Which potty?

Ok, I'm not looking at toilet training DS quite yet, but I do know he is aware of weeing and pooing and he doesn't wet while he sleeps so I figured that perhaps I should start the familiarisation process with a potty, especially with Summer upon us - plenty of opportunity for playing outside naked!!

So..... what kind of potty should I get? I know this sounds like such a stupid question, but I was thinking that perhaps it was like highchairs - you know, you go and buy the expensive one with all the padding because it just looks so comfy but then you realise that the Ikea one is actually the most comfy for them? So do I get the plain simple moulded plastic one, or the fancy one that plays music when they wee with lots of bells and whistles that may or may not be interesting to the child, or go for the middle of the road one where it has the bowl that comes out for emptying waste but is still a more comfy looking model than the plastic moulded one? What are peoples pros and cons for the different potties out there?

I do know that some kids don't like the seat that goes on the big toilet because it probably feels so foreign to be perched on something so high up while trying to do a wee..... so I'm not looking at going down that road at least until toilet training is well established.

We bought DD the Fisher Price one with all the bells & whistles (paid $45) and OMG it was our biggest waste of money as she wouldn't have a bar of it ... so we took her to Target when they had a after Xmas sale on potty's (25%off) and DP & i made big deal of how she was going to pick her own potty to sit on (one that sits on the actual toilet seat ) and a stool too :D

Within 48hours she was sitting proudly on HER toilet seat & weeing ... and the rest is history :dance: ... Whoo hoo, BUT then we might have been a touch lucky too ;)

We got a padded seat that goes on the toilet. Charlotte loves it, and has no fear issues at all.

I just found it easier, as she was doing what mum and dad do.
And honestly I really don't like potties lol

You can get a TotsBots brand potty that is convertible to a toilet seat for later on, they are about $50, and spill proof.

We're looking at potties too, and asked ourselves the same thing. I think we were going to go for one that is like a seat now that converts to an 'over the toilet' seat... I was thinking just an over-the-toilet seat, as she doesn't have a problem with pooing on the toilet (when I catch her pooing and take her to the toilet to finish, she's nowhere near toilet trained ;)) she just seems a bit scared of falling in :lol:

So that probably didn't help as we're about as confused about it all as you!

I bought one of those stepstool/potty/toilet seat 3 in 1's (First Steps or something similar). It's great as a potty, very sturdy and you can just pull the bowl out to empty and rinse. It doesn't have any extra music etc. As a toilet seat without the bowl in it, the ring has quite a harsh edge, so I ended up buying a soft seat for toilet and we used in combination at first (potty in lounge), after about a week she just now uses only the toilet.

Oh, and we got the potty about a year ago for 'fun use', so I don't think it's a waste to have both.

What age SHOULD we look at toilet training and getting a potty?

Dd is 13mths and every time we got to my mums she sits on my nieces potty, just climbs right on it and sits for a while.
She ALWAYS follows me to the toilet and watches but how do i know when is the right time... obviously now is too young right?
Maybe i should buy a little plastic one for her to get used to?

Sorry in answer to YOUR question my niece has the little plastic all in one AND the fisher price talking potty and she ALWAYS goes to the plastic one.. she plays with the other like a toy...
DD also went straight to the little plastic one and sat on it!

each child like thier own style, with dd she had a seat with a tray with ds he had a plain plastic one but refused to use it so the daycare lady gave us hers it looked like a real toilet but with out sounds. Ds used a plain plastic one and josh will sue a plain plastic one unless i have issues.

Yeh i second LimeSlice suggestion there, ya gotta get a nice padded seat ... hey they need to be comfy too espesh when working on a poo ... (Hey that rhymes, har :lol:)

:rofl: Smiles!

I brought DD a swish bang potty that has three different stages for $45. Starts as a potty, then a seat over the toilet still with the bowl in it and then you take the bowl out. It was pretty colours and everything. I also brought a moulded plastic one for $6 to take with me when visiting.
Guess which one she loves and which one she won't have a bar of?!?!
That's right she'll only use the $6 one, GGRR!!! If your little one is old enough let them pick so they know that it's theirs you know personalised for them - get what I mean?