Buying a potty | Imamother

Mama Bear

Tue, Sep 18 2007, 12:39 pm

Well the inevitable is here - iyh after succos I want to jump into the very scary world of TOILET TRAINING! AHHHH YIKES!!!! Does anyone have any advice - what potty do I buy, are there better ones and worse ones, which ones have you used?

madys

Tue, Sep 18 2007, 12:45 pm

If you can, avoid the potty altogether, and go straight to the toilet.

My 1st and 3rd used potties, and it's really gross.

My 2nd went right to the toilet (with a kid size toilet seat on top), and it was so great!

Hatzlachah!!

Tehilla

Tue, Sep 18 2007, 12:49 pm

Mazel tov! I just finished potty training my first child over the summer.

B"H she trained very quickly within 4-5 days, although I had been showing her the potty and discussing its purpose for awhile.

I agree, try to go straight to the big toilet with a child-sized seat that can be put on and off. Saves the switch later and cleanup (yuck). An easy seat to buy is on amazon.com, I think first years brand or something, with a little stool.

Also, though I do recommend having a spare potty (especially if you only have 1 bathroom). In the beginning especially the second they say potty, or you notice 'the dance' you have to run for the bathroom. So I bought a very simple Baby Bjorn white potty with a lift out inside and made sure she sometimes went in that potty. That way she was comfortable with both, and has a backup in case the main one is occupied.

chocolate moose

Tue, Sep 18 2007, 1:03 pm

Keep in mind that Mama Bear’s son is quite young.

A child that small may have more accidents. We didn’t train until well past three years old, with no accidents either child, BH.

Mommastuff

Tue, Sep 18 2007, 1:07 pm

I wanted to start also but my dd is scared to sit on the potty seat on the toilet because of the hole, I think. Falling in?

I was told to buy a potty that doesn't have handles because the kid may lean on one for supprt and fall off the potty.

Mama Bear

Tue, Sep 18 2007, 1:10 pm

I prefer a potty seat because I cant spend all day in my cramped bathroom trying to coax him to stay on the toilet. this way I can train him in whichever room I am.

moose, hopefully he'll be trained waaaaaaaaaaaay before age 3! 2 - 2 1/2 is the norm in my circles. they dont take kids in cheder if youre not trained!

here are some choices I looked at:

http://www.toysrus.com/product.....amily

http://www.amazon.com/Graco-Ba.....=1-37

http://www.amazon.com/Safety-1.....=1-63

http://store.babycenter.com/pr.....false

http://www.buybuybaby.com/shop.....82807

http://www.buybuybaby.com/shop.....84349

stem

Tue, Sep 18 2007, 1:12 pm

I highly recommend both the "baby bjorn" potty and potty-seat (for the toilet), especially for boys, they are made from comfortable smooth plastic and have a high guard in the front.
If the kid is not afraid of the toilet, then go right for the toilet, but if he's terrified of sitting on it (like my son) then a potty on the floor is a good way to transition.
Also, once you're dealing with the actual toilet, you might want to think about teaching him to do it standing up from the beginning.

anuta

Tue, Sep 18 2007, 1:14 pm

My daughter has both the toilet seat and the potty, and uses both. The potty is in her bedroom, so she can use it at night. We have a Graco potty (when closed it can be used as a stepstool, and the seat lifts up and can be used on top of the toilet). It also has a pee guard for boys (removable). I just went out yesterday and bought an identical one for my son, he is showing interest in hers....I like Graco potty the best. It also looks similar to a toilet, but it is simple. I also like that the seat is soft, not hard plastic. At the beginning they can spend a lot of time sitting on the potty and hard plastic can hurt their butts.

Baby Bjorn potty is good too, my mom has one in her house; but I don't know how it is for boys...

chocolate moose

Tue, Sep 18 2007, 3:01 pm

My son prefered the kind of potty that went over the regular toilet. DD too. There's a maylah to waiting, Mama Bear. Less accidents, as I stated, and it's much easier on the kid, too. When they need to go, they go. No potties all over the house.

"Our" kids don't start school until they're trained either, unless they go to a playgroup. But proper school (Headstart) doesn't start until 3 years old anyway.

greenfire

Tue, Sep 18 2007, 4:00 pm

my kids trained bet 1 1/2 - 2 years ... there is absolutely nothing wrong with a potty ... it helps them feel secure ... low to their height ... I had a potty that looked just like a toilet ... made it logical ... and ... the bathroom is the very best place for a potty ... don't want the house smelling like an outhouse ... and you cannot say brochas with that thing everywhere ... yes you need time patience and willingness ... to make them aware and bring them ... and make it FUN with fun undies and excitement in their going ... no nosh rewards - but praise

HooRYou

Tue, Sep 18 2007, 4:22 pm

Congrats Mamma Bear! This really is an exciting milestone. As you know I don't have lots of experience but I defintely learned a few things.

We also started young but in s sort of nto serious way. When DS was just about 2 we got a seat to go over the toilet, let himplay with it and then pretty much let him sit on it whenever he wanted. This way he was comfortable with it. Whenever he did make anything it was of course a huge deal (we called Bubbie and gave out treats etc.) When we finally settled down to train for real it went really easily. The one thign I found though was that pull ups are a big waste. They are very expensive and DS knew they were really a diaper (I imagine they feel different) and didn't really try when he was wearing them .

As far as the potty is concerned I would take your DS to a store and let him pick out his own. It might sound silly but if he feels like it is his it would definitely help moptivate him to use it. BTW, I didn't look at your links but how much difference can there be between the different models anyway?

nicole81

Tue, Sep 18 2007, 8:34 pm

I have 3 different potties and I definitely recommend the baby bjorn one as well. it looks the plainest, but that just means it's easy to clean up. the worst that can happen if he misses the potty part is that you'll have to clean up the floor. with those fancy toilet looking potties, my dd has been known to spill inside, then I have to take apart the whole thing and put it in the bath tub to clean it. never again!

Mama Bear

Wed, Sep 19 2007, 12:13 am

the bjorn looks really hard, and they often sit for an hour or so the first few days!

I ended up buying the primo. I liked the soft seat and the built in deflector, also the large insert.

chocolate moose

Wed, Sep 19 2007, 10:42 am

Mama Bear wrote:

the bjorn looks really hard, and they often sit for an hour or so the first few days!

That's a sure way to develope hemmorhoids in later life.

MB, if they have to sit that long, they're not ready to be trained! YOU may be ready but the child is not!

the child has to be aware of bodily sensations. sitting is nothing.

shopaholic

Wed, Sep 19 2007, 11:49 am

I just finished a summer long potty training time with DS who was very very stubborn about it. BH he's fully trained now. I also agree that a seat on top of the toilet is better, but if you prefer a potty, some of those are really cute! Especially the ones that look like toilets with a flush or toilet roll. I bought the Fisher Price royal potty & it was as good as any other. It makes noise when the kid "goes" & it hits the sensor. Good luck. When you start,

1. let him run around in only a shirt - nothing on the bottom so he can feel if he has to go

2. have lots of household wipes around the house for accidents

3. Don't bother with pull ups - they think they are diapers.

4. Have little treats to give as rewards.

5. Put a doll or teddy bear on the potty & squirt a juice box from behind so your son thinks the doll is going. Then say, "Hurray! Dolly went to the potty!" and give the doll a treat. Then let your son eat the treat for the doll because it can't eat. I read this in a book. It might encourage him to do the same.

6. Get this book & read it before you start. It was excellent, but not for my son - he's too stubborn.
http://www.amazon.com/Toilet-T.....r=1-3

shopaholic

Wed, Sep 19 2007, 12:33 pm

Tzitzis? I heard you can put them on b4 3 as long as the child is trained but I decided to wait 2 more months for DS to be 3. It will make his upshern even more special - haircut & tzitzis. He already wears a yarmulka.