Berkeley Parents Network: Potty Training Out and About

Berkeley Parents Network

Potty Training Out and About

Berkeley Parents Network > Advice > The Potty > Potty Training Out and About

Potty Training 2-year-old: Out and About

January 2006

Hello- Our son decided back in October that the potty is pretty cool and pretty much trained himself. He had literally just turned two the week before. My husband and I feel grateful that our son took the initiative and he is a regular user at home and school.

Our problem is when we are running errands. He still wears a diaper (as he is not 100% trained) and I can't figure out a simple way to get through the whole process. For example:

We are at the mall. I head to Nordstrom's and discover he has a poopy diaper. So, I go to the bathroom, remove his diaper and clean his toosh at the changing table, carry him buck-naked from the waist down across the bathroom and pray there isn't a line for a stall or that his need to go is immediate!

Then I get the seat insert we bought so he doesn't ''fall in'' and he does his business. Then I carry him back to the changing table and pray their isn't another kid on the thing, put a diaper back on and go about our day.

This takes a good amount of time. Then there are the issues of carrying around a naked kid (folks tend to not like that), and the fact that there are often lines at both the stalls and the changing table.

I tried to change his diaper in the stall. But that was a disaster and I vow not to do that again. The one thing that has been helpful are the rare occasions I can find a changing table *in* the stall, but those are few and far between.

Does anyone have a better system? I hope that there is an easier way, as my fumbled way leaves me in a sweat every time we have to use the restroom! Thanks!! :)

When I was potty training my now 5.5 year old and my 4 year old, I always took my child to the bathroom before we left the house and as soon as we arrived at our destination. I know it might sound excessive, but it truly works. My first question as soon as I arrived at stores was ''Where is the nearest bathroom?'' And I would head there right away. On a lighter note, today I saw a couple walk into church services carrying a portable potty seat. I'm sure glad that time is over for me!! Been There, Done That

Look into a little device called On the Go Potty. I bought mine at babycenter.com for $10-$12. It is a little pop-up seat with a plastic bag and an absorbent pad. You can set it up anywhere and throw away the little bag. Once I ran out of purchased bags, I made my own with grocery-style bags (those 10-for-a-dollar Hefty bags at Target, so no risk of holes in the bottom) and maxi pads from the dollar store. I love, love, love this thing. My daughter is reluctant to use the big potty at the stores and this has saved potty-training. Erin

We aren't quite there yet, so I look forward to reading the responses on this. But, have you considered the pull-up diapers? Since it's more like underwear it's probably a little easier to get them on/off in a bathroom stall. anon

I think that you are being too considerate of others. Just do what you have to do when and where you have to do it and your life will be easier.

If you think of it this way, you might have an easier time. People are so bored. They get so trapped in their little what should never be mode, that we mothers just HAVE to do a stand up diaper change here and there. Don't apologise. Ignore people staring at you. You are giving them something to get charged up about. They should thank you.

Also, for me, the minivan was an amazing revelation. I always had a cool car. With a baby, I can not tell you how many people, usually middle aged men, came and wanted to talk to me about my car while I was sitting in it nursing. I was a sitting duck.

I got a 10 year old minivan dirt cheap and have been so happy! Mostly for the portable potty in the back. I line the little pot bowl with a baggy (recycle my produce bags that way) some one pees, (several times that someone has been me!) you lift it off, tie a knot and toss it in the nearest trash can. Diaper wipes are the most handy thing for tidying up the van.....

I keep magazines for me to read while I wait. They love the privacy and I hate public toilets so it works out.

Really, you shouldn't miss your flight or whatever because your child has poo. Just change them on the spot. Put the diaper in a plastic bag, knot it and it will not stink up the trash. If you notice that you have scandalized some one, pat yourself on the back. They were so bored, and you gave them some some juice!!! Good Samaritinism in the trenches!

I trained my duaghter, which people say is different from training a boy, very early. In fact, much like your son, she trained herself. She really liked to be naked all of the time and did not like peeing on her legs. My adivce about being out and about is this: It sounds like you are having an extremely difficult time right now and what I suggest may be the same level or less of stress. WHen my daughter decided to potty train I realized there was no sense in her wearing a diaper out of the house if we were trying to train her at all times. So, we only kept er diapers on at nap and night time which are untrainable hours really. Yes, we've had accidents outside, almost never poop and she trained quite quickly. My advice is to carry a bag with extra clothes as you may already do and a plastic bag for the dirty ones. Other than that you are set. Show him where the toilet is wherever you go and when you can't, like at a mall, remind him to let you know when he has to go and to tell you. It may sound scary but it is less hassle than what you describe. Being in the middle of the transition sucks and it sounds like you're prolonging it accidentally. Nicole

I went through the same thing with my son. He's now almost 3 and, thankfully, seems to have mastered the potty on the go. Two things helped immensely. Switch from diapers to pull-ups - they are as absorbant and have the breakaway sides in case you have to take them off like a diaper; but they are a lot easier to put on in a bathroom stall than a diaper. My son also hated the folding toilet seat we bought for travel and mall errands; so that never worked out for us. What did work was a suggestion from my sister-in-law -allow him to seat on the seat backwards. Most toilets are narrower at the front; so it's easier for little bottoms to feel supported. Of course you have to remove one shoe and pant leg ensemble to do it that way; but you'd have to do that anyway to change the pull-up. This frees you from having to carry and clean the travel seat and it also turns out to be a good beginning for the whole standing-up-while-peeing routine my son is now learning. Beth

If you can't do without diapers entirely (and I urge you to try it -- many kids will use 'em if they're wearing 'em but hold it if they're not) then I think you should switch to the pull-up kind. Much easier to change in the stall.

Also, you may not need to bother with the seat insert doohickey. We never had one and I just held my son on the seat when necessary. He was older and probably larger at the time, but he learned how to balance himself pretty quickly. Holly

Potty training for on-the-go stroller set

May 2004

We are now trying to potty train in earnest, and have found that we can take our ''portable'' baby bjorn potty with us in the car (for driving over to a park, etc.). But we cannot figure out what to do about the weekdays when our daughter is home with her nanny, who uses only the stroller to go to the local parks, walk along College Ave., and other local routes. There are no close bathrooms at most of the parks they go to (Bateman,Willard,etc.); the potty is too big to carry around (it's the kind with the white pot that you remove from teh seat to empty out), and even if she did haul it in a big plastic bag hanging from the stroller (which seems really awkward), there's no way to clean it easily after use.

How do people deal with potty training when they are out and about during the day with a new trainee who cannot yet ''hold it'' until they can find a bathroom perhaps 5 or 10 minutes away??

Any advice appreciated!
1st time potty trainer

Our son has just started potty training and if we don't have the potty or access to a toilet i get him to pee wherever is convenient...ie a bush or tree etc. This may be easier for a little boy but he did have to poop once in a park with no toilet and we got him to squat and then cleaned it up with one of the numerous plastic bags we always travel with now! I've also become very aware where toilets are (rockridge kids, frog park. cactus etc). But sometimes these are just not available and when you gotta go, you gotta go!
anon

''Little Potette'' (or something like this) is a foldable plastic potty you can get at Babyworld, Rockridge Kids and Long's Drugs. It's small enough to fit in the bottom of a stroller, or even in a bag. Toddlers often have fun to set it up themselves. A quiet corner on the playground, in a park, or at a not too busy sidewalk are places to go.

The potty comes with disposable plastic liners. If you prefer something reusable, you put some tupperware under the potty and close it with a lid afterwoods. (One of the standard Rubbermaid round flat sizes fits perfectly.) You can either take everything home, or you empty it in a public bathroom or pour it into the canalisation (the latter not for #2).
Julia

Try to Google the 'Potette' to get some pictures of it so you can get an idea if that fits your need. I bought one when I was in NY area (in buybuyBaby store), but there is no store other than NY/NJ area, and I could not find the product in its website. However, a quick search in Google resulted in few online stores in the USA (the first link was for UK market, maybe it's more popular there).

Good luck

PS: I have not used it, so I can say if it was a good buy or not.

PS2: I think I remember saying that she bought hers at Baby Depot at Burlington Coat Factory, maybe you should check there. anon

We bought our Potette at OneStepAhead. We've used it a couple of times now & are very pleased with it. It seems a bit flimsy, but it is comfortable enough for our 37 lb widget. KB

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