Potty Chair or Toilet?

Updated on February 06, 2008
H.N. asks from New York, NY
18 answers

I am starting to see good signs that my 16 month old is ready to potty train. But I want to think seriously about what will work best for her. Which is the best approach: potty chair (low to the ground) or toilet seat (overlay for adult toilet to fit their smaller size)? Also if you can suggest a make and model that you like, please feel free to share. -Thanks!

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So What Happened?

Wow! So many different experiences and ideas. I can't thank you all enough for sharing your insights. It sounds like I need to be prepared for either the potty chair or the toilet seat, plus a travel solution. I will definitely give her some more time to truly demonstrate her preparedness, but if she still asks to, "go like Mommy," I will have the equipment to start. Thanks Everyone.

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D.O.

answers from New York on

I bought a Mommy's Helper Padded Potty Seat with Step Stool. It has a little ladder (one step) so they can get on and off the potty themselves. I prefer it because I did not want to have to clean a potty chair. I bought it at Buy Buy Baby, here's the link: http://www.buybuybaby.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SK...;

Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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M.L.

answers from Syracuse on

My daughter is 2 years old and expressed interest in the potty a few months ago, then we made a move accross the county and she is no longer interested, but we have a nifty thing called the "flip and flush". It is a seat for the adult toilet that attaches to the seat and can be flipped up for adults or down for kids. It makes it easier for her to do it herself rather than need help to put the seat on for her. We also have a Bjorn potty chair that she sits on sometimes too. Mostly she uses that as a chair to sit on while one of the adults is using the toilet.

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J.D.

answers from Buffalo on

I only had boys, but this would work for girls as well. Turn her BACKWARDS on the toilet! Her legs are supported by the seat itself (they feel safe from falling in). This method eliminates extra baggage when shopping, traveling,or going to grandparents house. With my boys, they were taught to hold their "squirt gun" down and try to hit cheerios in the water. Hope this helps! My "boys" are now 25 and 20!

C.S.

answers from New York on

I bought a nifty train style potty chair for my train obsessed toddler. He didnt get the concept.
Mommy and daddy dont use the potty chair. So why should he? He couldnt figure out what to do with it. He wanted to mirror our behavior.
He preferred the sponge bob toilet seat that goes on the big potty. I picked it up at Wal-mart. Works great. And its lasted onto child number 2.
The train potty chair is now a step stool. :)

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T.M.

answers from New York on

I was very against the potty chair with my 1st daughter but it turned out to be better because it was much easier for her to do everything by herself (she is very independent). She was able to sit and get up on her own, whereas with the toilet seat I had to lift her onto it and help her get off.

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C.M.

answers from New York on

I definitely recommend the toilet. It's more realistic for them, b/c they are using the toilet the same way you do, and not pooing in a little box. Plus, clean up is much easier... do you really want to clean out a potty? And from what I've seen the kids who use the toilet train faster than the ones who use the potty. The covers can be cushioned or foldable, and are just as cute and desirable to most kids as the potty, and you have no transition period from potty to toilet.

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M.K.

answers from New York on

Potty Chair, that has a removable, seat cover, that can also be placed on a Toilet,

Keep and extra seat cover in the car for trips out of the house.

M

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T.B.

answers from New York on

I wouldn't get too excited. My daughter wanted the potty at 21 months and she did good for about 3 days and then she was in diapers till 3 years old. It is much easier to train if they are already trained at night. My daughter woke up dry every day and then I started full force during the day. It was a dream. I think she had on nighttime accident. I am waiting to see what will happen with my 19 month old. Anyway - I definitely wouldn't rush it - I know too many people who have and 16 months is really early.

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K.R.

answers from New York on

Honestly, it depends what your child prefers. We have both for my daughter. I thought she would have liked the insert best but she tends to use the little potty more often and by herself which is nice. Another thing I bought was a potty insert for the adult potty but it folds up so it's easy to travel with. That has worked out great too. Hope this helps.

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R.C.

answers from New York on

Hi H.. i also started my three children around this age. To me it makes sense to buy both - cheap ones, there is no sense in buying expensive toilet training devices. the cushy seat that sits on your toilet and a potty chair. See which one she gravitates towards, or will sit on the longest. Keep books she loves in the bathroom to read to her or let her look at them herself while sitting there. Take her in on a schedule. You can start by just introducing the potty to her and start gradually, but once you start you really should continue and patience, patience, paitence. good luck.

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J.R.

answers from New York on

My 19 month old seemed ready at 17 months so we bought him a little ptty chair and the top comes off and also fits on the toilet. He loves it and tells me he has to "poop". He sits on the one that is low to the ground and plays sometimes, just to get accustomed to it and the other night he wanted it on the toilet so we put it there and he actually peed! I can't imagine it happeneing too often at this time but they say to let them use it when they ask so they get used to it. Sometimes he sits on it, even with a diaper on, and there are many times he walks around the house wearing it as a hat!
Good luck.

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A.S.

answers from Rochester on

Try both. I personally liked the toilet since it's less work to clean. Other moms say if you use a potty, sometimes it's harder to transition from potty to "big" toilet...

My daughter uses the toilet most of the time, but once in a great while, she will use the potty...

If using a potty, baby bjorn with removable cup is good. I like the baby bjorn potty seat the best. :)

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J.P.

answers from New York on

When my daughter became interested in 'going potty', I set up a potty seat (her size) in each bathroom. I used a no pressure approach, and if she wanted to use the potty I'd take her into the bathroom, remove her diaper (this was before pull-ups!), and I'd let her take it from there. Most times, I'd use the grown-up potty at the same time so I wasn't hovering over her, waiting for her to go. Also, demonstration is a wonderful teaching device.

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A.R.

answers from New York on

potty training is personal to each individual i say, my 2 yr. old does both because we have a 2 floor house. a potty downstairs and when we are upstairs i put her on the toilet she likes the real toilet because it flushes and she see me using it. the potty has songs and praises but i think she thinks it's a toy, also she can get off of it way too easy when she doesn't want to sit. her potty is fisher price and it looks like a real one except well you know all the songs and cuteness. pray on it gurrrl good luck God is love

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W.O.

answers from New York on

Dear H.,
If you use the child seat overlay to the toilet, you can eliminate one step in the training process; the transition from the their personal child seat to the adult toilet. This type worked well for my daughter. In the beginning, I used to leave a few books by the toilet and read to her to help her relax and "go". It also made training fun for her. And the funny thing was that these stories were about Barbar the Elephant, so she ended up calling her acheivements "Big Baba" and "Little Baba". My daughter is now 24, but I used a style that resembled a step stool and folded up. It had 2 steps and handles attached to make her feel secure, and before long she could use it by herself.
The important thing, though, is to be in tune with your child. When my son came along, I was not having the same success, until I realized that he was afraid of this type of seat - or perhaps the flushing action. I switched to the tradition, low potty seat and had immediate success. Also he preferred to play with matchbox cars on a little table in front of his seat to reading books. Before long, he graduated to the other type of seat. The expressions "Big Baba" and "Little Baba" were used in our house until they became teenagers.
Good Luck and don't get discouraged. The most important advice in motherhood is the "use your imagination". W.

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M.N.

answers from New York on

Get both, and see which works best for your little one. If you do the toilet seat, make sure you get a sturdy step stool. I used both but started with the potty seat, I kept it in what ever room we were in and kept my son diaperless, and told him to keep sitting on the potty if he had to pee. We made a game out of sitting on the potty.. He went the first day on the potty once or twice, and he had a few accidents, but he was super proud when he went. I acted all crazy hopping around, and did a stupid little dance for him.. He giggled and wanted to go even more to see mommy act like a maniac.. Then we tryed the toilet, he was a bit nervous, and sat down but wasnt ready for that for a while, he would just sit there, and look at me, like what now. But he moved forward quickly and was trained within the month, even at bed time.. Hope this helps!
M.

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R.T.

answers from New York on

Potty Chair. It gives children a sense of independence.

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K.Y.

answers from New York on

Hi,
I think the best way is to put them right onto the toilet. This worked best for us. Here is the link to the adapter seat we used and still use. Also, I would suggest letting the child run around naked from the waist down for a while. This method truly worked for us. Good Luck!
http://www.safety1st.com/product/detail.asp?ID=114

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