Madison has decided that sitting on the "BIG" potty is more interesting than her "little" potty so I have been on a quest for an alternative to the potty seats that sit on top of the regular seat. I had no luck finding anything local so I went online. Since I needed one for home and one for Mamo's, I bought three types to try.
I bought them on Amazon.com so returning was easy. We ended up keeping two of them and sending one back. I thought I would write about my opinion of the pros and cons of each just in case anyone else is looking for some alternatives.
ONE AT OUR HOUSE (Amazon photos, this is NOT my toilet!)
The one we kept for our house is above. It is the elongated version of Xpress Trainer Pro All In One = $29.00. (Seller is Cool Bath Design) We had good communication with the seller as they emailed to confirm we wanted the elongated version. It comes in both standard and elongated. It was shipped quickly and arrived in perfect condition. From the top with it closed you can see it is a bit different than a regular seat. You open the small part of the lid which exposes the toddler seat. To use the adult seat you lift up the toddler seat or if closed you lift up both seats.
PROS: Madison fits well on it and can sit unassisted (once she is helped "on" with the use of a step). It has a self closing feature, you just start to close it and then it slowly closes on its own which I imagine will be good for not smashing fingers.
CONS: The adult seat is a bit narrow and not as comfy as our cushioned regular seat but it works. Rick doesn't like that he has to lift the lid, toddler seat and the adult seat to get ready and says it is hard to get used to when you 'really have to go'. He can go in the other bathroom. :-) The toddler seat doesn't hook or magnet into the lid so when you push it up, sometimes it touches your back when adults are sitting.
I think the pros out weigh the cons and Madison seems comfortable and willing to sit on it, which is most important right now.
ONE AT MAMO'S
The one my Mom decided to keep is called Family Seat by Trendy Kid, $30.00. I've read that some Targets have had it at some point but only online now. (at least in Modesto).
PROS: Madison likes it and fits well on it, similar to the one we kept. The toddler seat fits snug inside the lid and secures with a magnet. So when it is closed and you lift the lid the toddler seat goes with it so for a bathroom that is used primarily for adults, this is perfect. You don't hardly notice it at all. It is lightweight so smashing fingers is not a problem. The adult seat is wider and actually more comfortable than the one we kept.
CONS: The adult seat sits a bit over the bowl ledge which is not a problem, just an observation. The plastic is a bit thin and other online reviews have described it as cheap. While I see this more of a pro because of no smashed fingers some might find it as having a 'cheap' feel when compared to a traditional seat.
ONE WE SENT BACK
This is the Family Seat Antique Pine (pressed wood) by Trendy Kid, $40 I also found this seat at One Step Ahead, which is where I originally got the idea to search for "family seats".
PROS: It is pretty with the wood grain especially if you are using it in a bathroom where decor is important. The hardware was pretty also. I liked the idea of the lid fastened into the lid which would be good for the bathrooms that only occasionally are used by toddlers.
CONS: This seat was extremely HEAVY. The first thing I thought of was smashed fingers. I didn't like the fact the the toddler seat sat on top of the adult seat and left a ledge. While I didn't put it on the toilet (so I could send it back) I did imagine that if Madison sat on it long, her little legs would go to sleep because they would hang over in two places. The fastener was plastic and with such a heavy seat, I imagined that it wouldn't last long. The toddler seat isn't shaped as toddler friendly as the other two versions. It was the most expensive. The main problem with this seat was that it arrived damaged with a ding in the side.
I guess that's it.....Happy Potty Training! I have a four day weekend this month and I am going to try the "go naked or without diaper/panties all weekend and see what happens" method (Let me clarify, MADISON will try it) Wish me luck!
3 comments:
The title of your post sure intrigued me. The reviews are quite interesting. I never had anything like this with my oldest for potty training. I used a potty chair and then a little seat that you have to remove every time. I don't recall her using it for long, since she figured out how to keep herself from falling into the toilet. But she was 2 1/2 when potty trained.
What do you do for travel? I've heard about a foldable potty seat for public restrooms. I never found one. but the idea is ingenious. No one wants their child's hands on a public toilet seat.
For travel I use a "potette" (www.potette.com). It folds under and compact and then has little absorbant bags that you use with it, you can use any type of bag though. We use it in the car (I have a place in the back that works well). The legs fold out and flat so you can use it as a potty seat on top of the toilet too. It is pretty low to the ground, but works in a pinch. I saw a foldable flat one that fits on top of the seat that might work but it would touch the seat too.
It's hard to know, our parents didn't have such inventions and we seemed to get trained without them!
She is making progress but it is slow, no worries or pressure, we just keep trying.
I give you a "commode"ations for this blog. Heh!
Note: new blog address!
www.almostthirtyflirtyandthriving.blogspot.com/
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