Potty training "when we're out" question

[Mrs. Charming]

DD is about 90% potty trained-- she's great in the house, no accidents for a long time. She's not so bad at her grandma's house, only one accident there in the last month or so. The only thing is-- out in public. I'm definitely grossed out by public bathrooms but since I'm hugely pregnant, I don't have a choice. DD's shown interest in the big public toilets but every time I put her on, she just can't seem to balance, and we haven't once had success. She's either held it for hours or peed in the PullUp. I just feel like I'm at a loss. She has such a small tooshie, it's like, how in the world can she balance and concentrate/relax enough to pee? I have a bit of a bashful bladder (non-pregnant) myself so I can understand why she doesn't/can't go. I bought one of those nice fold-up potty seats but they still seem like they're giong to fall in the toilet along with her. Help!!

And not only that... the germ factor.. the other people's pee... OMG ew!!!

 

[Acklander]

And not only that... the germ factor.. the other people's pee... OMG ew!!!

Maybe your stress about her using a public bathroom is rubbing off on her. If you relax, and don't worry so much about the germ factor, and other people use the bathroom to pee factor, maybe your daughter will start to relax as well. I couldn't imagine trying to pee in a strange bathroom with my mom hovering over me about all the cooties there. It would probably freak me out so I couldn't pee either.

 

[EeyoreEma]

We got a travel potty for just this reason. DD is small still (and was even smaller when we were training!) and I just don't do public restrooms. So we got a travel potty that we keep in the car. I guess it depends on what kind of car you have as to whether or not it would really work for you, but we have a bigger car so we can just keep the doors shut, set it up and there you have it. It's lined with a gallon size bag so then all you have to do is zip it up and toss it out. I'd much rather deal with that than public restrooms! For the times when we don't have the option of the travel potty (like at Disney) I carry potty seat liners and just have to hold her up over it (still at age 4) because she's just so small. She usually would rather hold it and just wait until we get to a potty that will work for her.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

Maybe your stress about her using a public bathroom is rubbing off on her. If you relax, and don't worry so much about the germ factor, and other people use the bathroom to pee factor, maybe your daughter will start to relax as well. I couldn't imagine trying to pee in a strange bathroom with my mom hovering over me about all the cooties there. It would probably freak me out so I couldn't pee either.

LOL I don't tell her.. omg she'd be the trainwreck my mom made me about germs! I just play it cool, and silently make sure she does an *extra* good job washing her hands.

 

[mjkacmom]

You need to teach her to use an adult sized toilet. My little ones were using ours at home fine at 2 1/2. Have her sit close to the front and lean forward.

 

[simba20]

You need to teach her to use an adult sized toilet. My little ones were using ours at home fine at 2 1/2. Have her sit close to the front and lean forward.

This.

At first we had DD straddle her legs across the toilet (liek over the sides) but she soon got it.

They also make fold up travel seats......

Public restrooms are really no big deal.

Also be proactive. When we were first potty training DD and would go out, we'd always take her to the potty upon entering and leaving the store.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

We got a travel potty for just this reason. DD is small still (and was even smaller when we were training!) and I just don't do public restrooms. So we got a travel potty that we keep in the car. I guess it depends on what kind of car you have as to whether or not it would really work for you, but we have a bigger car so we can just keep the doors shut, set it up and there you have it. It's lined with a gallon size bag so then all you have to do is zip it up and toss it out. I'd much rather deal with that than public restrooms! For the times when we don't have the option of the travel potty (like at Disney) I carry potty seat liners and just have to hold her up over it (still at age 4) because she's just so small. She usually would rather hold it and just wait until we get to a potty that will work for her.

I thought of getting one of those. I just feel like I'd be cheating her-- like we're not really potty trained because she's not using any and every toilet, kwim? It's not cheating, right? lol But then if she's holding it all day, a travel potty seems like the better option. We have a minivan, so this would definitely work for us. I'll check it out!

 

[EdiePA]

How about something like this?

http://www.amazon.com/PRIMO-Folding-Potty-Handles-granite/dp/B000BXHPEU/ref=pd_cp_ba_0

Easy enough to stick in the diaper bag and wipes clean.

 

[vroomagain]

This is our favorite thing in the world http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=15685581. I've gone through about 3 of those folding seats and they are just too flimsy and made the fear of bigger toilets worse. This isn't something you can fit in your purse but I will sometimes carry it in a reusable shopping tote or just leave it in the car. I highly recommend it.

 

[allison443]

You need to teach her to use an adult sized toilet. My little ones were using ours at home fine at 2 1/2. Have her sit close to the front and lean forward.

This is what we did too.

 

[tzolkin]

Have her sit close to the front and lean forward.

Yes, leaning forward helps. I would put also put my arm out, so the child could hold on with one or two hands. Eventually they didn't need to hold on to balance.

My older DD also found it easier to sit sideways on a public toilet when she was first learning.

 

[amyren]

DD is fine on big toilets but I have a folding potty seat for especially yucky bathrooms. I took it to WDW in Nov and it worked great. It folds up and fits in a large ziploc bag. I'm also known to take her "small potty" places and leave it in the car. DH always refuses to take her into public men's restrooms but if the "small potty" is in the car he will let her go in the back of our SUV. Think of it as a port-a-potty.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

I can't offer any helpful hints as its been over 20 years since I potty trained anyone. But I have a funny story to share.

When DD was little and potty training, she would only go on white toilets like we had at home. No black toilet seats. No steel toilet bowls. We went to a friends house and all the fixtures were pink. She wouldn't go there either. Luckily she grew out of that.

 

[Hannathy]

Yes, leaning forward helps. I would put also put my arm out, so the child could hold on with one or two hands. Eventually they didn't need to hold on to balance.

My older DD also found it easier to sit sideways on a public toilet when she was first learning.

Mine used to sit sideways a lot also. Does she hold on? or are you trying to get her to completely balance? Let her hold on, you can wash hands. Or else stand in front of her and hold her around the waist to help her balance.