On The Go Chicago

I recently embarked on the bumpy, sometimes soggy, adventure called potty training.  Since this is my first time attempting to teach another human being this life skill, I am by no means planning on providing you with any advice on how to best accomplish this task.  Instead, I thought I would highlight a few of the products I’ve found, through word of mouth and research, that are designed to make potty training a bit easier on the go.

Please note that these products can be found at a number of different Chicago retailers, but I included where I purchased mine and the price below so that you would have an idea of their costs.

Toilet Seat Covers - Since my daughter could walk into a bathroom with me, I have been, frantically, trying to keep her from touching ANYTHING.  Now that I am teaching her how to use public toilets, the task has become a bit more daunting.  Here are two products that I’ve found with the dual purpose of keeping your little one’s hands off the toilet and keeping them from falling in…ewww! Two of my girlfriends recommended the Primo Travel Potty Seat.  It fully covers the public toilet seat and has convenient handles for them to hold on.  It is VERY compact.  The only down-side is that it does not come in a bag.  You can use either a Ziploc or a Nappy Sack (see below).  I bought mine at Giggle on Halstead for $12.  If the idea of a disposable seat cover is more to your liking, I found the Neat Solutions Potty Toppers at Babies R Us for $5.99.  They drape over the side of the potty, so your kids can hold on without touching the toilet.

Portable Potty – My hubby and I go on a lot of long car rides and driving vacations with our girls.  Given the urgency my two-year-old has in her voice when she says, “Mommy, I need to go potty”, I do not want to take any chances with waiting to find a public bathroom.  I also thought that it would come in handy to have a portable potty at the park.  The two parks closest to me do not have bathrooms. There are a number of options on the market that range from plastic to cardboard models.  I bought the On The Go Potty by Kalencorn at Babies R Us.  For $14.99, it was affordable, compact and sturdy.  It even comes with its own carrying case.

Flushable Wipes - Is it just me or are tushies harder to wipe standing up?  Regardless of how you’re doing the wiping, you want to make sure you are using flushable wipes if you are putting them in a toilet.  My daughter’s skin is very sensitive, so we like the chlorine-free wipes by Earth’s Best.  They are $7.98 for 50.  If your little one is not as “sensitive”, many of the flushable wipes on the market (Charmin, Kaboodle, etc.) come in on-the-go packaging.

Extra Clothes & Bag – Unfortunately, along with potty training comes a few accidents.  When I first had Grace, I always had a spare set of clothes in my diaper bag.  Now that we are potty training I, again, have a spare set in my diaper bag and another set in the car.  In addition, I keep a waterproof bag in my diaper bag.  The owner of Giggle turned me on to the Mio Nappy Bag.  One of my resolutions has been to use fewer Ziplocs.  The Nappy Bag is a great, green, alternative for only $12.  I keep my portable seat and wipes in it and it is perfect to put wet clothes in if we do have an accident.  You can also use it for wet bathing suits.  It has two inner pockets, a leak-proof zip closure and a convenient carrying strap. This picture shows it stuffed full.  It is no bigger or bulkier than a gallon size Ziploc.

Finding a Bathroom – I recently found a great website and iPhone app for finding the closest clean public restroom, www.sitorsquat.com. Now that Spring is here (or at least coming) we will be spending more time at parks.  The Chicago Park District does not have a list of parks with bathrooms, but most of the parks with classes have public restrooms open during the day.

I am always looking for great “on the go” products.  Let me know what your favorites are.