More than 6 weeks have passed since Abby became potty trained. We have had only one accident in the bathroom when she got too wrapped up playing with us before using the potty early one morning. Otherwise, she has been consistently dry at daycare and at night. So, all in all, I would say we couldn't have asked for a better potty training experience.

As nice as it has been to have a break from changing diapers, I must say there are far more inconveniences with having a potty trained vs a diapered toddler and I am glad that we waited until she was older (2 years 6 months) to deal with them.

My BIGGEST issue is with the use of public toilets with my daughter. First of all, they scare her, so she doesn't REALLY want to use them if she can help it, which can result in an uncomfortable and stressful drive home sometimes. On the other hand, she is FASCINATED by them, so will say she needs to use the potty everywhere we go. We can't NOT take her. However, she'll get in the bathroom, look around, sit on the toilet, touch everything, then say, "I don't need to go!" Being in my last trimester of pregnancy, the constant picking up and putting down from the toilet and for hand-washing (on which we insist even if she doesn't go) can turn me into a bear!

For on-the-go emergencies, we considered bringing our Baby Bjorn Potty Chair everywhere we went. (After all, we do have a mini-van now!) This Potty Chair has been great at home and is the perfect size for my daughter. Nowadays, though, she prefers to use the regular toilet with no inserts or adapters. However, waste disposal would have been a big issue with the Potty Chair, so we invested in the Kalencom 2-in-1 Potette Plus in pink/purple, which Abby really loves, but which we haven't had the need to use. What's great about the Potette Plus is that the tiny package is thrown in the back of the van and can be pulled out at any given moment, anywhere, or it can be taken with us to any public restroom and used as a seat cover. There is a bag with absorbent liner that is attached to the seat so that waste can be easily taken care of when convenient.

However, since the seat comes in its own carrying pouch, it's not discrete or easy to haul, unless you're also toting a large beach bag or stroller and can toss it into the basket below. At first, I wanted a foldable seat that can fit easily into my regular purse. We purchased the Especially for Kids Potty Adapter from Babies R Us based on a store worker's recommendation, but quite frankly I haven't gotten it to work very well. True, the rubber hinges make it so that there's no fear of bottom pinching and is more comfortable for the kid, but since they are stored folded up most of the time, they tend to warp when placed on the toilet and will fall off easily. (Perhaps if I took a minute to massage the rubber hinges flat we can fix this problem, though.) The Potty Adapter has a nice handle for the kid to hold onto, which is extremely nice since she would otherwise be propping herself up by touching the main seat!

The most advertised foldable seat is the Ginsey Folding Travel Potty Seat like the Sesame Street characters version shown at the link. I do believe they will stay on better, but also knowing how unsteady they will be on the toilet seats, there is no doubt you'll have a few bottom pinching episodes, so I'm avoiding them.

For ultimate portability and to get away from the foldable seats, I think I'm going to try these Public Potty Protectors next. I love the size and the fact that they have a sticky strip to help them stay put. Like I said, the kid resists holding my hands and will have her hands all over the toilet seat, so the fact that these have excellent coverage is very appealing. I only wonder if they're flushable - not that that would be a deal-breaker.

So, the toddler/public restrooms combination is a major pain in the bottom for me - no pun intended. That is just one of the many things to worry about after your child is potty trained, though. For example, how do you get them to use the potty before heading out on an errand when they don't absolutely need to go? A problem with newly trained toddlers. Or, the extra changes of clothes (we're talking not just underwear and pants, but socks, shoes, shirts, and even a change of clothes for the parents!) in case of accidents. Or, finding the right step stools (impossible, by the way!) that will allow them to reach toilets and sinks without skidding. Or, to buy or not to buy flushable wipes for the heavy-duty wiping needs? Just to name a few....

The answer to flushable wipes is yes, do it! They clean so quickly and effectively and are gentle on delicate kid bottoms. We've tried a few brands and as far as I can tell they're all about the same and none have clogged our easily cloggable toilets, so choose whichever flushable wipe is the most economical and readily available.

One last thing to note about the public restrooms....I HATE those automatic flushers! I completely understand the hygienic reasons for them, but they scare the bejeezes out of me sometimes, so imagine what they do to a toddler! The best advice was found online where parents carried around post-it notes to cover the sensors. They work! Don't leave home without those yellow stickies!!!

Ok, enough potty talk!