Tips for starting EC--10 MO

[mamatobe08]

Hello, I'm new here. I have spent the past hour searching online about EC. I am glad to finally found an active forum!

Anyways, I want to start EC with my 10 month old son, but I really have no idea where to start. I found articles and information, but not much about how to do it besides to start to predict elimination times. I just want some information/tips from real parents, not from a journalist!

Also, what cues should I use? I have heard the "pssss" one, but I would prefer "pee" or "poo"--is that ok? I assume it doesn't matter what the cue is, as long as you're consistent..... I just don't know!

Thanks in advance!

Michelle

[pixiepunk]

Welcome! i think you're right on the cuing - whatever you're comfortable with. i actually am not very consistent these days with cuing, as it becomes less and less necessary the more away the child becomes. but with a baby that age, saying "you're peeing!" or "let's pee" (depending on the circumstance) should be fine.

i started with my first child at 9 months. i started with just the first morning pee and when she woke up from naps. it helped to be low-key about it at first, get her acclimated to what we were doing, and it gave me a chance during the rest of the time to keep her in a cloth diaper without a cover and just observe her patterns so i'd know better when to offer. babies whoare mobile and independent don't want to be interrupted all the time for the potty if they don't need to go, so i tried to only offer if it was a usual time that i knew she went, and the diapers helped me to relax about it and keep it low-key. slowly i started incorporating more potty opportunities, and she started letting me know (crawling to the potty, squirming in a baby carrier, etc) and so i always offered at those times, and any time i went to the bathroom. and we kept a few books and toys in the bathroom that were just for potty time so she'd be more inclined to sit still long enough to relax and let her pee/poo go.

i also found it useful to have a few little potties that i kept in different rooms of the house (and in the car) so that there was always a potty nearby for us to get to easily.

Have you found the diaperfreebaby.org? they have an archive of old newsletters (and new ones quarterly) that you can read online - most of those articles are written by BTDT parents, lots of great info to be found. you might also find a local diaperfreebaby group through that site, and they also have a yahoo group for support. it's not as active as this forum, but people are usually pretty good at responding to questions. and Christine Gross-Loh, who wrote a wonderful book on the subject, often pops in on that forum to answer questions

My favorite EC book is the one by Ingrid Bauer Diaper Free: The Gentle Wisdom of Natural Infant Hygiene. and Christine Gross-Loh's book Diaper Free Baby is a great practical guide.

also there are some good blogs/websites out there - tribalbaby.org is a great source of info, and there are others.