Alice is potty training herself, yes I know people hate that phrase but I think we all know what it means and we are going with it, she is asking to have her nappy off in the morning or when we come back from going out. She takes herself off to the potty which she has chosen where it goes and if she is outside she takes it out just incase, I also like after using the potty she takes herself off to the bathroom to wipe herself and wash her hands
But how far do you push it (by way of encouragement not forcing her) with wiping, washing hands, potty manners (not picking it up afterwards to carry it around for example oh and no hands in the potty )?
Also what about the whole transition, do you use pull ups, I’m not keen at all on dipsosable pull up and have seen bright bot pull ups on sale but not sure if they would just feel like pants once on, we have tried pants but not recently and tend to ‘practice’ with trousers on at home as otherwise she scratches her eczema to bits, wee also stings her legs. But have only had one poo related accident in the last few weeks but still using nappies when out and Alice tends to wait untill she has a nappy on to poo, she knows she is going to go but doesn’t like to sit for very long on the potty so will go sit down and say she needs a poo but get bored and go and play again.
Sorry I’m waffling now but there are some things I am not sure about,
Pull ups or not?
When do you make the transition to going out in big pants?
What do you put on the car seat?
How much encouragement?
Do you make the child wash their hands, wipe themselves (obviously after a wee) and flush the loo?
Any other ideas?
Does she go to the loo with you? Grace has always come with me, and although she rarely wees in the potty she does sit on it everytime I go to the loo, then takes one sheet of toilet roll, wipe herself (often with nappy still on!) then wait for me to turn the tap on so that she can wash her hands. She’s picked it up just by being in the bathroom with me when I go.
I’d get or make a waterproof pad for the car seat, topped with fleece so that it’s comfy. I’m trying hard to put some of the Alfie Kohn suggestions into practise, so personally I don’t encourage - just treat it as normal. I do comment about it being the appropriate place etc, sometimes, so when she waits at the kerb, I often say “that’s waiting” so that she associates the word with the action, but I pass no judgement on it. In the same way, when she wees in the potty I say “that’s weeing in the potty”, so that she makes the association between the two. No idea if it will work, but we’re going to give it a go!
Yes she does come to the toilet with me and often wants to go first, I think that why she likes to wipe herself, flush the toilet and wash her hands. I tend to encourage by saying soemthing like well done you wee’ed in the potty, or similar and thanking her for wiping and washing her hands because to be fair it saves me jobs so I am thankful.
A fleece topped seat protector is a good idea although I was thinking more carrier with a towel on it so I don’t have to sew anything
I would definitely avoid pull ups - they are just a marketing scam to keep people buying nappies for longer!
You might like to buy a couple of washable training pants for the first few outings without a nappy, or in the car. They usually feel the same as pants and will hold one small accident.
Sounds like she is doing fine without pullups Sarie, I personally wouldn’t bother getting any either. My daughter went from nappies to wearing pants and no accidents which was great, she’s always said when she needed the toilet and bypassed the potty (didn’t find it comfortable ). I did pick up some 2nd hand washable training pants (still have them in a cupboard somewhere) but never used them. If you feel you could do with something just in case on your first few times out without nappies, then they are a good idea, but with us my dd didn’t want them on and said she’d tell us if she needed the toilet.
We’ve never used a protector thing on the car seat either - she tells us if she needs us to stop for a toilet, but they’re a good idea if you’re unsure she would be able to tell you she needs to go - I’d be inclined to just go with a piece of plastic/towel/fleece too as you probably won’t need it for long.
With your other questions - my daughter wiped herself (most times), flushed and washed hands as she just knew that was what Mommy did and the thing to do. It sounds like Alice has learnt this from you too. I didn’t really do the whole well done thing, just maybe saying thankyou for telling me you needed the toilet when we were out, so she would always remember to tell me.
Pull ups or not?
When do you make the transition to going out in big pants?
What do you put on the car seat?
How much encouragement?
Do you make the child wash their hands, wipe themselves (obviously after a wee) and flush the loo?
Any other ideas?
wouldn’t bother with pull ups they will just feel like a nappy
as soon as Tillie could do most of her wee’s in the potty, we took her out, short trips, and took spare trousers,pants, wipes or flannel and water.
we don’t have a car so not really an issue for us but i’d prob use a plastic bag with a towel on top
encouragement, we usually said well done (actually took a photo of the first poo in the potty )
i usually cleaned her after (as it was often dripping down legs etc) and now she is learning to wipe herself (wee’s only), 6 mths later.
we got rid of the potty after a few mths as i hated emptying it and so got a seat for the toilet which is so much better , she can sit there for ages with a few books when she needs too.
now i usually say “front to back” when i wipe or when she does just as a reminder, only wash her hands when she has cleaned herself or if she asks to wash her hands, just explained in the early stages that we don’t touch poo, wee and we flushed it together and said bye bye
to be honest i didn’t really do anything to encourage her (obviously just the well done, great, mummy is very happy etc) or teach her about cleanliness, just explained when needed i.e about the fingers in poo (we once had her covered in the middle of the night down to the knees, full stomach and arms with poo, guess it feels soft and warm in the dark).
We also had this book once upon a potty
i think the best thing to do is just leave the nappy off as much as possible but when out take one and if she asks to wear one let her so theres no pressure, pop her on the potty b4 you go out and ask when out etc.
good luck
have a look at bumpy pads these were great for us.
as for going out with pants on, we just took the plung one day. i took jaz to the loo every hour or so, for my concern at first then after a few days we got to grips with things. Jaz potty trained before she could talk so she signed when she needed the loo. but as alice can talk i am sure she will be able to tell you when the need arises. just be warie when you are in a really fun place for the first few times as she might forget.
For long car journeys where DS might fall asleep we had a ‘car nappy’ (wanted to make it clear that we were not just switching back to nappies but that it was something just for car journeys so we called it a ‘car nappy or ‘sleeping nappy’!) just in case. But short journeys we just risked it, once we were confident about going out at all without a nappy, or just put down a plastic bag. Never had a wet car seat, fortunately. One day we just forgot to put a ‘car nappy’ on and realised it was no longer necessary.
We also never bothered with pull-ups/trainer pants etc as I think they are confusing.
Oh - or what about those pads the mws use to put under you when you’re birthing if you have an examination - inco pads?? do you have any left from your HB?
Pull ups or not? No
When do you make the transition to going out in big pants? We used these: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2-x-BRIGHT-BOTS-Training-Pants-MEDIUM-Pick-colour-/130400564429?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Baby_Potty_Training&hash=item1e5c7ab4cd
What do you put on the car seat? A towel
How much encouragement? Minimal, we found over the top praise just didn’t work, almost embarassed him. We just say ‘You made it to the toilet/potty, you did it’
Do you make the child wash their hands, wipe themselves (obviously after a wee) and flush the loo? Try to, I think if they are willingly then keep at it, as it can turn into a battle
Any other ideas? Both of mine love the once upon a potty book prevouisly mentioned
and we are going with it, she is asking to have her nappy off in the morning or when we come back from going out. She takes herself off to the potty which she has chosen where it goes and if she is outside she takes it out just incase, I also like after using the potty she takes herself off to the bathroom to wipe herself and wash her hands 
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silly me!