how do I go about this! Suggestions for good potties and other tips please!

[dannyboyle]

DD is 26 months and starting to show signs of wanting to know more about toilets etc. To be honest I wasnt going to start doing anything about it until summer / and or she asked to have a go herself! but she asked this morning to go on mummys toilet (and then quickly lost interest!). I'm now thinking about at least preparing the ground for several months time. She will tell me when she has done a poo etc as well.

So if I'm going to go shopping, what do I need? Can anyone recommend a good potty as was going to put one in the bathroom for her to see. Isthis the right approach?

Any others tips gratefully received!

I recommend Gina Ford's book "Potty Training in One Week." has great info on how to prepare and equipment. I picked up a copy for £1 in my local Oxfam. My 26 mth old DD is potty trained. Good luck!

I used a basic potty that I was given for free at a car boot sale! I wouldn't worry about what kind of potty you end up with. My second DS didn't bother with the potty anyway, he went straight to the toilet, it sounds like your DD might be able to do this. I still kept the potty in the lounge for emergencies though .
Regarding actual training, I used to take their nappies off whenever we were at home and then keep an eye on them, directing them to the toilet if they warned me and scooping them up and plonking them on the potty if not!
I had the carpet professionally cleaned after!

We didn't "train" our DD as such. One day at about 2.9yrs she announced she didn't want to wear nappies anymore, so I thought "Cripes" but went with it. I had plenty of kitchen roll at the ready but because we completely took the lead from her she got it in about 2 1/2 days I kid you not!!! We had one big accident in M&S but I was prepared with a spare change and after that there were very few accidents out and about or at home! I never used pull-ups, I just put a thick towel in her car seat and pram in the early days but it was never necessary! She has been dry at night since that day too! So I suppose what I am trying to say is that there is no hurry and when they are ready it will come very quickly, no "training" required! Our of my group of friends it appears that those of us who have hung back on the potty training have had less trouble with regression etc down the line. Take you time and take the lead from your little one! Good luck!

Oh, my DD found the white cushiony toilet seat thingy for little bottoms from John Lewis very helpful, she seemed to feel secure on it when we first started. We only used a potty for about 4/6 weeks and them I hid it one day to encourage her to just use the loo and she seemed not to notice...I couldn't be bothered with cleaning it out!

I'd be tempted to bypass an actual potty and buy a kids toilet seat (DS had a Thomas the Tank one) if she's already had a bash on the main toilet. I had to hold him steady for a bit and nearly broke both arms but he soon got the hang of it.

More pants than you think you could ever need.

The babybjorn seat is really good. You can adjust it so that it fits securely to any toilet.

This is really good when out and about. We've not really used it as a potty, but have used it loads as a toilet seat in all sorts of places.

We used pull ups for car journeys etc when we first started, but we put them outside pants/ tights. That way it protects your car seats etc but they still have the feeling of being wet of there's an accident and the encouragement to ask to go to the toilet.