Car trip with a new potty trainee?

[LucyG]

DD has been peeing in the potty really, really well for about ten days now. She won't tell me when she needs to go, but will go just about every time I take her (every hour or so, more often if she's had a lot to drink). So, this weekend we are going on a nine-hour car trip. I'm not sure what to do, potty-wise. She wears panties during the day now, even when we go out on errands. She wears pull-ups for naptime and nighttime. Should I put her in a pull-up in the car? I know that I will at naptime (we'll be driving then), but what about at other times? Would it be better to put her in panties and stop every hour or so for a potty break? Also, she is leery of public potties, though has used a few. I plan to take the seat insert that she uses at home, so we can take it in when we stop at restaurants, etc. Is that a public health no-no, to take a potty insert into public places????

She's doing SO well, and I just don't want this trip to mess up her progress. I don't think we'll have a problem once we reach our destination, so I'm just concerned about what to do for the car time. Thanks!


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2 years and counting!

[brubeck]

I guess it depends how long you think she can hold it. Diapers in the car only might work, especially if you put her into underwear *immediately* after you get there. Also make sure you take her to to potty as soon as you get out of the car at a rest stop and right before you get back in.

Another option (if you want to keep her in panties) is to have a car potty. Get a small one-piece potty (I have the Baby Bjorn small one, NOT the one with the removeable bucket) and line it with a grocery store plastic bag. Throw a maxi-pad in there. You can pull over and she can pee whenever you want. When she is done take out the bag and throw it away. The maxi pad should soak up most of the liquid mess so it won't be *too* nasty.

If you're worried, get a couple of those absorbent 'lap pads' and have her sit on them in the car seat.

HTH!

[houseof3boys]

I am such a novice since we are not quite as far along as you but I wanted to mention a recent incident that happened to us. We were driving and Ryan said he had to go poopy so thank goodness the rest stop was less than a mile away and we quickly pulled off. DH ran inside with him and he was just about ready to go on the potty and the toilets in the rest area restroom were sooooo loud that it scared him. He started crying (he's not a cryer either) and then they came back to the car and tried to go in his Baby Bjorn potty but we foolishly had it facing the cars so he got distracted and ended up not going at all! So, just remember that when you stop for her to go in an environment that she is not used to. :)

Best of luck with the trip and potty training continuing successfully!

[lukkykatt]

Sometimes I put DS in a pair of underpants with a pull up over them if we are going to be out and about and I'm not sure if we'll exceed our one hour window (we are at the same point in the process ourselves).

[August Mom]

I do this sometimes or the reverse - pull up with underwear over it. Since it's only been 10 days and she doesn't tell you when she needs to go, I'd probably put her in a pull up unless your DH is willing to stop every hour. (I know my DH would never agree to do that).