How to pee in the woods

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t imagine trying to squat and pee in a bathtub!

She can practice a couple of squats at home fully clothed. First is wide stance, hips low to the ground, lower than knees. It may be a more comfortable position for squatting but the risk is because you’re lower to the ground there can be more splash is the stream is strong. Your pants are sort of above the stream this way though so not as likely to pee in your underwear, but you still kind of have to hold it up. Second is more of a chair position, with hips kind of back behind the knees, but you still want a kind of wide stance. I prefer this position because usually there’s less splash, but keeping pants and underwear out of the way can be trickier. Note, clothes should never drop to the ground when peeing in the woods. Gotta keep them up. Honestly she can practice this just hovering over the toilet at home instead of sitting on the seat.

I think a great way to learn that second stance in the wild is to face a tree and hold onto the trunk with one hand, and hold your pants at your knees with the other hand. The tree helps with balance, which is key, and also can provide a little privacy, which I imagine is also an issue.

Another option, if there’s a fallen tree log of just the right size, is to squat over the log - feet one one side and hips on the other. This virtually eliminates the risk of splash and is most like sitting on a toilet, but the perfect log isn't always there when you need it.

Another general tip, if on a slope, always make sure you’re facing downhill.

If she’s not packing TP in and out I suggest she get used to shaking a little and going without wiping. For my daughter the biggest issue is feeling wet after she goes. We pack TP for her for this reason.

Interesting. I have never attempted this without removing one leg from pants/underwear. Can you go into more detail how you don’t pee on your clothes?

Not PP (lol) but I just pull down my pants and underwear around my calves and go into a low squat with one hand holding a tree in front of me and the other pushing the pants and underpants forwards (towards the tree). I put my hips back and the pee goes away from the pants. I disagree with PP about which way to face, though. I face uphill so the pee runs downhill behind me and doesn't hit my shoes or anything. Hanging onto the tree is really helpful for getting into the right position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This would not be the camp for me. Being on my period in the woods with no toilet sounds like hell.

Op?!?!? If she gets her period the days of this camp and doesn’t want to go cancel it and go to a spa and get your nails done. Also animals can smell blood. Dogs can tell right away when you have a period so other animals can as well. Maybe period underwear can reduce trash/smells/leaks

I camp while having my period, it's fine. She's presumably not the only camper of that age, it's definitely happened at camp before.

Period underwear is a good idea but if her period starts while on this (one night!) event, a pad will be easier than changing clothes during an activity. I'd also carry wet wipes for cleaning up after any bathroom function.

BTW, I don't love peeing in the woods but it's not that hard. Wide stance, face dowhill, reach behind to grab the crotch of your unfastened pants to pull it back out of danger. She should practice at home. They do make hiking pants that unzip at the crotch but I think that's overkill.

[Anonymous]

This forum is getting so f’ing weird

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seriously? You need to crowdsource this? How do some people get by in the world?

Right?!

For tens of thousands of years through the course of human history, this wasn't even given a second thought and now we have a multi-page long thread on the iinterwebz about it.

The mind boggles. We're doomed for sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can’t imagine trying to squat and pee in a bathtub!

She can practice a couple of squats at home fully clothed. First is wide stance, hips low to the ground, lower than knees. It may be a more comfortable position for squatting but the risk is because you’re lower to the ground there can be more splash is the stream is strong. Your pants are sort of above the stream this way though so not as likely to pee in your underwear, but you still kind of have to hold it up. Second is more of a chair position, with hips kind of back behind the knees, but you still want a kind of wide stance. I prefer this position because usually there’s less splash, but keeping pants and underwear out of the way can be trickier. Note, clothes should never drop to the ground when peeing in the woods. Gotta keep them up. Honestly she can practice this just hovering over the toilet at home instead of sitting on the seat.

I think a great way to learn that second stance in the wild is to face a tree and hold onto the trunk with one hand, and hold your pants at your knees with the other hand. The tree helps with balance, which is key, and also can provide a little privacy, which I imagine is also an issue.

Another option, if there’s a fallen tree log of just the right size, is to squat over the log - feet one one side and hips on the other. This virtually eliminates the risk of splash and is most like sitting on a toilet, but the perfect log isn't always there when you need it.

Another general tip, if on a slope, always make sure you’re facing downhill.

If she’s not packing TP in and out I suggest she get used to shaking a little and going without wiping. For my daughter the biggest issue is feeling wet after she goes. We pack TP for her for this reason.

This is good advice. She can also lean her back against a tree, like she was doing a squat against a wall. If the lack of toilet paper is an issue for her she could also wear a pad for one night so her underwear wouldn't be wet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seriously? You need to crowdsource this? How do some people get by in the world?

Right?!

For tens of thousands of years through the course of human history, this wasn't even given a second thought and now we have a multi-page long thread on the iinterwebz about it.

The mind boggles. We're doomed for sure.

Untrue. Sanitation is a learned skill. Your parents taught you to use a flush toilet, to clean yourself, to manage your period if you have one,
to follow rituals and etiquette (wash hands, wrap used pads, etc) around cleanliness and privacy for those functions.
OP is trying to teach her kid. There's nothing more normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This would not be the camp for me. Being on my period in the woods with no toilet sounds like hell.

Same. I hate the woods, the outdoors, camping, all of it. I would hitchhike my way towards being murdered before spending the night in the woods.

[Anonymous]

I just went to a one night Girl Scout camp, starting storming at night and wasn’t safe to go to go to nasty portapotty. The nine year old girls figured out popping a squat outside the cabin quite easily. I just reminded them to hold their pants and underwear out so they don’t get splashed. There really isn’t much more to it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This would not be the camp for me. Being on my period in the woods with no toilet sounds like hell.

Op?!?!? If she gets her period the days of this camp and doesn’t want to go cancel it and go to a spa and get your nails done. Also animals can smell blood. Dogs can tell right away when you have a period so other animals can as well. Maybe period underwear can reduce trash/smells/leaks

Yet amazingly women survived for generations without being attacked by wild animals every month. Not to mention other primates.

[Anonymous]

Pee funnel. Pack it in a waterproof baggy with wet wipes. Separate baggy for used wipes. Put all baggies in a larger carry bag for discretion.

Camping with period is miserable and messy, but doable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seriously? You need to crowdsource this? How do some people get by in the world?

Right?!

For tens of thousands of years through the course of human history, this wasn't even given a second thought and now we have a multi-page long thread on the iinterwebz about it.

The mind boggles. We're doomed for sure.

I am the PP who suggested training with the bathtub. I come from a country where you can still encounter squatting toilets in public places like train stations and department stores - they have running water and all, but are considered more hygienic because only your feet are touching the ground. So, for us learning to use one was a life skill, and it may come useful when you travel.

[Anonymous]

I'm a long-time camper and backpacker. Here's how I do.

To pee in the woods.

1. Find a spot. Ideal spot is a gentle slope with a small tree and no thorny bushes. Double-check for thorny bushes at ankle height.
2. Stand with your butt facing down the slope and the tree in front of you.
3. Get in a deep squat with your feet wide apart. Tuck your pants into the crook of your knees. Hang on to the tree.
4. Pee. Jiggle.

For a period, all of the above, but bring a bottle of water, fresh supplies, tissues and/or wipes, and a ziploc baggie for trash. Pads or tampons?

Tampons are easier -- remove, wrap, put in trash, replace, rinse hands with water.

If she's using pads, I recommend a squirt bottle for clean up - she can rinse -- plus wipes to dry up.

Send here with a cute opaque makeup bag for the supplies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This forum is getting so f’ing weird

I'm by far a prude, but between this question and the number of posts asking what our teens sleep in, it is getting weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This would not be the camp for me. Being on my period in the woods with no toilet sounds like hell.

Right? How miserable. Impressed that this girl wants to go back!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t imagine trying to squat and pee in a bathtub!

She can practice a couple of squats at home fully clothed. First is wide stance, hips low to the ground, lower than knees. It may be a more comfortable position for squatting but the risk is because you’re lower to the ground there can be more splash is the stream is strong. Your pants are sort of above the stream this way though so not as likely to pee in your underwear, but you still kind of have to hold it up. Second is more of a chair position, with hips kind of back behind the knees, but you still want a kind of wide stance. I prefer this position because usually there’s less splash, but keeping pants and underwear out of the way can be trickier. Note, clothes should never drop to the ground when peeing in the woods. Gotta keep them up. Honestly she can practice this just hovering over the toilet at home instead of sitting on the seat.

I think a great way to learn that second stance in the wild is to face a tree and hold onto the trunk with one hand, and hold your pants at your knees with the other hand. The tree helps with balance, which is key, and also can provide a little privacy, which I imagine is also an issue.

Another option, if there’s a fallen tree log of just the right size, is to squat over the log - feet one one side and hips on the other. This virtually eliminates the risk of splash and is most like sitting on a toilet, but the perfect log isn't always there when you need it.



Another general tip, if on a slope, always make sure you’re facing downhill.

If she’s not packing TP in and out I suggest she get used to shaking a little and going without wiping. For my daughter the biggest issue is feeling wet after she goes. We pack TP for her for this reason.

Interesting. I have never attempted this without removing one leg from pants/underwear. Can you go into more detail how you don’t pee on your clothes?

Not PP (lol) but I just pull down my pants and underwear around my calves and go into a low squat with one hand holding a tree in front of me and the other pushing the pants and underpants forwards (towards the tree). I put my hips back and the pee goes away from the pants. I disagree with PP about which way to face, though. I face uphill so the pee runs downhill behind me and doesn't hit my shoes or anything. Hanging onto the tree is really helpful for getting into the right position.

This is a good description. Adding that this is a useful skill in college that I employed a few times while drunk and unable to get to a restroom.