baby bunching Q/A: potty duty

Q: Do you have some tips on how to deal with diaper changes when out and about and there is no changing table, or what to do with the youngest two when the oldest has to use the potty and can't be by him or herself?

A: First let's address the changing table since that's the simplest one to handle. We have changed our kids on an assortment of surfaces: sinks, park benches, picnic tables, dressing rooms, restaurant bathroom floor, etc. The trick is in the supplies. You will need wipes, antibacterial lotion, changing pad and a light blanket/towel. The towel/blanket goes under the bad to protect your child from touching nasty surfaces or rolling off the mat. Linda has even changed a poopy diaper with toddler standing. Cara hates public restrooms and her favorite place to change while out and about is the back of her van. Get creative and wash up later.

The second part of the question can be harder to answer. If you are out and about at the same places, try to scope out more kid-friendly bathrooms--family restrooms where you can all be in together, cleaner bathrooms that don't make you vomit when you go in, ones that have nice large handicap stalls, etc. Potty training a toddler with a baby when you're out can be super tricky. News Flash: It's still tricky even when they're older.

Linda remembers having to leave a playground with her Bunch and run to the nearest 7-11 while her son went poo. He sat and sat singing Mary Poppins while her toddler tried to lick the bathroom walls. Good times!

Our best advice here is to come prepared. If your little ones can be strapped into something, we recommend it. If you're in Target, by all means, wheel the whole damn cart into the bathroom. If you can manage your stroller into the bathroom, even better and less intrusive. Unless there is a handicapped person waiting for the larger stall, don't feel bad about wheeling your stroller in - we are handicapped in our own way. While snacks seem like a good idea to keep your kid busy, there's something that truly grosses us out about mixing food and bathroom. Yuck! Bring a ton of wipes to clean off what boosting your kid up at the sink doesn't clean off and sum it up with a nice slathering of Purell. Germs boost immunity, right?

Please share with us your fabulous tips. As you can see, we've had our own challenges mastering this combo.

Comments

[Brandi]

We are potty training right now and with an almost 2 year old who still needs lots of assistance and a 3 month old I have found it is wonderful to have a folding potty seat in the diaper bag. That way I can put him on the potty and let him sit on his own without having to help him balance there while the baby dangles in the ring sling. Oh, the folding potty seat is from One Step Ahead, well worth the $12.

[Miranda]

I trained my son early so by 1.5 he was out of diapers just before my daughter was born. We live in a warm climate so as we arrive at our destination, say the mall, I open the cars front and back door and let him pee on the tire, nobody sees and it's just a little pee. I skip underwear as it makes thing much easier for boys. Same routine leaving destination. Very rarely have I used public washroom. Boys can stand on your feet for a boost to reach the toilet to pee, I have even put my son to stand on the seat to pee, it was already so gross.

I do have a small potty, wipes, TP, and garbage bag in my trunk for emergencies but never used it. My kids tend not to poop when out. I have changed them both in my trunk a few times, it's a hatch back. The toilet ring is invaluable, take it everywhere if you can. And start training from young, I started my daughter at 4 months and now at 1 yr she poops in the toilet and I rarely change a poopy diaper.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with my daughter as I don't think she can pee on a tire!

[kelly]

My 2 1/2 year old started potty training when my baby was 3 months old. I take the whole cart in with me if I'm at the store, even if it's full of unpaid for merchandise... no one has ever said anything to me.
I have a boy, so when we're in a public restroom, i just hold him up over the potty. I grab him under his arms and then i hold his legs between my knees and position him over the potty so he can pee into it without touching anything. Not sure what I'll do w/ my daughter when the time comes!
As for diaper changes... when my kids were little, up til about 5 months, i could change them on my lap. I also use the back of my van a lot- weather permitting. or changing rooms, which i feel are cleaner than bathrooms. I hate those changing tables, and try never to use them. I'd rather change my kids on the floor.
I keep a container of antibacterial wet wipes in my diaper bag- it comes in handy in all sorts of situations.

[sierra]

I have had some incidents involving baby 3 in a sling, baby2 crawling on the bathroom floor and toddler using the potty. Yuck!

I love me some antibacterial wipes.

We actually have a little diaper potty that lives in the minivan for emergencies/every day. Just stick a diaper in it, child uses the potty, fold up diaper and dispose.

Its super small and portable and lord knows we all have diapers on hand :-)

Oh - called the caboose diaper potty.

[Jen]

I too believe in keeping a potty in the van. In fact, when I was pregnant with number 3 and was stranded, I used that potty myself. I change diapers in the car whenever possible - it's so much less stressful when you can strap the other ones in their seats and then just focus on the diaper changing.