When it comes to , many parents are stumped by whether they should use a potty chair or a toilet insert. Because each has its pros and cons, there is no right answer. It all boils down to what the is most comfortable with when choosing a .

is an exciting time –especially for parents who are so over the diaper/pullup hassle and financial burden. For some toddlers, it can be a bit intimidating to no longer have the ability to relieve themselves whenever they want by using a diaper. For others though, the discomfort of being in a soiled diaper is enough to spark their  This is the time to determine which method is best for learning to use the toilet.

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Here is how to choose whether a toilet insert or potty chair is best for your toddler.

A toilet insert is placed into the toilet to make the seat a smaller size for smaller bodies. This helps to ensure that toddlers do not fall into the toilet when they are using it.

It also ensures that they are completely focused on the task at hand versus worrying about balancing themselves on the toilet in a position so that they do not fall in while using it.

A potty chair looks like a miniature toilet. The one main difference is that it cannot flush the contents in it once it is used.

It is sized appropriately so that a toddler can sit on it without falling in. The potty chair can also be placed in whichever location suits the toddler and family best when it comes to learning to use the potty.

If choosing to use the toilet insert, here are the pros and cons of that decision.

•For toddlers, starting immediately on the toilet with an insert means that there is no transition from one mode of learning to another. They know what the feeling of using the toilet is right off the bat and that becomes comfortable to them.

•Parents like the option of the toilet insert because there is less mess. Unless the toddler has an accident and does not make it into the toilet completely, once the little one has used the toilet, wiped, and gotten off, there is nothing left to do but flush.

•When out and about, it is very easy to take the toilet insert from home along for use in public restrooms. There are even ones that are made to be portable that fold up for easy transit.

•Toddlers will need help getting onto the toilet when a toilet insert is used. This may be a parent physically putting them on and taking them off of the toilet when they are done. This could also be done via the use of a stool.

•The toilet can be intimidating. It is very large in comparison to a toddler and having to sit on it to urinate or have a bowel movement can be scary. This may lead to a longer transition between diapers and being potty trained, according to .

•Falling off can occur, according to . Because of the height of the toilet, if the toddler shifts his weight too much one way or another, there is a real possibility that he will fall off.

For those who have decided to go the route of the potty chair, here are the pros and cons.

•The size of the potty chair is small enough so that the toddler can get on and off of it on his own. As such, the instant that he feels the need to go, he can go immediately to his potty chair, which may prevent some accidents from occurring.

•The toddler can get used to the potty chair because he can practice what he is supposed to do when he feels the need to go, according to . As such when the time comes to use the potty chair because it has been practiced so many times before, it begins to feel like second nature.

•A toddler who sits on the potty chair can put his feet on the floor. By doing this, according to , the toddler is in the correct position to have an easier bowel movement than if his feet are off the ground. There is less straining which may make going poop on the potty a much less stressful thing for the little one.

•The potty chair can be taken anywhere. As such, according to , for those who go on road trips, camping, and the like, where there may not be a bathroom accessible for long stretches at a time, the potty chair can be taken out to be used when necessary for the toddler.

•When a toddler is successful in using a potty chair, there is clean-up that has to be done. This means dumping contents into the toilet and then cleaning the reservoir before the next use.

•Depending upon the size of the potty chair, it can take up a lot of space in the bathroom. If the bathroom is smaller in size, this could prove to be problematic if someone needs to be in the space while the toddler is using the potty chair.

•When going out for short trips to run errands, taking the potty chair becomes a chore. It cannot be taken into stores, which means that if the toddler has to use the toilet, a mad dash needs to be made for the car to try to prevent an accident from occurring.

There is no 'correct' choice when it comes to choosing between a potty chair and a toilet insert. It all comes down to which the toddler feels most comfortable on his journey to being potty trained. Some parents actually use both. Our editor suggests having both handy because as a mom-of-three, she can tell you that they go through phases. The last thing both mom and toddler need is to stress about potty issues.

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