Potty Woes

We're having trouble with the potty training thing. It's mostly going okay, pee in the potty has happened about 3 times now which gives us hope that one day, eventually, we will be a diaper-free household. The fact that A-chan doesn't seem to really care about switching her diapers for panties is holding things back a little, perhaps. The other day I tried to talk her into not wearing a diaper for a bit around the house and that lasted about 5 minutes at the end of which she insisted on getting a diaper and then immediately peed in it as soon as it was properly secured. That's not so bad, though, really. I have great faith in the ability to accomplish the task of potty training at some point in the future, we just have to make more of an effort to be consistent with it. Some days I don't even remember to ask her if she wants to go to the potty...

(I've gotten better recently, though, and kind of keep to a schedule for it).

The thing that is truly troublesome is that she is terrified of public restrooms. The abominably loud flushes of the toilets quite literally scares her into hysterics. It throws not only a wrench into the potty training idea of being able to get rid of diapers both at home and away from home, it's a major problem whenever Ketu or I are out with her by ourselves. There are times when I have to go to the restroom and there is no way I am going to leave her outside while I go in! So I've had to carry her into the bathroom twice with her crying and screaming and me feeling horrible for making her go into a place that scares her, but having to pee! I'm desperate to find a way to get her over her fear. The stupid places that have the IR toilets that go off every ten seconds really don't help, I hate those things.

I keep thinking that if she keeps having to go in the restroom with me that eventually she will see that the toilets aren't going to hurt us, that she will get used to the whole thing and stop being terrified. Quite honestly, I can't think of any other approach. Neither of us likes this approach. She is scared and frustrated. I am upset and frustrated. There has to be a better solution...how can I help her get over the fear of toilets?!