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| |    Potty Seats, Pull-ups, Etc. by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. reviewed by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. Potty seats Children often prefer potty seats because they feel friendlier toward a small piece of furniture that is their own and that they can get onto by themselves. Potty seats are now available in a variety of shapes and sizes. Many can be used as stepping stools. Some are collapsible for easy storage, and some allow use as either a potty seat or a toilet seat ring. As a practical tip for parents of toddlers in the process of toilet training, keeping a potty seat in the trunk of your car can save you from the inevitable frantic search for a bathroom with a toddler who can't "hold it" when you're away from home. Toilet seat rings Some toddlers prefer to use the toilet. Toilet seat rings are available that can be placed on top of the seat to make it a more appropriate size for your child. To help your child become more independent, you can get a stepping stool as well. Urine guards Urine guards are an added feature of most potty seats and toilet rings designed to keep boys from spraying urine over the edge of the seat. Because it sticks up above the level of the seat, the urine guard can easily scrape a boy as he gets on or off, so you should consider either removing it or using caution to ensure that your son does not get hurt. The last thing you want is for him to associate the toilet with pain! Training pants, underwear, and pull-ups "Pull-ups" are essentially a form of diaper designed to be pulled up and down like underwear instead of closed with adhesive. Training pants are similar to underwear, but are made of thicker material and offer some increased absorbency compared to regular underwear. Some children master toilet training very quickly, while others take a bit longer. The question of pull-ups vs. underwear or training pants often depends on your child's age and skill level in getting her urine and BMs into the toilet. For older children, "pull-ups" may be recognized (for what they actually are) and rejected as simply a different type of diaper. For children who have frequent accidents or are young enough that they accept the "pull-up" as a form of underwear, they can save a lot of laundry. When your child can successfully control his BMs and bladder, put him in training pants or underwear that he can pull down by himself. This further step toward independence will lessen the chance of backsliding. But don't use pants before the child is generally succeeding. They won't do any good for a child who is not succeeding, and you will have wasted their reinforcing value. Other 'supplies' - books and videos There are many children's books and videos available today that deal with the process of toilet training. While neither is as important as your supportive and instructive role in the process, books are a great way to interact with your child and introduce your child to the concept of toilet training matter-of-factly. Videos designed to help your child understand and be familiar with the process are fine in reinforcing toilet training concepts, but should not take the place of simply watching and learning from you directly. Talk about:
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