Potty "accidents" in public... advice?

[treehugz]

After you ditch the diapers, has you dc had a potty accident in a public place? How do you handle it? What precautions do you take to prevent it?

My DD (2.5yr) is 100% nakeybottom potty learned at home. She's just getting the hang of pulling pants down to go though, and putting her back in diapers when we go out is causing confusion so I don't want to do that anymore. I'm afraid that she'll have an accident in public and that will be another potty learning setback. So I need to have a plan in case it happens so neither of us freak out. Ideas?

[ellairiesmom]

i keep extra clothes & a small wetbag in my diaper bag. i was also keeping a tiny ikea potty in the car so we could "go" before heading in on days when we were running back to back errands, shopping etc. i think i stayed home for 1 week or so during the "thick" of naked training. after that, we did panties & have had success.

my dd is very petite & regular potties cause her stress-they are just so big & she panics about falling in even when im holding her. i also hate public bathroom germs...so we bought a folding potty seat that i keep in my diaper bag too. i keep it in a ziploc freezer bag & wash it when we get home.

we have yet to have an accident in the car or inside a store (knock on wood) but there have been a couple when we were at someone's house & she was busy playing with others & i was busy talking with others & we both forgot about a potty try.

we also don't hesitate to pee outside if it means not riskng an accident by taking the time to find an appropriate potty. being ok with that has reduced my stress greatly.

[pixiepunk]

the big thing is offering right before you start an activity (like walking through the grocery store) and again when you are done. if you're out for a long time, offering once in the middle. like the pp, i keep a small potty in my car and in a pinch even my big kids (5 and 7 yo) have used it when there wasn't a clean public toilet available. this was also perfect for times like at a playground that didn't have anyplace for us to use, or on the side of the road on the way to and from places when an urgent call from the back seat happens. my youngest has been out of diapers for about a year and we just had one of those calls from the back seat yesterday, i was very glad i had the potty in the car, the weeds on the side of the road were taller than my 2 year old! you can stick a prefold in the potty to absorb the pee if there's no convenient place to dump it, though usually there's a grassy spot someplace, and as people let their dogs pee there i don't worry about dumping a little toddler pee in the grass either. some potties have plastic inserts so you can wrap it up and toss it in a garbage can, too.

and just bring a couple extra changes of clothes, and tell your LO something like "if you have to potty while we're in the store, let me know and we'll hurry to get there. if we don't make it, it's no big deal, we'll clean up and get dry clothes on right away." a couple of spare prefolds in your bag with the changes of clothes should be plenty to clean up a little puddle on the floor/in the cart/wherever. and then i'd just stop by the customer service window if you're in a store and let them know that there was a little pee in aisle 7 and you cleaned it up but they might want to run a mop over it. it happens all the time, it's really no big deal.

i've EC'd all my kids, and even though they were like 99% done with 'accidents' at a very early age, there have still been a few random ones even years later. my oldest had one once at her great-grandma's house literally 2 years after the previous one! heck, my 12 year old niece did it one time while she was visiting, while running up over the hill from the barn towards the house, just didn't make it. kids get distracted, it happens. they also spill things on themselves and make messes eating and fall into huge puddles and whatever... so i keep a full change of clothes for all of my kids in a bag in the car at all times. just mention that since i think it's a good idea to keep at least one change of clothes with you even after the potty misses are a thing of the past.

[Carlyle]

I carried a change of clothes for her, a couple of rags for mopping up any puddles, and a squeeze bottle of vinegar water to clean up. She did have an accident in the grocery store once (to my EXTREME embarrassment), but I had it mostly cleaned up before the store people came over to help with my "spill."

[NewMoonMum]

If it helps, I too was SO afraid of an accident in public!
Like the others I simply brought along many changes of clothes and a wetbag.
I started with short walks, staying near areas that had public restrooms.

I had him try potty before we left, and checked him for wetness VERY frequently, praising him when he was dry, and asked often if he had to potty. The first outing he did have a little accident, and I simply told him "that's ok, accidents happen sometimes" and we went off to the potty.
Only a week later we had to go about an hour and a half away, and I was SO nervous. I put him in a training diaper-but he stayed dry the whole time, and went on the potty as soon as we got there! He actually tends to have fewer accidents when we are out!

Good luck, it will all work out!!

[MountainMamaGC]

I am at the exact same point you are. We have made small excersions to the park and to the store. I remind her she is not wearing a diaper and tell her she has to hold her pee. When she is dry when we make it home, I praise, praise, praise. For small outings I dont bring extra clothing, because we can turn around and go home if need be, but for bigger ones I do. We just started a week ago, so I dont have too much experience yet. I am just wondering how we will transition to to wearing pants in the house again. I am glad its summer. lol.

When she does have an accident, I say "Oh-oh, you peed, thats ok, we will clean it/you up." Sometimes she will pee a tiny bit and stop herself. Then I tell her to "Hold it, hold it, hold it" until we reach the potty. Sometimes she tells herself to hold it. lol.

[firecat]

Originally Posted by pixiepunk

the big thing is offering right before you start an activity (like walking through the grocery store) and again when you are done. if you're out for a long time, offering once in the middle.

yes! This is what I do. Offer Offer Offer. He won't go if he thinks he doesn't have to, so lots of times I will just take him and sit him on the potty. If I ask he throws a big fit and wont go. Anyway...

Little potty in the car at first, change of clothes and wet bag (I just use a grocery bag) like pp. I also found no underwear (just pants/shorts) at first was better. Now I use training underwear. Oh and I put a plastic pad on the carseat so I wouldn't have to wash it if he had an accident in there. For that I used the changing pad that came with my diaper bag.

I have to say I was *really* worried about accidents while out but it turned out to not be such a big deal. He has never peed through his clothes onto a floor, we just get to a place where I can change his clothes and keep going.

[tbone_kneegrabber]

What I did was get reusable cloth menstrual pads and snap them in his underwear. Instant training pants! They usually held most or all of an accident and still felt wet/got his clothes wet so he *knew* he peed and what not, but didn't make a puddle on the floor. I would just tell him, "I'm putting a liner in your underwear, just in case, let me know if you need to go potty"

[Neera]

i used to put on a panty/underpants and then follow with a pull-up. my idea was to let her have the feel of the fabric and not paper since paper to her meant she can go in it. and we had several accidents. i didn't carry a potty in the car for use in between because we went a short distance to her toddler program every day but I did carry it to the program as she refused to use the toilet there since she was scared of the loud flush. however, because of that she wouldn't use the potty there either. one time her pee went thru the training pants and her pull-up but she just went too long without a potty being offered to her. (in a safe, secure place)

[Pippi L.]

We used training pants for out and about and it kept the pee from making a big puddle. We always carry extra pants and underwear and a wet bag just in case. We also insist she use the potty before we leave the house. Sometimes this is battle but we don't leave until she at least tries.

Now that she's more comfortable with regular toilets it's a lot easier. Often before we go to potty in a public place I tell her how nice and friendly the potty is -- even if it's the most disgusting toilet in the world. It sounds ridiculous, but it helps

[treehugz]

Awesome! I love the ideas! Now I have a plan and I don't feel so worried to leave the house. The Plan:

Originally Posted by ellairiesmom

i keep extra clothes & a small wetbag in my diaper bag. i was also keeping a tiny ikea potty in the car so we could "go" before heading in on days when we were running back to back errands, shopping etc. ... we also don't hesitate to pee outside if it means not riskng an accident by taking the time to find an appropriate potty.

1. Extra clothes
2. Wet bag
3. Little potty in the car (why didn't I think of this? I think we have three little potties!)
4. Pee outside if you need to

Originally Posted by pixiepunk

the big thing is offering right before you start an activity (like walking through the grocery store) and again when you are done. if you're out for a long time, offering once in the middle.

5. Offer before, during, after activities (when I offer, the answer is often NO, but I'll keep offering.)

Originally Posted by Carlyle

I carried a change of clothes for her, a couple of rags for mopping up any puddles, and a squeeze bottle of vinegar water to clean up.

6. Mop rags
7. Spray bottle of vinegar water (this is great! Now if there's an accident somewhere, at least I'll look prepared.)

Originally Posted by Lydiah

When she does have an accident, I say "Oh-oh, you peed, thats ok, we will clean it/you up." Sometimes she will pee a tiny bit and stop herself. Then I tell her to "Hold it, hold it, hold it" until we reach the potty. Sometimes she tells herself to hold it. lol.

8. Tell her to "hold it" if she starts to pee (so far, dd's not catching on to this, but hopefully will if I keep saying it)
9. If she has an accident, DON'T FREAK OUT! Say something reasurring instead. (This will be the hardest for me!)

Originally Posted by firecat

I also found no underwear (just pants/shorts) at first was better. Now I use training underwear. Oh and I put a plastic pad on the carseat so I wouldn't have to wash it if he had an accident in there.

10. No underwear, just pants (dd can't get the panties down too easily, so this is good)
11. Pad in the carseat

Originally Posted by tbone_kneegrabber

What I did was get reusable cloth menstrual pads and snap them in his underwear. Instant training pants!

12. Mama cloth for "instant training pants" (I LOVE this idea!)

Originally Posted by Pippi L.

We also insist she use the potty before we leave the house. Sometimes this is battle but we don't leave until she at least tries.

13. Insist on potty before leaving the house (this is a battle for us too, so I often just forego it... but I will start making it part of the routine and insist.)

Yay! Thanks ladies! Any other suggestions? What do I do if there's an accident on carpet somewhere? We go to the library every week, and that's where I worry about it the most because it's plush carpet.

[JudiAU]

Get her in diapers and just be prepared to help her if she has an accident. We carry extra underpants, wipes, and a change of clothes in the car. Early on, we carried a potty seat to make using the public toilet more appealing. And we always go potty when we leave, regardless of percieved need by DS. We just go.

[korintherin]

Originally Posted by tbone_kneegrabber

What I did was get reusable cloth menstrual pads and snap them in his underwear. Instant training pants! They usually held most or all of an accident and still felt wet/got his clothes wet so he *knew* he peed and what not, but didn't make a puddle on the floor. I would just tell him, "I'm putting a liner in your underwear, just in case, let me know if you need to go potty"

Using mama cloths is a GENIUS idea; we're flying at Thanksgiving and I think my 20mo son is ready to potty train now, so I've really been torn. That and a small towel or something in his car seat (flies in his own seat) to catch extra spills of any kind... peace of mind.

[St. Margaret]

I was scared of accidents, too, but we never had any that weren't contained (and mostly poo, ew).

Love the mama cloth idea, and there is certainly kids underwear with a little bit of absorbancy and even liners, different enough from diapers that it works for some kids, to cue them not to go in them.

[healthy momma]

Originally Posted by treehugz

13. Insist on potty before leaving the house (this is a battle for us too, so I often just forego it... but I will start making it part of the routine and insist.)

My DS isn't always keen on getting on the potty before we go somewhere but he never refuses if I offer outside just before we get in the car. He loves peeing in the driveway. Maybe it's a boy thing but maybe it would work for you.

[winter singer]

Originally Posted by healthy momma

My DS isn't always keen on getting on the potty before we go somewhere but he never refuses if I offer outside just before we get in the car. He loves peeing in the driveway. Maybe it's a boy thing but maybe it would work for you.

Not just a boy thing....this works for my DD too!

[CaliforniaMommy]

My DD didn't want to put diapers on during the day anymore, but wasn't quite ready for it yet, so we ended up with many pee accidents while away from home (never any poo accidents though, as she was very predictable in that regard). No big deal though, I always had 2 or 3 change of pants in my bag, along with a wet bag.

I also put a waterproof pad over the car seat, in case she had an accident in the car. That saved my seat cover a couple times, when I coudn't pull over quickly enough!

I don't hesitate to have her pee in the bushes if she needs to go, and there is no bathroom nearby, or the public bathrooms are too filthy to use. Just don't leave any paper/wipes behind, pack it up.

I also carry a platic bag I can use to pick up the poo (just like you would do for a dog), in case she has to poo, and there is no bathroom around. I've only had to do it once, but at least, I was prepared...

I never stressed about it, as I didn't want her to feel nervous about the transition. If she ever had an accident, I only reminded her to let me know next time she needs to go, so her pants don't get wet. She slowly got much better about it, and finally go the hang of it.

Good luck with it all!

[OkiMom]

With us this is what we did:
For the first couple of weeks I kept a full set of clothing in the diaper bag (I had one in diapers still so I still carried a diaper bag everywhere). Whenever we went anywhere we went to the bathroom before leaving the house and after getting to where we were going. Might sound a little obsessive but my daughter is easily distracted by knowing we are leaving somewhere so a lot of the time she wouldn't go before but would as soon as we got where we were going. She had two accidents, one was totally my fault since she told me she needed to go and I misunderstood what she said. Both times we just cleaned her up, changed her clothes and that was it. I made as little a deal of it as possible.
After about 3 weeks I packed a small bag of extra clothes, undies, wipes, etc and left it in the trunk. She didn't have any accidents outside of the home after 3 weeks though. I still have that bag in the car just in case of a big mess, getting soaked in a sudden downpour etc.
As for a small seat she didn't like them. She wanted to seat on the big seat like mommy and daddy. My youngest is starting to show signs of wanting to potty train but shes so small I bought a folding seat to keep with me. Im worried she will fall in the toilet if she tried to use the big seat.

[erratum]

One thing that helped us was carrying a small potty chair in a plastic grocery bag EVERYWHERE we went and (trying) not to be embarrassed to plunk it down whenever we needed it. (Even if you make it to a bathroom, public restroom toilets can be scary for little ones.)
And it also helped to approach the situation knowing that there WILL be accidents and be prepared for them. We had relatively few, but the big stress came from the uncertainty "OMG what if he has an accident?!?!" instead of just accepting and expecting accidents.

[academama]

I just wanted to agree with the poster who suggested a pad in the car seat. That was the hardest for my daughter--I think the padding on the car seat made her think she was wearing a diaper, or something. After about the sixth time with the seat totally drenched , she finally got it.