EC and holding it

[hrsmom]

I'm wondering about this, my daughter can hold it for a LO-O-O-O-ONG time, and has been able to for over a year. Is that an EC thing? I hadn't thought about it, until a friend with a potty training 2 y.o. mentioned that her 2 y.o. has to go potty all the time. Even when we had lots of misses, the pees were quite infrequent. Is this my dd or do you think there's a connection with ec? Now I'm wondering, is this EC101 and I haven't been paying attention?

[pixiepunk]

definitely an EC thing. kids who are full-time diapered never stop doing what ours did as babies - peeing every 30 minutes or so all day long - because there's no incentive to hold it, so as soon as a little builds up, they let it go, vs. filling up their bladder more fully and holding it for a while and then letting it go.

[hrsmom]

OK, well that's very cool! I had my moments of doubt during our rather lengthy poop strike, but I'm so glad I learned about EC when I was pregnant! I can't even imagine trying to potty train my LO, and for sure wouldn't even be contemplating it right now, given her personality, unless somehow she was one to initiate it, which I doubt. A run on sentence, but true!

[sapphire_chan]

Although, obviously, it depends on the kid. A poor mama over in toddlers has a dd who will hold it for 4 hours to avoid using the potty.

[mamakaikai]

I've noticed this as well with my dd, 18 months. She can hold it for a long time too. She is great at initiating going to the potty, she usually tells us when she needs to go, or goes to it herself. She will ask to use a washroom if we walk past one when we are out too, which I think is really cool because it means she can recognize the sign on the doors and we didn't 'teach' her that. But I also think that this means ec kids do have an understanding of bowel/bladder control. It's not that they are uncomfortable holding it, it's that they don't feel the need to loose control over their pees+poos because they know and trust that they will be able to relieve themselves in a comfortable way.(ie not wet pants)

As far as holding it in though, if she signs that she needs to go and we ask her if she could hold it until we find a toilet, esp if we are out, she's completely able to do this, no fuss, and remain happy. She knows we genuinely try to find her a toilet immediately. She will also hold it for hours if we go out and don't use a washroom before returning.

On the other hand, I've noticed that children who's parents do not ec, tend to sit in diapers that are slightly wet at all times, like the child pees a little at a time, as opposed to hold and release. Ex the diaper is a little bit squishy but can hold a lot more before needing to be changed.

She wears a diaper when we are out and she know she can use it if she wants to, but prefers not. In case anyone who doesn't ec think ec parents are cruel!

Good work with your little one!

[pixiepunk]

Originally Posted by mamakaikai

I've noticed this as well with my dd, 18 months. She can hold it for a long time too. She is great at initiating going to the potty, she usually tells us when she needs to go, or goes to it herself. She will ask to use a washroom if we walk past one when we are out too, which I think is really cool because it means she can recognize the sign on the doors and we didn't 'teach' her that. But I also think that this means ec kids do have an understanding of bowel/bladder control. It's not that they are uncomfortable holding it, it's that they don't feel the need to loose control over their pees+poos because they know and trust that they will be able to relieve themselves in a comfortable way.(ie not wet pants)

As far as holding it in though, if she signs that she needs to go and we ask her if she could hold it until we find a toilet, esp if we are out, she's completely able to do this, no fuss, and remain happy. She knows we genuinely try to find her a toilet immediately. She will also hold it for hours if we go out and don't use a washroom before returning.

On the other hand, I've noticed that children who's parents do not ec, tend to sit in diapers that are slightly wet at all times, like the child pees a little at a time, as opposed to hold and release. Ex the diaper is a little bit squishy but can hold a lot more before needing to be changed.

She wears a diaper when we are out and she know she can use it if she wants to, but prefers not. In case anyone who doesn't ec think ec parents are cruel!

Good work with your little one!

Mine i about the same age, and she does that too! it is so cool! we were at the school dropping off my older two the other day and she pointed to the bathroom as we walked by and said "pee pee!" - i asked her if she needed to go and she shook her head no. she was just telling me, that's where you pee pee so cute. and she will often ask to go when we walk by a bathroom, when she had not previously told me she had to pee. like she just saw the sign and thought, hey, it's not a bad idea to go ahead and pee since there's a bathroom right there. definitely not something that conventionally diapered and potty trained kids can do until they're *much* older.

[Carlyle]

My dd is similar to those who can recognize a potty when out, and she is like the connoiseur of potties...loves to sample them all. Unfortunately, her favorites are outhouses...which are invariably filthy and stinky.

[hrsmom]

Pointing out potties is cool! Hannah doesn't do that yet! We don't potty in foreign potties all that often, given that she never really cared for it. I guess she'll be taking her BBLP with her when she goes to college.