Airplane travel and potty training

[mamapenguin]

Just wondering if anyone has experience traveling with a potty training toddler.  DD consistently tells me when she has to pee, and uses the potty, but she still won't sit on a toilet to pee.  When we're away from home, she's more of a pee behind a tree kind of girl:)  What have you done when on a plane?  It seems like taking a potty would take up a lot of valuable carry-on luggage space.  

[Mosaic]

We have used those fold-up toilet seat covers in the past. They're not my faves, but way easier than holding a little one over the toilet while they take FOREVER to go, let alone on a moving vehicle!

[skycheattraffic]

I found a fold up safety 1st portable potty. I haven't taken DD on a plane yet but she will use this happily but won't go in a toilet. It's fairly compact and may be worth looking into for the trip.

http://www.safety1st.com/usa/esp/Products/Cuidado-infantil/Orinalitos-para-bebes/Details/2970-PT064GRN-Gotta-Go-Now-Travel-Potty-Trainer

[grethel]

We use something similar called Potette Plus. Folds up small enough to slip into the backpack of kid stuff, and she doesn't mind using it in public restrooms (we haven't taken it on a plane yet, but as she won't sit on a public toilet to save her life, it's come in handy many times in many places!). I don't love that it uses disposable bags, but since it's for "emergency" type situations, it seems worth it to me while we transition.

[ThreeTwoFive]

Another vote here for the Potette Plus.  You don't have to use the bags that come with it.  It can be a mini potty with the bag or fold out to use as a potty seat topper.  

[mamapenguin]

Thanks for the replies! I'll look into the travel potty option. Does the Potette fold down small enough to fit in carry on luggage (without taking up the entire suitcase)? I'll have to order it online, since we don't really have anywhere to buy one locally, and it's kind of difficult to tell how big it is from the pictures.  

[SunRise]

Wow, Im impressed how many bring a mobile potty!  I was lucky enough to avoid this issue in July, (she wasnt ready to ditch diapers completely and I decided to wait until after our trip to step up toilet learning).

How long is your flight? When is it ... do you have time to prep her for sitting on a toilet?   I would hate to revert to a diaper, but that would be my 2nd option or a thick pair of training pants.   If my child was proud of her potty progression, I think I would just have to spend some time talking to her and getting her prepared to sit on toilet seat. (My child would be happy to wear the diaper!) Good luck, I know its a tricky situation.

Edited by SunRise - 8/9/12 at 8:19am

[grethel]

The Potette is small enough for a carry-on. Without actually going to get it and measure (ours is in the car right now), I'd say it's just about the size of a piece of paper (maybe 10x8?) and about 4 inches thick. When we go out someplace we might need it, like the county fair the other weekend, I carry it in a backpack (and all her other daily needs fit in the backpack too - change of clothes, wipes, sunscreen, water, etc.).

SunRise, talking and prepping are awesome! But it's still pretty common for youngsters to have a fear of public restrooms. My dd gets so scared she shakes when we have to go into one, even though I've talked to her about it and brought her in with me forever -- and she is usually not a timid child. She is afraid of the loud noise of the flushes, of the strangeness of the stalls, and especially the hot air dryers. When we are in a public restroom, every time someone in another stall flushes, she jumps about 5 feet. She can't relax enough to even get near the toilet, much less pee. :) An airplane toilet would, I'm certain, be scary for her. They are pretty loud, especially the flush, and very different than your general bathroom.

I certainly don't think the stage will last forever -- I expect her to get over it soon. But for now, using a little potty is a good solution for us when we're out all day. She hasn't been in a diaper for months (she is dry at night too).

[mamapenguin]

We're doing 2 flights each way - a 1 hour connector, and then a 6 hour flight, so it will be a pretty long day.  We're not going until September, so I'm going to continue encouraging her to sit on the toilet, but so far it's not too promising.  She's still very resistant, especially with public bathrooms.  I don't like using airplane toilets, so I can only imagine that it would be pretty frightening for a little one.  I'm pretty sure that she'd be willing to wear a diaper - in fact, she always tells me when she has to pee, so if I had to I could probably just put a diaper on for her to pee in, and then take it off.  But she's been doing so well with using the potty that I kind of hate to use diapers at this point.  

[mamapenguin]

Thanks so much for the extra info about the Potette - that does sound reasonable for carry-on luggage.  I'll order one soon so that my daughter will have time to try it out before our trip.  We have the same issues with public bathrooms - my daughter won't even use her own potty in a public bathroom.  She will, however, use her potty in all sorts of other public places like the parking lot at the grocery store, the side of the highway, and at the playground:)  

[cloudbutterfly]

We have this:  http://www.amazon.com/Mommys-Helper-15301-Cushie-Traveler/dp/B000F1O8T8/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1344491083&sr=8-4&keywords=folding+potty+training+seat

It fits in my (medium-large sized, but not huge) purse.  There's the occasional toilet that's a little wide for it, so you have to take note of that when you're setting things up and just make sure to spot your kid a little more closely.

We have the Potette, too, but DS has never agreed to sit on it.

[mkksmom]

We have the pottet too, but we just use diapers for the plane and for long car rides. Neither of my girls ever had an issue from using a diaper for a long car ride or for a plane ride.

[JudiAU]

If she will use a travel potty of any type, it is totally worth packing it.

Once we transition to underpants or training pants, we never, ever use anything else and I would never ask or suggest that a potty learning kid use a diaper.

 

 

[Bmorefarmgirl]

How about squatting? My son is about 3 weeks into potty training and likes to stand on the toilet seat to pee or poop. I just take his pants completely off and help him jump up there and hold his hands. He will sit on a big potty too, with holding my hands, but with squatting, you don't have to worry about how gross the toilet seat is!

[thursday2]

Originally Posted by Bmorefarmgirl 

How about squatting? My son is about 3 weeks into potty training and likes to stand on the toilet seat to pee or poop. I just take his pants completely off and help him jump up there and hold his hands. He will sit on a big potty too, with holding my hands, but with squatting, you don't have to worry about how gross the toilet seat is!

I was going to reply with the above, and also +1 on the Potette.  Granted, I have a boy who likes to try aiming but being able to stand on the toilet seat is literally what turned the tide to full-on potty trained for us.  I'd imagine for a girl, just take the pants completely off and let her squat slightly - if you hold her waist or thighs, she can hold on to your arms or neck.  We also bring the Potette everywhere, or at least we used to before he got comfortable standing.  It doesn't take up much room at all, especially if you're bringing less diapers now that potty training is going well...

[aHikaru]

we fly every 3 months (military fam) and have def flown during potty training time, personally, my DD figured it out once we were on the plane because when we go out I never used the travel seat, at this point I would just train you LO to use the toilet without any sort of training seat, it makes it easier in the long run.