Potty Training with Bjorn

Why Didn't Anybody Tell Me: Potty Training

January 24, 2008

Apparently it's time for my babe to start potty training. I feel like I did when I was first pregnant – totally lost. I wasn't sure if I should get the potty that sits on the ground or the kind that fits over the regular seat? Clearly there are drawbacks to both.

The former option means I go from changing dirty diapers to cleaning out a toilet. Not much of a step up, even if it's only a phase. The latter would require me to take the seat on and off every time she uses it because we are a one toilet family. That wouldn't be much fun either.

I went shopping and heeded to the store clerk's advice and purchased the $25 Baby Bjorn that sits on the ground. She said the other type is better once tots are a lil bigger and can sit on the adult toilet.

All of this potty talk makes me dizzy. I'll update you on my progress, but if you have any advice, please dish it in the comments section.

25 Comments

hvanness331 5 years 17 weeks

Here's what I did... and I totally recommend, because it was EASY! (for a boy that is, I started him at 2 1/2...)I did not buy a floor potty. I didn't want to clean it. Plain and simple. I bought a little seat from Target to fit over our regular toilet and a little stool. I took a 3-day summer weekend and put him in underwear as soon as he got up in the morning. He peed on himself quite a few times the first day and a half. He didn't like to be wet. He started to use the potty himself by the end of the second day. On long trips in the car the first few months, I would put him in a pull up. We said "diapers are for babies" together and threw the rest of the diapers away.

hvanness331 5 years 17 weeks

Here's what I did... and I totally recommend, because it was EASY! (for a boy that is, I started him at 2 1/2...) I did not buy a floor potty. I didn't want to clean it. Plain and simple. I bought a little seat from Target to fit over our regular toilet and a little stool. I took a 3-day summer weekend and put him in underwear as soon as he got up in the morning. He peed on himself quite a few times the first day and a half. He didn't like to be wet. He started to use the potty himself by the end of the second day. On long trips in the car the first few months, I would put him in a pull up. We said "diapers are for babies" together and threw the rest of the diapers away.

lickety split 5 years 17 weeks

i do not believe in potty training. sounds crazy i know, but my belief is that they will use the potty when they are good and ready. when my kids turned 2 i bought them underware (pretty, girly, fancy underware) and pull-ups and said "it's up to you!" one child thought the underware was fablous and never looked back. child #3 had ZERO interest in anything other than a diaper until the week she turned 3. by that time i had tried videos ("its potty time"), a potty for her doll, stickers, m & m's, various bribes, etc. and nothing worked. in the end she was just ready for the potty "i think no more diapers" and that was that.

meumitsuki 5 years 17 weeks

The splash guards on the Bjorn are molded in, so no worries about pinching.

meumitsuki 5 years 17 weeks

The splash guards on the Bjorn are molded in, so no worries about pinching.

LiLRuck44 5 years 17 weeks

Good Luck is all I can say. Just be prepared to do tons of laundry! I've heard the little splash guards can be bad for little boys, as far as getting their little business caught and hurt (ouch!). I haven't started potty training my son yet though (14 mos) so I don't really know. Skip the pullups, they're the same as diapers. My daughter would go accident-free for weeks and then have 5 in ONE DAY!

LiLRuck44 5 years 17 weeks

jennifer76 5 years 17 weeks

I use both as well. Like lms said, the floor version is really handy to keep in the car. Also, it's handy to have that really close to them wherever they are hanging out. The ones that sit on the toilet aren't hard to remove and replace. I just put one of those really big command adhesive hooks on the wall and hung the seat up when Little man was done using it. I find the easiest way to potty train is to let them run naked for a day or two. Sure, you have to do some clean up. But, it really helps them understand what's going on. With my son, we only really had two days of intensive potty training and then from then on it was just a matter of having some accidents here and there.

jennifer76 5 years 17 weeks

I use both as well. Like lms said, the floor version is really handy to keep in the car. Also, it's handy to have that really close to them wherever they are hanging out. The ones that sit on the toilet aren't hard to remove and replace. I just put one of those really big command adhesive hooks on the wall and hung the seat up when Little man was done using it.I find the easiest way to potty train is to let them run naked for a day or two. Sure, you have to do some clean up. But, it really helps them understand what's going on. With my son, we only really had two days of intensive potty training and then from then on it was just a matter of having some accidents here and there.

RobinFabulous 5 years 17 weeks

We have both. Actually the insert in one of ours comes out and fits onto the regular potty. Allie (2 1/2) is basically refusing to potty. Some days she'll only use the "big potty" some days it's just "my potty" My oldest was exteremly easy, my middle trained late due to his medical problems, but this one knows and basically refuses. So good luck! I hope yours goes easier than mine is going :-)

RobinFabulous 5 years 17 weeks

We have both. Actually the insert in one of ours comes out and fits onto the regular potty. Allie (2 1/2) is basically refusing to potty. Some days she'll only use the "big potty" some days it's just "my potty" My oldest was exteremly easy, my middle trained late due to his medical problems, but this one knows and basically refuses.So good luck! I hope yours goes easier than mine is going :-)

lms 5 years 17 weeks

I had both types and they both came in handy. I would suggest that even if you decide to train with the toilet seat one, that you still get the floor version. It will come in handy when you are in your car and your little one has an emergency. It also helps if you can't find a clean enough bathroom around for them to use. Just keep some plastic bags in it to make clean up easier.My floor one had a cover on it.

lms 5 years 17 weeks

Greggie 5 years 17 weeks

Also, don't expect night-training to happen at the same time. It can, but it's not at all uncommon for kids to have nighttime wetting for months or even years after being fully day-trained.

Kristinh1012 5 years 17 weeks

I am also just starting potty training with my 1 1/2 year old. I'm hoping she will be just as easy as my first was. I worked in the potty room in a day-care center for almost 5 years. So for a few tips you might want to think about 1. don't force it. It may scare them away. 2. expect accidents and don't make it seem like a huge deal. 3. create a points or rewards system. It can be anything from having a pack of stickers on hand and your child gets to pick one after going potty, to making a chart and getting a gift when a goal is reached. It makes it more fun and gives something to look forward to. 4. Don't be surprised if you have a hard time with getting your child to go #2 on the potty for a bit. This seems to be a more personal experience for them and they tend to be more afraid of it. You just kind of have to go with the flow.

Kristinh1012 5 years 17 weeks

I am also just starting potty training with my 1 1/2 year old. I'm hoping she will be just as easy as my first was. I worked in the potty room in a day-care center for almost 5 years. So for a few tips you might want to think about1. don't force it. It may scare them away. 2. expect accidents and don't make it seem like a huge deal. 3. create a points or rewards system. It can be anything from having a pack of stickers on hand and your child gets to pick one after going potty, to making a chart and getting a gift when a goal is reached. It makes it more fun and gives something to look forward to. 4. Don't be surprised if you have a hard time with getting your child to go #2 on the potty for a bit. This seems to be a more personal experience for them and they tend to be more afraid of it. You just kind of have to go with the flow.

erthed 5 years 17 weeks

The seat with the "cooshiness", while tempting, is SO GROSS! I had a girl and a boy training at the same time and the pee gets absorbed into the cracks, and eventually under the vinyl. At times it would squish itself out and was just disgusting. Maybe this doesn't happen to everyone, but it was all I needed to push me to find something else. Something better! I found it at onestepahead.com (a FABULOUS website). Here's a link to the seat/stool like the one I found and the kids loved it. The only thing is that mine was solid plastic so I didn't have to worry about urine absorbing into cracks. But it definitely fueled their independence and motivated them to use the potty because they could really do it all by themselves, so long as I was there to watch them. My 1 1/2 year old is using it now and really does love it. It gives her security because she can hold the handles and because her feet can actually rest on the step and not dangle in the air. http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=442794&parentCategoryId=85180&categoryId=117215&subCategoryId=86184

erthed 5 years 17 weeks

meumitsuki 5 years 17 weeks

I have that Bjorn one and its great for boys because it has a higher splash guard. I tried the seat in the potty, but you have to stay in the bathroom with them. WIth the stand alone, you can move it to any room and don't have to worry about them falling off. Plus having a little potty in the bedroom for them is easier for me than allowing my son freedom to wander to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

meumitsuki 5 years 17 weeks

I have that Bjorn one and its great for boys because it has a higher splash guard.I tried the seat in the potty, but you have to stay in the bathroom with them. WIth the stand alone, you can move it to any room and don't have to worry about them falling off.Plus having a little potty in the bedroom for them is easier for me than allowing my son freedom to wander to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

Greggie 5 years 17 weeks

Oh there are also ones you can get that attach like a regular toilet seat you just lift when you need it gone, rather than put it on and remove it each time. For a one-toilet family, they work really well and are much more convenient, in my opinion.

wingedkiare 5 years 17 weeks

It's about time for me to start potty training my oldest son, and I admit, I'm lost too. I've been debating what to do, and since we're a one bathroom family I think that I'll go this route as well.

Greggie 5 years 17 weeks

We have both kinds, and it's all dependent on the child as to which works better. The thing I REALLY liked about the floor one is that you can put it anywhere, rather than sitting in the bathroom for hours on end. My older child found it a much easier transition to be able to watch a tv program or something while we waited for pee. My second, well, he's a challenge. Medical issues and all that, we're still working on it.

Greggie 5 years 17 weeks

We have both kinds, and it's all dependent on the child as to which works better. The thing I REALLY liked about the floor one is that you can put it anywhere, rather than sitting in the bathroom for hours on end. My older child found it a much easier transition to be able to watch a tv program or something while we waited for pee.My second, well, he's a challenge. Medical issues and all that, we're still working on it.

bluesuze 5 years 17 weeks

I have that exact same baby Bjorn potty toilet but in white. It's great. My 3 year old used that at first, and then once he got the hang of it, then he went to the seat that sits on the big toilet. I'd recommend getting ones that have handles on the sides. I think I got ours at Target. Now he just learned to pee standing up, and his aim is not so good! I am forever cleaning the bathroom! :lol:

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25 Comments

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