proper attempt, so there would be no pressure and I can devote full bribery attention to DS

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PeppermintPasty · 15/10/2013 10:20

We had two-one upstairs and one downstairs, so there was no great panic. Not an issue I suppose if you have a loo up and downstairs though.

At the same time I had a toddler loo seat in the loo and alternated the use of them. My ds went very quickly from potty to loo, but my dd used the potty for longer. I did find them useful, but for me, it was easy to slip in to just letting her use the potty (eg downstairs) rather than traipsing up the stairs each time.

I had words with my lazy self and ditched the potties soon after

People can be soooo judgmental about potty training. It, er, comes when it comes...

Peetle · 15/10/2013 10:47

Wait until warmer weather when they're wearing fewer clothes.

We started ours at around 2.9 when they were scampering around naked and just had potties everywhere so they plonked themselves down when they felt the need - one of the DTs started doing this without prompting.

We did get to a point where they preferred the potty to the toilet; how we loved cleaning out potties full of sh*t (and I mean full). Then there was the time I accidentally kicked one over on the landing. Boak.

And get a potette for when you're out. We still use ours for camping, though after a big night it can have about a litre of wee in it, which makes getting the bag out quite a challenge.

MrsOakenshield · 15/10/2013 11:55

we used potties, our toilet is quite the throne and DD is always very keen to do things by herself so it gave her more independence. We also don't have a downstairs loo. We have a potty in the living room and one in her bedroom, which she has on occasion used by herself in the night - she wouldn't be able to use the toilet by herself even now (she's nearly 4) as she can't open the door by herself. I also think potties are much better for poos as squatting with your knees higher than your bottom is a much more natural position to poo in than sitting on the loo with your legs dangling down (DD had difficulty with pooing to begin with).

Never bothered with a potette, she has used public loos from early on, or weed behind a tree, or a couple of occasions we took the smaller potty with it. She does have the bladder of a camel though!

KirjavaTheCorpse · 15/10/2013 12:15

We did both at the same time. We kept the potty at one end of the house and the toilet is at the other, whichever he was closest to he used.

VinegarDrinker · 15/10/2013 12:33

DS mainly uses the toilet but we only have a downstairs bathroom so we have a potty in his room for early morning/overnight wees (he calls out to us so it gets emptied immediately)

DinoSnores · 15/10/2013 13:29

DS has never used a potty but went straight to using a Baby Bjorn toilet seat adaptor. I really hate the idea of a potty all over the house.

I would say we've done toilet training, but that would imply that we did some training. We took him to buy big boy pants (he choose Postman Pat). He decided one day just after his third birthday that he'd had enough of nappies and that's been that. I can think of 4 accidents since. I was dreading it but it has been so easy, I think, because we left it until he was ready.

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