Comments on: The Great Potty Debate: Which Way Do You Wipe?

By: Jessica

Jessica — Wed, 20 May 2009 16:46:55 +0000

This is so funny! I’m a front wiper for #1 & a reach around for #2, DH is also a reacher (TMI, we don’t shut doors in our house). Our 3yr old daughters wipe from the front for #1 & for #2 I get the privledge of wiping their behinds from behind. DD #3 will occasionally attempt to wipe a poo from the front but she’s never satisfied with the job & wants me to do it for her.
As for boys wiping for #1- I’ve never met a guy who did (or at least none that would admit it).

By: EJI

EJI — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 05:17:13 +0000

Oh my gosh, are you serious? it does NOT require long arms to reach from the back. I’m 5′2 with short arms and I’ve always reached from the back since i was a little kid. My mom reaches from the front, but my dad pottytrained my sister and i, so I guess it’s no wonder we reach from the back. Reaching from the front seems gross, who wants to put their hand that far into the toilet? Ive never had problems with reaching from behind, never even had to lift a cheek haha. and for guys, who wipes with pee? srsly thats ridiculous in my mind. well, this was cool. here’s my tips: Females: do what feels comfortable and won’t give you any infections, Males: Dont wipe in public unless you want the guys giving you funny looks. w/e you do in private is ur business tho. peace.

By: Susan

Susan — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 21:32:01 +0000

First, thank you for addressing this issue! I’m about to start potty training my daughter. All of the training materials I’ve found say to teach her to wipe from front to back (I know that already because I’m a woman), but I’ve found nothing until now that addresses from which side to begin.

It’s awkward asking a friend, but that’s what I resorted to. She had just potty trained her daughter, and she and I were of a like mind: approach from the front, but only wipe toward the back.

These posts are eye opening, though. It seems to come down to personal preference, but since part of potty training is modeling, why not go with what the parent who will do the most modeling is used to (as long as that approach is hygienic)? Perhaps I’ll choose how to train our daughter and my husband will choose how to train our soon-to-be-born son. He’ll probably do more modeling for our son.

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:09:30 +0000

As long as you don’t leave streak-marks on your undergarments and don’t wipe in a way that would give you a UTI. It’s ultimately how you’ve been taught. Just relax, just be glad you’re continent.

By: Brittny

Brittny — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:57:16 +0000

I was looking for the answear to my question and I found it !
nOW I KNOW YOU WIPE FROM THE BACK !
Now i wont get a blatter infection or germs in my eurethra !
YEAH !
thank you (:

By: jen

jen — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 23:47:46 +0000

frontal all the way. i tried the reach around once and couldnt reach! lol. i do have short arms tho! i dont go front to back … i kinda wipe in all directions, but i dont bring anything too far front, eww.

and, if i was a guy, i would totally dab after #1

By: daniel

daniel — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 08:57:46 +0000

what, praytell, do you expect men to wipe after a #1? A 1/8″ long slit??? Unless your man has micropenis (an actual medical affliction) it should be obvious why men would not have an issue with residue urine clinging to them as women do- especially after a good shake (one shake is good enough, two becomes masturbation, FYI.)

By: Amber

Amber — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 17:27:33 +0000

Im not raising a kid or anything close, but I came across this because I want to know the “correct” way to wipe. I’ve always done back to front with the frontal approach after peeing and front to back using the rear approach after pooing. But now I know that you can get an infection from doing back to front EVEN after just peeing from the traces of fecal matter.. But I still find it hard to wipe front to back after peeing.. it feels uncomfortable and doesnt really dry eveyrthing off. hahha am I weird or what?!!!

By: Denae

Denae — Fri, 23 May 2008 05:22:31 +0000

Frontal for pee pee, back for poo poo.

I mean I'm a full grown female adult and it's difficult for me to wipe my behind front to back from the front....

I just went and experimened.

By: dalilu

dalilu — Fri, 23 May 2008 03:14:50 +0000

Dear God! I wish I was so flexible and with long arms! I would say the correct way is the most confortable to the doer. The important thing is to get it clean without contaminating other areas. I an a front reacher, but as a female I am VERY careful of not bringing it to the front.
I do not think standing would be good. When the "cheeks" get together standing you can end up with a great mess. Don't know how my boys do it now they are adults. Hubby uses back approach.
On the other side, my mother always washes after with soap and water. Wet wipes are really good on this!