What to Do? - Willis, TX

She is going to have to sit on a public toilet at some point in her life - we all do!!!! Try to use the cleanest bathroos in public and clean the seat with the sanitizer they have in the stall or put one of the seat covers down. You could even carry a bottle of germ x with you and put a little on the seat then wipe with tp to clean it. YOu are sening her mixed signals by putting her in diapers when you go out.

I wouldn't use a diaper for fear that there might be some regression. I would suggest getting a portable potty (I got mine from Burlington), it's a tiny colapsable seat with a 'shopping bag' you insert that has an absorbant (diaper) type material in the bottom to catch liquids, and leave it in your car for 'Oh no! I've gotta go's'. Also, invest in some of those sani-seat covers and carry them everywhere.

You can't not go places because you're potty training, matter of fact, it's good practice to go places. You'll be in public toilets sooner or later and your kiddo will touch more ewwy stuff than you can imagine, it'll be good to start that 'don't touch' training now.

HI E. try lining the public toilet with the tissue or toliet covers that are above the toilet. I have a 2 year that gets a kick out of using public toilets but I just take the time of to cover it.

I was not crazy about public toilets either, but that is a part of life if you are going to leave the house with your daughter. Always make sure she goes before leaving, and then take her to the restroom while you are out in about an hour or two whether or not she needs to go. To ease your concern about cleanliness, try to time your outing so you are in a place that has clean restrooms. Then, just put down a lot of paper on the seat, and don't let her touch anything. Alwasy carry extra pants and panties with you. It won't take long to get her potty trained away from home also. Enjoy!

Congratulations! Sounds like things are going swimmingly. My daughter potty-trained easily at 2 years/3 months. We're lucky. I would not put her diapers or pull-ups when you go out. I think it's confusing to get the message that using the potty herself is, essentially, just for home. And let's face it, she's going to need to use public toilets sooner or later. I really believe you'd better off showing her how to do that in as sanitary a way as possible (putting paper down on the seat, for instance, NOT squatting. If I take my daughter to one more pee-spotted public toilet seat because someone squatted, missed and failed to clean up after herself, I'll scream). Handwashing, hand sanitizer, the usual. My daughter is really good now in public restrooms. She knows the drill. She wears a pull-up to sleep - after my pediatrician told me that the evenings will take care of themselves naturally, as her bladder develops and can handle 8-10 hour stretches. So, no drinks two hours before bed (though there are times, of course, when you make exceptions. But, as a rule, try to limit drinks before bedtime).
Anyway, best of luck to you!
J.

Really the best thing you can do is no diapers or pull ups. If she is doing that good at home she should do fine out of the home. She will get confused by the mixed signals - not ok to go in pants at home, ok outside of home. When I finally stopped with pull ups all together is when my child decided to go in the potty all the time. I just always carry wipes, plastic bags, and a change of clothes including underwear - at all times!!! If you don't like putting her on a public toilet, you can buy one of those portable, fold up covers that you can clean yourself. It folds up and slips into your bag. Or carry antibacterial wipes to wipe down the seat. Good luck!!

I've only potty trained a little boy, but my friends with girls all carry around a little potty seat (like a Baby Bjorn) in the back of their vehicle, and that's what they use! There are all kinds, and I'm sure it's not that difficult to wash. We've been at the park before, and a friend took her daughter "to the van" when she needed to potty, and there she sat in the back of their van!

We use cloth training pants, bring a diaper bag with a change of clothes, try to use the cleanest toilet we can when out. Bottom line is that we wash our hands thoroughly whenever we finish using the potty (I even bring soap leaves or a small bottle of liquid soap just in case there isn't any). 99% of germs can be eliminated with good handwashing technique (15-20 seconds of lathering). My son loves it when I sing Yankee Doodle while washing our hands.

Putting her in a diaper when you go out sends her a mixed message. THere are toilet covers that you can buy to take with you to cover the seat and make it more appropriate for her small size.

Good Luck!

Babies R Us has foldable potty seats that you can put over a public toilet. We kept it folded up in a plastic bag in the diaper bag. I had just "graduated" back to a regular purse, but we went back to a small diaper bag for the purpose of carrying around the potty seat!

We also started by putting pull-ups on her when we went out to cut down on accidents, and just gradually started going out without one. I did carry one pull-up in the purse/diaper bag for awhile afterward in case I knew we'd be someplace where there were no nearby potties and no chance to get to one for a long time.

When my oldest was two, we'd enter a store and she'd say, "Mom, I don't think I've gone to this bathroom yet!" Auggg! I know public restroom use has to happen at some point but YICK! We go before we leave the house and the try to find a clean one if possible. Use the protective seat covers or toilet paper if need be and pray.

Also, teach her to recognize the signs that she's about to go and emphasize that it's o.k. to "stop and go potty" and not a burden for you to take a potty break...may head off accidents.

Good luck! I'm about to head on this journey with our youngest boy. I may be writing requests for advice next.

If she regularly has accidents away from home, I would put her in a pull-up until she is further potty-trained. Whether she is wearing panties or a pull-up, you should make it a rule that everyone goes potty before you leave the house, then just keep track of time and after about an hour, take her to the bathroom to try to go potty. Most public bathrooms have toilet seat covers that she can use. If it still makes you squeamish, buy a portable, folding potty seat:
http://www.amazon.com/Ginsey-Dora-Folding-Travel-Potty/dp...
That is just one of many designs available. It folds small enough to fit in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag, which you can carry in a large purse or diaper bag

I realize that you already "up-dated"...but I am behind on the the latest "Mamasourcing".

I hate to tell ya...the lemons in your tea and the soda machine that you drink out of are WAY MORE POLLUTED than the toilet seat. Study upon study proves it. You are more likely to contract germs on your "out to eat" food, than the public toilet. People just DONT WASH THEIR HANDS anymore.

Sad as it is.

Margaret

P.S. I am a retired Food Service Mananger and Qualified Galveston County Health Certified Manager.(18 yrs)

I think when you put her in a diaper while out, it can confuse your child. The best thing for any training or learning is consistency. While I was training my daughter we used a folding toilet seat cover. It also helped to avoid her touching the dirty toilets. Check out the link below for one I purchased at Babies R Us.

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2304657