Early stages potty training outings

[tiggersfamily]

How do you handle the early stages of potty training when going out of the house? My son is really not getting it, been 3 days and he will just wee/poo on the floor and not tell me. We want to go soft play, should I put a nappy on or leave him pants less (with trousers on)?

On behalf of everybody at the soft play, please put a nappy on him or give it a miss until he's more reliable.

Lol, so glad you said that. I was imagining a stressful trip

Oh solidarity! I’m doing exactly the same and I’m finding it the most challenging part of parenting yet. I’ve been sticking a nappy on for going out and about.

While we're here, does everyone tend to stay at home until their lo is potty trained? Staying indoors for more than a day makes me think I'm going crazy. I'm so clueless here

Awful isn't it! Ive got his younger brother here too who is clawing at the door wanting to get out. I know how he feels 😂🤦🏼‍♀️

I personally didn’t put nappies on as I thought it might confuse him. Once I decided to potty train I didn’t put a nappy back on him (apart from sleeping). I was also just winging it a bit though! I loosely followed the Oh Crap method so we did stay home for a couple of days and I timed it with summer so luckily could just run about the garden. Also they were an only child at that point which made it easier…Then we did small trips round the block and walking to the park etc and shorter car journeys for a few days. I’m going to start shortly with DD and not looking forward to it!!

Nappy on for soft play, especially if they will go off without you! Could be a pullup so it's like pants, give them a sticker for keeping it dry.

But not necessarily for everywhere - if you're outside somewhere it's less of a problem (if they were on a swing you can always wipe it down, if it's on the grass it doesn't matter anyway). Do you have a travel potty? We used one like this https://www.boots.com/my-carry-potty-penguin-10306437?cmmmc=bmm-buk-google-ppc-_-PLAs_HeroCompare--PMax:+UK_Smart_Shopping_Baby&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw_LOwBhBFEiwAmSEQAXoVobQ3t24saE2uQsqjOygFwMCV8VCs79oRp33wATbl0ztSbm3HiBoCtr4QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds, holds any wee and poo fine until you can get to a toilet to empty/ clean it.

I think I'd use pants and put a nappy on top so he can still feel if he goes and hopefully tells you he needs to go but there's no mess if he doesn't !

Plan to stay close to home for a week and during that time stick to only short outings, departing just after they’ve used the potty, and pack a change of clothes. It’s only a week and it’s important to make sure you stay consistent. So swerve soft play but after the next wee, hot foot it to the nearest playground and plan to head home again within the hour. And I know not what you’re asking but if by day 3 you’re not seeing any progress and if he’s still under 3 I’d probably question if he’s quite ready yet.

Definitely no diaper!
I really don't understand how people expect children to learn potty treating when sometimes they allow them to go in the diaper and other times they don't.

Have loads of change of clothes and a travel potty. I carry ours with us constantly -- yesterday she had a poo in the middle of Ikea in the travel potty as I knew we won't be able to make it to the toilet. It's fine. If they need to go, get the travel potty out in the middle of the playgroup.
I won't confuse my child just because what other people might say about it.

He's 3.5, we have tried before with no success and decided he wasn't ready. Now he's starting school in September so it's got to be now. He and his brother are autistic so that is playing a big part here too. I can't find much information on how to potty train autistic children 😩

Look up timed toileting @tiggersfamily. My DS has Down syndrome and toilet training was a slow process but we got there (he’s 6 now and completely sorted during daytime). Please don’t worry about school if he has an EHCP ensure intimate care is in there

If they are ready you do NOT NEED TO BE ON HOUSE ARREST. I repeat YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE ON HOUSE ARREST.

So many people try to train before they are ready it's so pointless.

The simple answer is you take out a potty with you, take some changes of clothes too and then whip out the potty as soon as you need it or think you might need it and let them go on the potty wherever you happen to be. Whether that's the middle of the shop, the pavement or the middle of the park. Expect a few accidents along the way but you can go out and about from day 1 if you want to (I just did my second DD last week and that's what we did)

@tiggersfamily
Autism and toileting

May i ask what you do at nap time please? without nappy again?

I think this depends. DS was consistent dry over nap time from about 18 months so we didn’t need to put one on. DD was not dry through her nap when we trained her so we used huggies pull ups the same as at bedtime. They don’t look like conventional nappies and we just told her they were special sleep time pants, and that we use the potty when we’re awake. I wouldn’t go without a nappy until they’re almost guaranteed to be dry (same as at night) because they can’t help it and it’s going to disturb their sleep and create washing!

This is exactly what we did with DC1 at 26 months but we were just very lucky I think that they took to it pretty much straight away etc. DC2 is 30 months and I'm going to give it a go very soon but they're just completely different than DC1. Have had the potty out for months and they will sit on it sometimes but actually hold onto their wee and will wait hours and hours for a nappy to be put back on than wee in the potty etc. So I think a lot of it is just luck/the child's personality tbh.

I always do nappy at nap time and overnight until they are consistently dry for overnight sleep (I believe it is hormonal so they have no control over dryness when asleep)

We had some waterproof pants like these but not this brand https://www.bambinomio.co.uk/products/potty-training-pants-5-pack
however they’re only good for true accidents. My ds was pretty good for knowing what to do just couldn’t always hold on very long when we were out or in the car.

In the early days with my DD I just waited until she'd gone to the toilet and then took her out in the hopes she wouldn't need to go for an hour or so. And made short trips AND asked her constantly if she needed to go! Those first few weeks were a bit stressful and nail biting but luckily we didn't have any accidents

My DD is just 4, we have been potty training for 3 months & still battling with this. Poos are fine but she cannot/will not tell us when she needs a wee. She seems to struggle with listening to her bodily cues. She has at least one accident a day - more if she is tired. However, we only use nappies for night time / nap time. We take lots of changes of clothes with us and we basically have to bribe her to use the toilet on a schedule whilst we are out.

I used cheap pull ups as they can feel the wee and it's slightly uncomfortable and they can tell you about it.
At home just kept it pants. Or short trips to the supermarket etc..

They don't get confused that easily! They can wear the odd nappy at times and it won't hinder them!

Not convinced having a poo in Ikea is the way forward 😂

Following as I've just started potty training my 3 y.o. I can already feel this is going to be a long process 😅

We went for the middle ground- no more nappies but avoid ikea or similar outings until they could hold it for the approx 3 minutes it takes to rush to the nearest loo. The urgent urgent stage was thankfully short lived and I personally would reserve a travel potty for when they’re really aren’t any loos nearby, like in a park, not in a shop that has plenty.