how long did it take from first getting potty out to trained enough to go out and about?

[rosylizzie]

would be interested in everyones experience, am trying to summon up energy to PT my fourth child and have obviously blanked out the memory of doing 1 -3! cant bear to stay in house and keep reading shouldnt put nappies on again once started but surely you can so you can get out and about?

so how long and how old was your child?

DD1 about a year (sorry!) - started when she was about 3 and still hadn't shown any signs of being ready
DD2 about a day (really!) - she decided herself at about 2.5y and has had about 1, maybe 2 accidents since she decided

hmm I think we went out after about 3/4 days.
but that said, ds did choose to potty train himself, so was very keen to go and was telling me every time.
I did make sure if we were going round shops that I knew where all the toilets were, and made sure to use them regularly if we were passing one.

Couple of days, just made sure we took spare clothes

porta pottee (think that's what its called) by tommy tiptree is fantastic piece of kit to chuck in your bag/buggy when going out

I didn't wait at all - went out on the first day I was trying to potty train DD1. (only quick trip to shops though!)

We were given a potette (portably potty) by a friend. Initially I thought there was no way I'd ever use it but it turned out to be great. I also had spare clothes in my bag for the first couple of weeks but only needed them a few times.

I guess it depends on the child though. DD1 was 2.5 when we started and quite ready to go into pants, plus she has always had phenomenal bladder control. Waited 6 hours between pees on her second day of potty training.....

about 4 days, took ds to stay with friends on day 4 and just took spare clothes and his own potty.
By day seven he was using the toilet

I think I had to go out the first or second day, on the school run. I just put some training pants on and a piddle pad in the pushchair, potted her before we set off and as soon as we got back in. She also went to nursery about 4 days after starting to train and on the first day I sent a whole bag of clothes and 3 changes were needed. I expected the worst the next nursery session but she was dry. We still have the odd accident, but we take plenty of spares and then its not a problem.

I know we have been lucky with this one, she is my fourth too, but she just seemed ready.

Child 1 was reasonably easy, child 2 difficult, child 3 difficult and child 4 easy to train. The only things child 1 and child 4 have in common was reusable nappies. So maybe that is the secret of success!