Car seat accidents are no fun for anybody, but what can we do about it? What if they need a nap in the car?
To make sure you’re aware; puppy pads, cloth diapers, blankets, and even some aftermarket car seat products are not crash-tested for safety. This includes unfastened diapers. Fastened diapers over clothing is not helpful as far as learning, but in terms of safety, it is technically fine. You can make your own choices, but refrain from recommending them to others. Encouraging parents to see if their car seat manufacturer has a crash-tested product that securely attaches to their specific car seat is fine. Please avoid talking down to anyone who wasn't aware of the safety issue.
That being said, there are a few things to consider!
To prevent accidents, in those early days, leave right after a pee. If the child still seems to pee in the car seat right after they already went at home, they may not be fully releasing. It can be helpful to actually use the car potty before leaving, rather than the one inside. If you believe the child isn’t letting out all their pee, try warm water on the toes before leaving in the car to help them fully relax and release. I have done this with my own kiddos with a bowl of warm water in the trunk, blocking the wind with my coat. Hey, we do what we gotta do. Remember this is only for a short time as they’re learning!
For car naps with kiddos who are not night training, you can use a “nap pull-up.” If you’re on a long trip, wait until you notice the child in their mirror getting a bit drowsy, and then make a pit stop to put on the pull-up, tell them it is for when they fall asleep soon. Do the same when they wake up, but take them to the car potty first if they are used to a potty break upon wake up from nap. If they’re not, don’t push it. Give it 15 minutes or so.
Remind them what to call out if they need the potty. “If you feel the pee ready to come out soon, say, ‘ah! Pee!’ and I will say, ‘hold it!’ and we will stop soon to help you use it.” Edit this to fewer words for younger children.
Honor all pee calls, within reason. Even if it’s for practice. Leave with extra time. (I know, life is hectic, but give it a try!) The only time I say no is if they just went during a stop or we tried twice with no luck. Then I ask them to show me how they can hold it for a while. Sometimes they feel the pressure of a 5-Point harness seatbelt and think it’s pee pressure.
Have to leave to be on time for daycare in the morning? If your child peed in their night time diaper (if they’re using one), you don’t absolutely have to get a pee upon wake up. Many kids do better taking a potty break upon arrival to daycare. Experiment and see what results in the least resistance.
If your child needs to pee right away in the morning but resists, try sneaking a banana or applesauce into their room before you go to bed so they have a breakfast snack when they wake up. Most kids resist potty when they’re hungry. You can also entice them with a shallow basin of warm water and Pom poms and little cups to play with and dip their toes if you can tell they need to go but need some encouragement. Giving toilet options can also be helpful. Sometimes kids need a little extra coddling in the morning, and it’s okay! Don’t we all?
If your child is consistently having car seat accidents and you need to get back to regular life, it’s okay to use a car pull-up until they’re more consistent with potty training outside the car.
Some car seats have a removable portion that you can take off and wash easily without taking the whole seat apart, and they may have to ride home a tad damp, or try to dry up some with towels (bring plastic bags to place the towels and wet pants in afterwards) and use a pull up for the ride home so the child doesn’t have to feel it.
See this link for other awesome tips!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji4Kg-QwnC4
To book a consultation, head to https://ohcrapwithashley.com/book-online
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