Will EC'ing our newborn help our 2yo learn?

[HappyFox05]

Because we helped her potty train in August - first week- pee (and sometimes poo) was everywhere!; second week - great success, hardly any misses; third & fourth weeks - vacation, many distractions. She gradually stopped trying to use (or maybe stopped caring about using) the potty after that. I'd love to help her get back into it, but just don't have the energy to go through "Try to remember to use your potty to pee." "Oh, look, you pee'd on the floor. Let's clean that up." - a bazillion times again. So I've thought, well, the baby's due in December, when DD turns two - maybe watching the baby using the potty (Or Mama trying to catch the baby peeing, anyway) will motivate her to try again. Any thoughts?

[pixiepunk]

well, that's largely what EC is, so if you're not wanting to do it even for a couple of months, i doubt you're going to enjoy EC'ing your baby very much. i also don't think there's any benefit in waiting, regardless. that's a lot of months of ignoring her elimination, and disconnecting her awareness.

there are a lot of misses with a newborn even when you catch a lot, simply because they pee and poo so darn much. while it might spark your older child's interest, it's certainly no guarantee, so if that's the only reason you're considering EC then it might not be a great idea. it's hard to tell whether an older sibling will want to be like the baby, or want to distinguish him/herself from the baby (aka "i'm a big kid"). i don't have an personal experience to offer, as my each of my kiddos were EC grads by the time the next baby was born.

but if you're really interested in EC'ing your baby, then you should definitely do it, with the attitude that if it happens to help the older one, great. it certainly could.

[HappyFox05]

I gave DD a lot of free bum time when she was an infant, so I know what EC'ing a baby involves. You'd have to agree it's a little different when they're a very mobile toddler, than when they're a babe in arms.

Another thread has inspired me to try again with DD 1, before DD 2 gets here. Heck, only half the house is carpeted, it won't be too bad.