We do part time EC with our 14 month old daughter, mainly in the form of doing diaper free time in the house. We use a little potty in a central location (on a mat in the dining room). We have tried the big toilet with a reducer but she wouldn't quit trying to reach into the water, so we've put that on hold for the time being. 
We use cloth diapers when we do diaper her, except disposables at night.
Right now our biggest challenge is getting her to stay still long enough to do anything in the little potty. She is very active and loves to climb, so often she'll climb up to standing on the potty rather than sitting. She has lately however learned to walk to the potty and back up and sit. She generally won't stay put long (a few minutes max, if entertained/occupied).
She also understands how to communicate a need to go, and will say "pee" and/or touch the front of her diaper or her body. She will also try the potty sign and say "pa" (as close as she can get to saying potty). This communication is a recent thing, and a bit of a breakthrough IMO. I am really happy about this part!
However, after expressing her need to go, she will generally pee on the floor (if I try to scoop her up and move her she usually stops and won't start again on the potty, and often she's already done by the time I can catch her). We always say something like "pee pee goes in the potty). If she expresses a need and doesn't start on the floor, we take her to the potty, and she'll sit but not actually go in the potty (some times she won't go at all, other times she'll leave the potty and go on the floor a few minutes later).
The other issue is we can only EC part time (4-5 days a week), as she is cared for by another parent who has an 18 month old daughter (we swap child care duties); the other parent is not willing to let the 2 run around diaper free together for mess reasons, which I can understand. I let my daughter be diaper free when I am looking after the 2 children in my home, but keep a diaper on the other child.
Specific questions/issues:
- Would having another potty or 2 around be helpful so she is closer to it when the time comes? (Maybe she's be more inclined to go to the potty if it was visible and less work/walk)?
- Is the Baby Bjorn potty different/better than the other 'basic' (cheap) ones? I see them discussed a lot and on the EC products websites. I am pretty cheap but would get a used one or 2 if they really are better. If yes, what makes them better?
- Am I causing confusion to my daughter by being inconsistent? (By doing EC at home but not at babysitters or in public?)
- Should I try her on the potty at night? (I am a but nervous to try this because she wakes but can mostly be put back to sleep with a back rub, and if I disrupt her more by getting her up she often gets pretty irritable)
- Should we use cloth at night too? (We use disposable so she doesn't feel as wet, thinking it would be more comfortable as we don't change her at night. She's usually moderately wet in the morning)
- Is it a concern if she 'bluffs'? (She will ask for potty and then not go. Does this mean she doesn't really have to go and just likes talking about it? I assume I should just take her anyway, and not make a big deal if she doesn't go once we get there.
Any ideas on how we might progress or improve? Thanks in advance.
Sorry for the long post. I think we are getting closer to success, and want to keep going!
We use cloth diapers when we do diaper her, except disposables at night.Right now our biggest challenge is getting her to stay still long enough to do anything in the little potty. She is very active and loves to climb, so often she'll climb up to standing on the potty rather than sitting. She has lately however learned to walk to the potty and back up and sit. She generally won't stay put long (a few minutes max, if entertained/occupied).
She also understands how to communicate a need to go, and will say "pee" and/or touch the front of her diaper or her body. She will also try the potty sign and say "pa" (as close as she can get to saying potty). This communication is a recent thing, and a bit of a breakthrough IMO. I am really happy about this part!
However, after expressing her need to go, she will generally pee on the floor (if I try to scoop her up and move her she usually stops and won't start again on the potty, and often she's already done by the time I can catch her). We always say something like "pee pee goes in the potty). If she expresses a need and doesn't start on the floor, we take her to the potty, and she'll sit but not actually go in the potty (some times she won't go at all, other times she'll leave the potty and go on the floor a few minutes later).The other issue is we can only EC part time (4-5 days a week), as she is cared for by another parent who has an 18 month old daughter (we swap child care duties); the other parent is not willing to let the 2 run around diaper free together for mess reasons, which I can understand. I let my daughter be diaper free when I am looking after the 2 children in my home, but keep a diaper on the other child.
Specific questions/issues:
- Would having another potty or 2 around be helpful so she is closer to it when the time comes? (Maybe she's be more inclined to go to the potty if it was visible and less work/walk)?
- Is the Baby Bjorn potty different/better than the other 'basic' (cheap) ones? I see them discussed a lot and on the EC products websites. I am pretty cheap but would get a used one or 2 if they really are better. If yes, what makes them better?
- Am I causing confusion to my daughter by being inconsistent? (By doing EC at home but not at babysitters or in public?)
- Should I try her on the potty at night? (I am a but nervous to try this because she wakes but can mostly be put back to sleep with a back rub, and if I disrupt her more by getting her up she often gets pretty irritable)
- Should we use cloth at night too? (We use disposable so she doesn't feel as wet, thinking it would be more comfortable as we don't change her at night. She's usually moderately wet in the morning)
- Is it a concern if she 'bluffs'? (She will ask for potty and then not go. Does this mean she doesn't really have to go and just likes talking about it? I assume I should just take her anyway, and not make a big deal if she doesn't go once we get there.
Any ideas on how we might progress or improve? Thanks in advance.
Sorry for the long post. I think we are getting closer to success, and want to keep going!
