Which is your favorite potty to start potty training?

[mamasgirl]

I wanted to hear your thoughts on the best potty to start this process. Is it better to try the stand alone potty first, instead of the inserts? Which brand is the best and has worked for you? My dd is small for her age, so that might make a difference. Does the potty with music and gizmos really work? Also there are so many books out there, which ones did your dc like the best? TIA:D

[citymama]

We like the baby bjorn stand-alone potty - not the mini one, the regular one. Dd was able to use it at 18 months all by herself, so I am assuming it will work for you. we also have a bjorn potty insert, which is great as well, but at 2.5, DD still prefers the stand-alone potty.

[lmwbasye]

Another fan here of the Baby Bjorn stand alone. My favorite part is how easy it is to clean since there are no corners or crevices for anything to get into and tough to get out.

As DS got older, we got the insert as well and still use this at 4. He is still nervous about sitting on the "big potty" and prefers the insert. Works great for us!

HTH!

[WatchingThemGrow]

I think we could've been fine with just the Bjorn insert and the little potty, which quickly became the car potty. The big one was more of a toy for DD. Probably because we don't actually have one square foot of floor space to dedicate to it. It just stayed in her room or in the laundry room, LOL.

I'm glad she went for the insert so quickly. The couple times she did use the stand alone, I didn't like cleaning it.

Definitely the Bjorns. Don't waste your money on anything else. Check CL or put wanted ads if you could deal with used. You can get them for 1/3 the price.

ETA: We also got the little stool they make b/c our toilet is "comfort height." It has really made it possible for her to go on her own

[KHF]

We have 2 of the bigger Bjorn potties and also one of the princess cushy inserts for the big potty. At 3, DD sometimes still likes to use the stand alone potties and sometimes wants to sit on the big one. I just decided it was easier to give her the choice. So we have a Bjorn downstairs in the finished basement and the insert + a Bjorn in the bathroom she uses on the main floor.

[scrooks]

Does anyone have any potty training book suggestions??? I know my dd isn't quiet ready yet but I don't want to miss the window if it should open??

[shoremom]

Great questions. I have the same ones ds is 16 mos and want to be ready. I'll be watching this thread. thanks!!

[WatchingThemGrow]

Joanna Cole is a great author, and we thought her potty books really helped DD understand the process. They explained it well and had substance. My Big Girl Potty is still a hit here...

http://www.kidsurplus.com/itemDetail-item-83%20BKD%204102~-~fromsearch-true.asp

and DS will be getting the boy version...

http://www.amazon.com/Big-Boy-Potty-Joanna-Cole/dp/0688170420/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226288711&sr=8-1

[Nooknookmom]

Another vote for Baby Bjorn stand alone (large one). DD (18 mo) rips off her diaper soon as she starts to pee and runs to sit on the potty.

Easy to use & easy to clean. Love it.

[Fairy]

I'm not a fan of stand-alone potties; we used the Bjorn insert on top of the regular toilet dealie. DS did very well with this. My feeling is that gettign them used to the actual toilet right away is the best way to go. But that's just me, and as PP's have said, they love their stand-alones. If you go with the insert, I recommend the Bjorn.

As for Potty Training videos, I wasn't a fan of any of them. My ped liked Potty Power, but we never got that one. We have an Elmo one DS loved. There's the omnipresent-you'd-think-it-was-from-the-70's one for boys and girls that goes with a potty by the same brand. DS loved it, I did not.

[o_mom]

Baby Bjorn no matter which way you go. We have two BB stand alone potties and the insert.

I would say start with the little BB one. If you don't use it for long it can become the car potty as it is very compact. I have the one piece one in the car, the two piece one for in the bathroom and the insert. The two piece one is easier to empty, IMO, but the one piece is great for the car. Both of them are easy to clean and don't have crevices to catch goo. The insert is also easy to clean and very secure, which many inserts are not.

Some kids just can't handle being up on the big potty. My DS1 is one of those. He was small and fairly uncoordinated when he started PT at around 2.5 years. He was fully trained at 3, but we still used the little potty for at least 6 months more until he would use the insert by himself. Then I toted the insert around until he would use a public toilet without one. It would have been a year longer in diapers if we didn't use the little potty. DS2 OTOH went straight to the big potty and could use it without the insert within weeks (right at age 3).