[oceanbaby]

Ds is almost 2.5, but showing no signs of potty training yet. Of course, I also don't have a potty (I really hate that word, I don't know why.) Anyway, I do have one of those little flip seats that makes it his size to sit on, and he has a step stool next to the toilet.

Will this work? Do I really need to have a separate potty? Our bathroom is so teeny tiny, and the idea of cleaning them makes me gag, so I really don't want one, but I don't want to be hindering ds either. I mean, how did kids potty train before separate little seats just for them?

Did anyone else not use a separate potty chair? What did you do, and how did it work?

 

[Konur's Mom]

Konur is 2.5 and has been PT for a month or so now. We do use a seperate potty for him after researching the subject. He can use it when he needs to, without having to climb up on a big toilet. Time is crucial at first! Also it helps to have their feet planted on the ground fo r leverage when they poop. We started out with letting him go bare on his bottom and that really helped. I would ask him if he needed to go and take him before and after bed and naps. We would read books, too, to help him relax.

I definately recommend a seperate potty for him, his own size. You can always transition him from it sooner than most people since your bathroom is so small.

HTH

 

[Dragonfly]

A separate potty might aid in potty learning, but the most important consideration in this decision, IMO, is whether or not his feet will be supported when he's sitting on the big potty. It's really important for pooping to be in the proper position, with feet supported in a squat position. If that can be accomplished with the step stool and he's okay with sitting on it, then the flip seat would probably be okay (I would think?).

eta: The Baby Bjorn potty chair is what we have and it's great. The bucket part comes out as easy as can be. It's much less trouble (and much less icky) than changing a diaper.

 

[beanma]

i too was grossed out by the idea of cleaning a seperate potty and plumb lazy about it, too. we got the flip seat and dd has been fine with it. we did part time EC, though, so that may have something to do with it. she's been sitting on the big pot since she was 5 months old and out of dipes at about 18 mo. she still won't go all by herself, but she'll tell us if she needs to poop every time and i rely heavily on reading her cues for the pees. by the way, she never had any trouble pooping in the big toilet before we had a stool for her feet.

we're in the process of coaching her through the steps of going to the potty all by herself, but she is not much of an all by myself girl about many things, so i'm sure we'll be accompanying her to the bathroom for a long time to come. that's just a personality thing, though. she can take off her pants and get up on the stool (little shaky on that, likes to put her hand on my knee for support frequently) and make her pee or poop. sometimes she'll want to wipe after pee. i haven't tried to coach her through wiping her bum yet. guess that will come, but just haven't crossed that bridge yet.

so, in my experience, the flip seat is fine, but we started a lot earlier. your mileage may vary...

(p.s. they've had baby potties a long long time, too. i guess before that they just went outside!)

 

[serenetabbie]

we used a potty for Ds, and it bugged the heck out of me. We used it for like 4 or 5 months, then chucked it and got a smaller seat that snaps onto the big one. That worked just fine. Now we have 2 bathrooms and DD (2.5) uses both. I let her choose her own seat for the downstairs toilet. I had to get a stool for the sink anyway, so a potty and a stool would be too much for the small bathroom.

 

[Kelso]

We also have a very small bathroom. We only use a potty on long trips and sometimes at the playground...we put a diaper in it to absorb the pee and catch the poop. Dd used the seat on the regular toilet and ds does the same. Ds is now 34mos and still training, but really all he needs is practice and encouragement. He has learned all the routines..handwashing, flushing, getting the small seat onto the toilet..etc.... It may seem that we're late trainers, but he knows all the stuff and won't be wearing diapers in kindergarten, so I'm not worried....all in his own time

kelso

P.S. when there's no seat available, but in a trusted place (friend, relatives house...anywhere you're comfortable) a friend and my sister taught ds to sit facing the back of the toilet. His legs are spread apart and his bum has a place to be and he won't fall in!! Ds actually prefers this sometimes.
K

 

[ChloesMummy]

My daughter did not like her potty chair and just climbs her way up to our toilet. She uses her potty chair as a stepping stool to wash her hands sometimes other times she wants me to hold her to wash hands. I think each kid has their own preferences. And kind guidance to whatever u like helps and when they are ready. It may be 14 months it may be 38 months who knows. You will learn to read their cues better and better. DD uses toilet sometimes and still in cd too. A long learning proces for us but 1 day at a time. Good luck!

A,ber- Mommy to Chloe 27 mo and married to DH for 4 wonderful yrs.

 

[shanleysmama]

We got a little seat to fit on our toilet but DD never used it, and she never had a problem learning to use the toilet. She did use a little step stool when she was learning though.

DS has shown no sign of using the potty, he's sat on it a few times but mostly for amusement.

We have one in our van since we make a lot of long trips, and *that* is very handy for DD. But I don't think you "need" a little potty at all. Before they had the little plastic seats kids just hung on to the big one or their parents held them, and they also had wooden seats, I've seen them in antique stores.

Melanie

 

[Potty Diva]

We tried the little potty, but Kailey only liked to play with it, she never used it for elimination. Instead she has always used the big potty. I was amazed when I first saw her climb up on it'! She never had a problem with getting up on the potty in time, and now that she is REALLY potty experiencecd, doesn't have accidents from not being able to get up on the seat in time. She really amazes me!

I'm glad this thread is here because I thought I was doing my daughter a disservice by not making her use the little potty.

My thoughts were that it was just an unneccessary middle man sincece she would be using the big potty for most of her life anyway. But, I feel the same way about pull ups and toddler bikes.

So, no, I don't believe you need the little potty. Save the 15 bucks for college