Wooo! It’s time to potty train your baby! Potty training can definitely test your patience but a comfortable potty will certainly make the job easier.
There are so many different potties on the market that choosing the best one can be a task in itself. That’s where this guide comes in. By the time you have finished reading you will be a potty gear expert. Pretty cool, huh?
If you choose not to jump to a particular section then keep reading from top to bottom. It’s all awesome information.
Low to the ground and easy for your toddler to use on his own. A potty chair is the starting point for any parent looking at potty training their child.
By far the least intimidating of the three potty options; a potty chair is essentially a small seat that sits on the ground with a recessed area to catch pee and poop. Because of the low height, your baby can sit down with his feet touching the ground.
When your baby has done his business, you will be required to empty the contents of the potty chair into the bin and wash it out in the sink.
Potty chairs are portable. The ability to take the potty chair from room to room will mean that it will always be nearby when your toddler gets the urge to go.
Advantages
Disadvantages
There are four different types of potty chairs. Lets take a look at each in greater detail.
The most basic of potty chairs is made from a single piece of molded plastic. While this potty chair will definitely get the job done, this style can be uncomfortable to sit on and bulky to clean.
The standard of modern potty chairs. As the name suggests, this potty chair is made up of two separate pieces:
When your baby is finished; simply remove the inner bucket and clean it before returning it to the potty seat. Cleaning a removable insert is much easier and quicker than trying to clean the whole potty seat in the sink.
A deluxe potty chair contains many different bells and whistles, including:
Deluxe potty chairs are a catch 22. The features can be incredibly useful in getting your child to use the potty. On the flipside, each added feature will add bulk to the potty and is also one more thing that will need cleaning when it gets coated in pee or poop (a very real possibility).
A multifuntion potty chair is designed to grow with your baby. Below are the different combinations of multifunction potty chairs:
Below is an example of a 3-in-1 potty chair, the Bravo 3-in-1 Potty.
I personally do not like combination baby gear. Rather than be great at a single task they are average at multiple. While it may seem cost effective to buy all buying an all-in-one solution; you will save yourself from stress if you buy them separately.
Another downside with combination potties is that they have more pieces to them. More pieces equals more cleaning. And more cleaning equals less quality time with your little one.
This section will focus on the features you will need to consider when purchasing a potty chair.
You may have noticed that the lip of the potty sticks up in the picture above. This lip is known as the splash guard and is designed to help with potty training young boys.
You see; your little boy will not immediately know how to position his dangly bits when sitting on a potty. That means that there will occasionally be instances of friendly fire ending up all over your floor.
The splashguard helps prevent pee from escaping the potty by bouncing it back into the bowl below, potentially saving you from cleaning pee from the floor.
You may not need a splash guard if you are potty training a girl. That said, some little girls have a tendency tilt their pelvis forward when peeing. This peeing position will quickly see your floor splattered if your potty chair does not have a splash guard.
The best way to keep your floor clean is by choosing a potty chair that is difficult to tip over. You don’t want your child to lean left or right (or even excitedly jump up to check her progress) and have the potty chair topple over; sending it’s contents all over the floor.
To check for stability, place the potty on the floor. Kneel down in front of it and put your hands to the left and right of the potty. Apply your weight and shift it from one hand to the other. After comparing a few you will quickly be able to find a potty that is much harder to tip than the others.
If you have tiles or a wooden floor then a rubber lined bottom is a needed feature. A rubber bottom will prevent your potty from slipping and sliding around your floor while your baby tried to climb aboard.
Close your eyes and Imagine you are a toddler. Now look at this potty chair.
This potty chair is so awesome that even I want to sit on it and I was potty trained a loooooong time ago.
While the design is not vital to the potty seats main function , it can play a major role during the potty training process. If your child is excited by the potty then he will be much more likely to use it when the time comes to do his business.
In this section I will show you some of the most popular potty chairs on the market as well as some of the more unusual options available.
Style: Grey, red, blue, white, pink, yellow or greenBrand: BabyBjorn
Simple, sturdy and despite being made from plastic; surprisingly comfy to sit on. The BabyBjorn potty chair is one of the most popular on the market.
The splash guard is the perfect height to prevent pee from escaping but not so high that your child will have problems climbing over it to sit on the potty itself. A handle on the front side of the splashguard will make removing the inner pot incredibly simple.
The plastic used is completely free from BPA, phthalates, lead and other nasty’s and the potty can even be recycled when your child outgrows it.
The BabyBjorn potty chair is incredibly suitable for those of you who have floor boards or tiles in your home. A non-skid base will prevent the potty from sliding around the room when your child tries to sit down or stand up.
Style: Pink, white, teal or raspberryBrand: Summer Infant
If you are watching your money during the potty training phase then the Lil’ Loo Potty is an inexpensive potty chair solution. In fact, you could buy three of these for the price of a single BabyBjorn potty chair.
This potty chair is almost the same as the BabyBjorn chair above at a much cheaper price point. Besides the design, there is only one major difference….
The non-skid bottom
If your floor is tiled or wooden then I strongly recommend choosing a potty chair with a non-skid base like the BabyBjorn model. Otherwise this potty chair is a fantastic alternative.
Style: As picturedBrand: Fisher-Price
While it may look like a regular potty chair, The Ducky Fun Potty can transform into a step stool and a potty seat. This means that you can continue to use the potty as a step-stool long after your child has completed the potty training phase.
The inner pot is removable. Once it is full from collecting your childs business; the pot can be removed for easy cleaning before being returned to the potty chair.
Music and sounds reward your toddler for successfully finishing his business on the potty. You will require 3 AA batteries if you want to use this feature. Unfortunately the batteries are not included in the box.
While it may look a little bulky for a potty chair, the lid folds down and the duck feet are removable for when you need to place it into storage.
Style: Numerous colors availableBrand: Little Colorado
Believe it or not, this is how potty chairs looked 40 years ago and yes, there is still a market for them.
You may be wondering who would want a potty chair that is made from wood. The larger size of a wooden potty chair makes it better suited for big toddlers or children with disabilities.
Little Colorado manufactures these wooden potty chair right here on the American soil. I like to stand behind products made in the USA as they generally come with a superior customer service. This potty doesn’t disappoint with a 5 year warranty.
The potty chair comes preassembled and ready to use. Numerous color options are available in a water-based finish.
And that rounds out the list of potty chairs. In the next section I will explore a different style of potty; the potty seat.
Is your child too tall for a potty chair but small enough to fall through the middle of your toilet seat. A potty seat will keep your toddler safe and comfortable while using the “adult” toilet.
A potty seat sits on top of your regular. The potty seat helps reduce the size of the regular toilet seat so that your baby will not fall through the large hole.
So if you hear any of the above words thrown around when speaking to parents; know that they are all talking about the same thing.
A benefit of a potty seat is that once your child has finished going to the toilet; you simply press the button and it all goes away. Unless there is some *ahem* friendly fire, you will not need to clean a potty seat.
While less cleaning is a huge upside, your child may be afraid to do his business at such a long way off the ground (which is fair enough, can you imagine pooping on a toilet that is twice your height?). If you can manage to get your child to take to a potty seat, you will also need to buy a kids step stool so that your baby can easily access it.
If your child is a taller than average height then a potty seat is your best solution. Regardless of height, your child can sit comfortably.
Advantages
Disadvantages
There are two different types of potty seats:
A regular ring shaped potty that sits on top of your toilet seat. The potty seat is not too bulky and can easily be removed when an adult needs to use the toilet.
If your child wants to use a regular potty seat unassisted, you will need to buy a separate step stool.
If a potty seat and step stool were to have a baby, the 2-in-1 potty seat would be the result. The step stool and potty seat are one single product, providing your child with a stable support as he climbs up onto the potty seat.
While 2-in-1 potty seats are easier for a toddler to climb; they are also much bulkier than a regular potty seat. The added size can cause difficulties when trying to remove the seat from the toilet. 2-in-1 potty seats also take up a lot more room ins torage.
There are three main ways that a potty seat can attach to your toilet. Lets take a look underneath some potty seats to see how they connect to your toilet seat.
With the exception of hinged potty seats you will have to remove the potty from your toilet after use. This brings me to my next point…
Imagine this; your bladder is full to the point of bursting. You race to the toilet only to discover this:
A potty seat is the only thing standing in the way of relief. The majority of potty seats will need to be removed before an adult can use the toilet seat.
A potty seat that is difficult to remove will quickly grow tiresome. Since potty seats are cheap, you may be better up buying a new one rather than becoming stressed each time you need to remove the potty.
Each time you remove the potty seat you are going to need to store it somewhere. Unfortunately, a potty seat can quickly become another piece of junk that clutters up your bathroom.
Some brands of potty seats come with a hook that allow you to hang the potty seat off the side of your toilet; helping to reduce bathroom clutter.
Just like on potty chairs, potty seats can come with or whithout a splash guard. That little hump at the front of the potty seat will provide added protection when potty training young boys.
Rather than have pee spray over the front of the seat, it will bounce back into the toilet below. It’s much easier to clean a splash guard than the toilet floor.
One word of caution if your child uses a stepping stool to climb unassisted onto the potty seat. The splash guard can be difficult to climb over.
A splash guard can also benefit potty training a girl. If your little girl has a tendency to tilt her pelvis forward while peeing then a splash guard will definitely save you some cleaning time.
There are two different types of seating experiences you can provide for your child. Both styles have their own pros and cons.
Plastic potty seats are made from a single piece of molded plastic. Plastic potty seats often have a sloped top to allow any spills to run off into the toilet below.
Plastic potty seats are incredibly easy to clean and dry quickly as well. While some parents believe plastic is too hard for their child’s bottom, children are generally only on the potty for a short time. Besides, they are going to have to get used to a hard plastic seat when they transition to the regular toilet.
A cushion potty seat provides a lovely soft seat for your child’s bottom. If your little one is noticeably uncomfortable when sitting on a plastic seat then a cushioned potty seat may be the solution.
The downside of cushioned potty seats is that they are more difficult to clean with urine pooling in between the pillow and the plastic. Most potty seat pillows can be removed from the plastic outer for washing but it still adds an extra step to the cleaning process.
Measure your toilet. Some toilet seats are elongated while others are round. While potty seats are designed to fit as many variations of toilet sets as possible; a single seat cannot possibly fit every single one. Measure twice. Buy once.
In this section I am going to examine some of the best potty seats on the market.
Style: Blue or GreenBrand: Arm & Hammer
The best potty seat on the market packs in a whole bunch of features at a price that wont break the bank.
The Secure Comfort Potty Seat has been designed with boys in mind. The splash guard prevents pee spray from finding it’s way over the top of the seat while a shield under the rim prevents spray from seeping out between the potty seat and the toilet seat.
The contoured plastic not only helps hold your child securely in place but also allows wayward pee to drain back into the toilet bowel.
It is worth mentioning that the reason this potty seat is so cheap is because Arm & Hammer make extra money selling the refillable deodorizing discs. While the deodorizing discs definitely help reduce the bad smells during potty training time, they are not necessary. The seat will continue to work amazingly without them.
Style: White (pictured), blue or pinkBrand: Dreambaby
While the majority of cushioned potty seats come in two pars, the Soft Touch Potty Seat is a single piece of foam. The one piece design makes it incredibly easy to clean as there is no gaps for pee or poop to hide.
The potty seat is incredibly easy to install and remove, you could even do it one handed! Because it is made out of foam, rather than plastic; the Soft Touch is incredibly lightweight.
The splash guard is high enough to prevent aiming errors when potty training a boy while allowing him to sit in cushioned comfort. Definitely the best cushioned pillow seat available.
Style: As picturedBrand: Mayfair
Easily the best hinged potty seat on the Market. If you share the same toilet as your potty training child then you will quickly fall in love with how simple this potty seat is to remove. Simply lift the flap and it’s out of your way for good.
The potty seat itself magnetically locks into the lid of the toilet seat. When your child needs to use the toilet, simply pull it down. Slow close hinges means that your child wont slam the lid when he is finished his business.
Be sure to check which style of toilet you have before rushing out and buying the potty seat only to discover it does not fit.
Style: As picturedBrand: Mommy’s Helper
The Contoured Cushie Step Up is one of the most popular 2-in-1 potty seats on the market. The attached step-stool is just the right height to allow your child to easily climb onto the toilet seat without your help.
The potty seat itself is padded, allowing your child to poop in comfort. The seat material is incredibly easy to wipe down in the event of any spills.
While it may look a little bulky, the seat does fold up when not in use, allowing you to regain some of your lost bathroom space.
That wraps up everything you need to know about potty seats. The next section will focus on potty’s that you can take with you when go on vacation.
When you are going on vacation you will want to pack light. If your child’s potty training stretches into your vacation then you will want a potty that is not only portable but also incredibly light. That’s where travel potties come in.
Travel potties can fold right down so that they don’t take up much room at all. Perfect for hiding away in your cars trunk or bottom of the diaper bag. Travel potty’s are not designed for long term use and are generally bought in addition to a potty seat or potty chair.
The main appeal of a travel potty is that it can be used away from home. In an effort to keep size down, you generally wont find all the fancy bells and whistles that you would on potty chairs or potty seats. Who wants to lug around a bulky potty anyway?
AdvantageS
Disadvantages
There are three different types of travel potties. Lets take a closer look at each one.
While potty seats that you use at home are bulky, the fold up potty seat is incredibly thin and can be reduced down to a quarter of its size.
Simply keep it in the diaper bag and when your child needs to go, it can easily be set up in any public rest room. Perfect for traveling to locations where a toilet is always nearby.
If you are going on a road trip then you cannot always guarantee the availability of a public restroom. When your child needs to go; he needs to go now!
Travel potty’s that use plastic bags can be set up absolutely anywhere, on the ground, on a chair, even in the back of your car! Simply loop a plastic bag through the potty and your child is free to do his business.
When your baby is done, simply tie the bag up and dispose of it in the trash can. Using plastic bags means that there will be no cleaning to worry about.
A 2-in-1 travel potty combines the previous two into a single unit. When you are in the middle of nowhere you can use plastic bags and when you are back in civilization it transforms into a potty seat.
Travel potties that rely on plastic bags to catch your toddlers business can be somewhat of a trap. Some travel potties only use one particular style of plastic bag (only sold by the travel potty manufacturer, of course).
If you run out of plastic bags mid vacation then you may be unable to purchase the same bags locally. Either stock up on disposable plastic bags or choose a travel potty that can take plastic bags of different sizes.
Portability is the name of the game. A bulky travel potty will cause more headaches than it’s worth. While you may get away with a larger travel potty on a road trip, if you are traveling on a plane, your storage space will be incredibly limited.
Potty seats that are used around the home only have to fit a single type of toilet. However, when you are travelling you do not know what style of toilet you will come across.
A potty that only fits one style of toilet can slip when used in another other. Choose a travel potty that will easily fit both shapes.
Style: Blue (pictured), red, pink and greenBrand: Kalenkom
The Potette Plus is hands down the best 2-in-1 travel potty available. Yes, it has a weird name but I’m willing to overlook that because of just how functional the thing is.
When you are near a public restroom, the Potette transforms into a potty seat. The unique design allows it to fit both round and the more modern elongated toilets. You don’t know what toilet you will come across when travelling and the ability to fit both shapes is a blessing.
When youa re not near a toilet the Potette can be used as a potty chair. Simply add a plastic bag and your child is good to go. The thick plastic legs will stay sturdy underneath your child’s weight.
Style: As picturedBrand: Primo
A fold up potty seat that is small enough to fit in most diaper bags. The folding Potty by primo can unfold at a moments notice and sits on all rounded toilets (Sorry elongated toilet users, this is not the travel potty for you).
Despite having hinges, they are specifically designed so they wont pinch the skin on your baby’s bottom.
A non-skid base holds the potty seat in place even while your toddler shifts his weight around. Two handles located at the front of the seat will help your little one stay steady while he does his business.
Featured Image Source: Pixabay
Im all Pottied out. I hope you enjoyed reading my super detailed guide on travel potties. See you next time and stay awesome!
- Jess
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