Potty Training Question

[momtoemma]

For those of you that are potty training or have already done so, did you use anything to cover or protect the car seat in case of an accident while in the car? I guess I just don't want to have to wash the car seat cover every time we have an accident. Any tips would be appreciated as we begin this journey. DD is doing very well at home, but I haven't been brave enough to take her out yet without a diaper.

Thanks,

[mamahill]

For a week or two I would put on an AIO (or, for disposable users - a diaper) over her panties and call them her "car panties." Then I got those Gerber plastic training pants and used those. But she never did have an accident in her carseat. Once right outside the car, but never IN the car. I've heard some people use those lap pads or pads from the hospital after you have the baby, but with Ainsleigh it was such a quick transition from diapers to panties, that it didn't really make a difference.

Just make sure you always have extra pants/underwear/socks in the car and you'll be fine. The day you take them out or forget them, she'll have an accident. ;)

Oh, and while we were driving we would talk about how nice dry panties were, and how we don't wet, etc., etc. Then, upon entering whatever store, I'd ask if she needed to go potty. Same with when we were leaving. We have used restrooms at the grocery store, Trader Joe's, the bank, department stores, library, etc. ALWAYS know where the bathrooms are - it's like locating an emergency exit. :)

[g-mama]

Ditto everything Sarah said. We never had an accident in the car but for the first week we were really working on it, I minimized our car rides to nothing longer than 10-15 minutes to be safe. A couple of times I did put a pull-up on Paolo for my own peace of mind. After that first week (he was a pretty quick study) I was more confident in his ability to hold it or tell me and I was able to stop worrying, but for a long time, I always made sure to have extra clothes and underwear in the car with me.


Kristen
Paolo 11-00
Benjamin 8-03

[brubeck]

I had 2 lines of defense. First of all I used a super-absorbent towel and had DD sit on it (the kind of towels they advertise for drying your hair).

Secondly, I had a potty I kept with me in the car. I encouraged DD to tell me when she needed to go and there weer a couple of times I would be driving somewhere and had to pull over and stop so that she could use it. We would also use it getting into or out of the car if necessary. This helped tremendously!

I also second Sarah's suggestion of having extra clothes in the car. Put them in a big ziploc bag so you have a place to put the wet ones when you make the change.