day potty trained - what to do for car trip?

[Anonymous]

We have an "awake" potty trained almost-3 year old who only wears diapers for nap and night. We are taking a long car trip in a few weeks and we plan to time it so that he naps in the car. But I don't know what to do about the underwear/diaper. We have resisted using diapers except when he's in bed but I worry if he falls asleep in the car he might pee without realizing it/awakening. So do we use a diaper in the car? Will this set the potty training back? What do people do in these situations if you've day trained but still use diapers for sleeping?

[Anonymous]

We had a similar situation with our day trained 3 year old. She fell asleep in the car and we just let her sleep for about 2 hours because she hadn't slept well the night before. Anyway, she didn't pee in her sleep which was surprising, but I heard you don't actually pee when you sleep, it happens right when you wake up.

Anyway, I don't see the harm in putting him in a diaper for the drive just one time. Especially if you are planning it during nap time. I would just be sure to change him out of the diaper as soon as he wakes so he associates it with napping and not the drive.

[Anonymous]

When mine was at this stage, I put him in his underwear but put a pullup (or diaper) over the underwear and then put his pants on. My explanation was that he absolutely was potty trained, but I was afraid that maybe I wouldn't be able to get off the highway and run him to a bathroom in time. Or we could be stuck in traffic. I made it all my fault, if you will, so that he didn't feel like it was an option he could control or ask for in the future!

While I was concerned about traffic and those three second warnings that the kid was about to explode, I was really more concerned with having a soaken wet carseat as we drove to Ohio!

[Anonymous]

We used a pull up in the car for road trips (that's what DS naps and sleeps in). It didn't set us back at all. He still wanted to go in the potty when we stopped. We also put a waterproof pad made for car seats (can't recall the brand) under him in case he had an accident. I think you will be fine putting a diaper on her during the car ride.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We used a pull up in the car for road trips (that's what DS naps and sleeps in). It didn't set us back at all. He still wanted to go in the potty when we stopped. We also put a waterproof pad made for car seats (can't recall the brand) under him in case he had an accident. I think you will be fine putting a diaper on her during the car ride.

Did this with our DD both in the car and on plane rides. She didn't tell us she had to go until it was a RIGHT NOW scenario, so we wouldn't have the luxury of time to find the next exit or wait until takeoff was complete. She was fine with a pullup, understanding it was simply to help all of us as a backup measure. Didn't set potty training back a bit.

[Anonymous]

Plan on stopping every two hours or so. That's what we did. It also helped with breaking up the long trips

[Anonymous]

We bought a travel potty for the car. It has been a lifesaver. It has disposable bags. Instead of pulling over at a gas station or fast food place, we had our toddlers go in the car. We put the potty on the floor of back seat and pulled up passenger seat so it would fit.
http://www.amazon.com/Kalencom-2-in-1-Potette-Plus-Blue/dp/B0016L0MMS/ref=pd_bxgy_75_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=17H3W61ET8FTNN83CNQN

[Anonymous]

Bring a travel potty. Some kids are OK with pull-ups just in case but others get confused or just use the pull up instead of going potty.

Beware the crazy moms who will pop up soon saying they use pull ups so they can avoid making stops along the way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We used a pull up in the car for road trips (that's what DS naps and sleeps in). It didn't set us back at all. He still wanted to go in the potty when we stopped. We also put a waterproof pad made for car seats (can't recall the brand) under him in case he had an accident. I think you will be fine putting a diaper on her during the car ride.

Did this with our DD both in the car and on plane rides. She didn't tell us she had to go until it was a RIGHT NOW scenario, so we wouldn't have the luxury of time to find the next exit or wait until takeoff was complete. She was fine with a pullup, understanding it was simply to help all of us as a backup measure. Didn't set potty training back a bit.

That's why you need to be proactive in using the potty before take off, etc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We used a pull up in the car for road trips (that's what DS naps and sleeps in). It didn't set us back at all. He still wanted to go in the potty when we stopped. We also put a waterproof pad made for car seats (can't recall the brand) under him in case he had an accident. I think you will be fine putting a diaper on her during the car ride.

Did this with our DD both in the car and on plane rides. She didn't tell us she had to go until it was a RIGHT NOW scenario, so we wouldn't have the luxury of time to find the next exit or wait until takeoff was complete. She was fine with a pullup, understanding it was simply to help all of us as a backup measure. Didn't set potty training back a bit.

That's why you need to be proactive in using the potty before take off, etc

And to this day we are, but if she decides she HAS to go and we're taxiing, there's nothing that can be done. It has happened, even when we've gone in the airplane bathroom right before taking our seats. With a child that little, I found a pull-up to be a great insurance policy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Plan on stopping every two hours or so. That's what we did. It also helped with breaking up the long trips

+1 this is what we did too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When mine was at this stage, I put him in his underwear but put a pullup (or diaper) over the underwear and then put his pants on. My explanation was that he absolutely was potty trained, but I was afraid that maybe I wouldn't be able to get off the highway and run him to a bathroom in time. Or we could be stuck in traffic. I made it all my fault, if you will, so that he didn't feel like it was an option he could control or ask for in the future!

While I was concerned about traffic and those three second warnings that the kid was about to explode, I was really more concerned with having a soaken wet carseat as we drove to Ohio!

This is what we did for 3 girls... they liked the feel of real underwear, so they got what they wanted and we didn't have to worry about a soaked carseat. We also stopped freqquently and limited drinks during the trip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When mine was at this stage, I put him in his underwear but put a pullup (or diaper) over the underwear and then put his pants on. My explanation was that he absolutely was potty trained, but I was afraid that maybe I wouldn't be able to get off the highway and run him to a bathroom in time. Or we could be stuck in traffic. I made it all my fault, if you will, so that he didn't feel like it was an option he could control or ask for in the future!

While I was concerned about traffic and those three second warnings that the kid was about to explode, I was really more concerned with having a soaken wet carseat as we drove to Ohio!

This is what we did for 3 girls... they liked the feel of real underwear, so they got what they wanted and we didn't have to worry about a soaked carseat. We also stopped freqquently and limited drinks during the trip.

[Anonymous]

If you use the pull up, put it over their regular underwear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We used a pull up in the car for road trips (that's what DS naps and sleeps in). It didn't set us back at all. He still wanted to go in the potty when we stopped. We also put a waterproof pad made for car seats (can't recall the brand) under him in case he had an accident. I think you will be fine putting a diaper on her during the car ride.

Did this with our DD both in the car and on plane rides. She didn't tell us she had to go until it was a RIGHT NOW scenario, so we wouldn't have the luxury of time to find the next exit or wait until takeoff was complete. She was fine with a pullup, understanding it was simply to help all of us as a backup measure. Didn't set potty training back a bit.

That's why you need to be proactive in using the potty before take off, etc

NP here--seems like PP had a solution that worked for their family, seeing that it didn't set potty training back a bit.