From EC to potty training (debating a strike)

[sgmom]

I'm debating going on a potty strike for a couple months, but I'm not sure how I want to do it.

So I'm wondering when does EC become potty training? I'm thinking of stopping EC (watching the clock), and only offering the potty when she's been dry for longer periods, or when he body language tells me something is definitely about to happen (ie. stiff body, passing gas, etc). We've had great success offering in the car (between shopping trips) so as long as the weather is nice, I will continue to do this. But EC at home has become a bit of a nightmare.

So skip ahead a couple months and enter potty training. If I were to pick it back up again in a month or two she will be 13 months old... I'm wondering if this will set us back or if it will make for a clearer path to training a toddler to use the toilet (sort of starting fresh, I guess).

Has anyone done this? Or should I continue to power through it?

Also, if I do stick with it, I've been trying to find ways to make it exciting enough that going to the potty becomes HER idea. And I don't like bribes, or gimics to entice.

Suggestions?

[Sheryl1678]

It does not sound like you want to stop EC but rather you just want to stop timing the elimination. As long as you keep offering the potty for other signals, then it doesn't sound like a break at all, although it might be much less stressful for you and might make the transition to toilet easier and more natural for everyone.

[sgmom]

I just want to stop offering the potty if she's not going to DO anything. She doesn't signal. Ever (she tapped her diaper for a week or so after she pee'd, but that's since stopped). I think that's the problem.

How do you ease off the pressure??

[tsfairy]

We've taken a few "back off" breaks in our career ECing DS2. He's a very reluctant potty-er and signaller even now at almost 2yo. Every time I've backed off, it's because I felt like there was too much pressure on both of us. None of our "strikes" has lasted for more than a week or so, or even just a few days. It seems like once the pressure is off, he begins using the potty again when offered and even asking/signalling beforehand.

To ease off at that age, I just put him in dipes and stopped obsessing (it's HARD to do!) I didn't offer the potty unless he initiated it, or if big brother or I was going, I'd ask if he wanted to come too. I used fitteds with no cover, so I could tell if he peed. I would change him right away if he'd let me, and if he wasn't into being changed sometimes I'd just take off the dipe and let him play nakey for a while, and sometimes if he was even reluctant to let me take off his dipe I'd let him continue to wear the wet dipe (not something I like to do, but this was his decision.)

Pooing was our big concern, because he gets horrible rashes if he sits in his poo for even a few minutes. Changing poo dipes when he wasn't wanting a change was a challenge, but I'd gently talk to him about how much more comfortable it is to put poo in the potty instead of a dipe.

Oh and pull-on dipes or absorbent trainers were a must for us. Really cut down on the stress of changes since he didn't have to completely stop what he was doing to get changed. We used ME Sandy's but there are others out there that can work really well.

[pixiepunk]

for me, with my older two now-graduated kiddos, EC never did become potty training. that was part of the point of EC'ing for me. It was a very natural progression, where they started initiating more and i started offering less. it waxed and waned a few times before they were truly initiating all the time, so as misses increased i'd offer more until they picked up the responsibility again. it was sort of a dance. but there was never a moment when i felt like we were potty training, just a gradual movement towards more independence until one day i realized i hadn't even thought to offer in a long time.

it was very much like i imagine Child-led Weaning to be (though i never managed that, gently mother-led weaning both older kids at 3, DD1, and 3.5, DS).

having said all that, if you feel like you need a little break, take it. or just maybe doing it part-time instead of trying to do it all the time. i've done that at least once with each of my kids for one reason or another. it's also a reason i am very fond of diaper/trainer back-up. takes the pressure off, so if we miss we miss, we change, life goes on.