Potty / toileting when out in early stages of training

[SaveScrabulous]

Hi
Ds (2.6) seems to have sussed the idea of potty use in the house. We've had several 2 to 3 hour spells where he's worn pants and kept them dry and used the potty very well - either telling us before it's coming or doing it when we've encouraged him to sit on it.

We are however still using nappies when out. Stupid question but what the heck do you do when out in the early stages of training - e.g. if we go for a walk to do the shopping??? Do I take a small potty with me and have to get it out wherever we are or just ask him to go before we leave and hope he can manage?

He has a habit of crying wolf a little - making out he needs the potty when he doesn't so am concerned we'll spend the whole time with false alarms!

ask him to go before you leave then take a change of bottoms etc with you in a bag. If out for a while take a potty and nappy bag with some tissue in.

with my older two we used to nip up alleyways or a gutter between parked cars if there wasn't a loo around!

This time around I drive so I keep a potty in the car.

I so tempted fate there. Ds had mastered wees but just did a big poo in his pants!!

I should never have said he'd sussed it out!!

my friend has bought a fold up potty and it just unfolds and has hygeine bag in there and its non spill when lid is on she swears by it

as fits compact under buggy and easily stored when not in use

i believe she said she got it from boots

I have one of those fold up potties but have never used it.

I have a fold up potty (ours was from Mothercare) It uses nappy sack type bags with what looks like a sanitary towel in the bottom.
You then tie and throw the used one away.

Ds never used it - he was too big at 2.5 and it kept collapsing under his weight!

But it's been great with dd (now 2.5). She calls it her car potty and it's always in the change bag ready for use.

DD also likes weeing on grass, in gutters and on leaves - it's all still a novelty I guess. Until she's able to understand "holding it in for a bit longer" I happy to just fond a quiet place and hold her while she does the business.

They are tiny those portable potties aren't they. Luckily ds is a tiddler for his age.

I suppose what I was really wondering about is, do you just pull their pants down in the middle of the street and stick them on the potty??! I suppose there's no option otherwise is there.

I would find a corner or a side street if you're out in town, or a tree if not When they're tiny, once they're sitting down, if you're crouching with them then no-one can see anything. I don't think anyone would be bothered if they saw a tot weeing in the street

I guess that's what I was worried about that people who've not had kids would find it really foul!

my sister used to take big potty out when her ds was 2 now 13 so didnt have small fold up potties but every 30 mins she used to just sit him on potty in street i dont feel comfortable doing that but i will as i'm sure every one else has done it and shouldnt feel embarrassed

have never sat mine on potty in middle of street..only if they have asked for potty have I ducked down a side street or if really desperate behind a car and pulled the potty out;

I'd definitely recommend a fold up potty - mine was worth every penny. If there was nowhere quiet we could get to, I used to position the pushchair in front of my son to give him some extra privacy aswell as crouching in front of him.

Thanks everyone - good advice.
We don't really use the pushchair anymore but otherwise that would indeed be a great way to hide him! Will just have to try and find a quiet corner when nature calls for him I guess.