Is this a potty strike, or am I just not paying attention?

[InMediasRes]

I'm so tired of this. Every day when 3 PM hits, it's like we're not even doing EC. I miss EVERYTHING (except poops, but they usually don't happen that late in the day).

And after the thread about the second pee, I've realized that if I miss that second pee, I miss everything in the morning too!

The part that's bugging me is that she does not signal AT ALL. She was a very strong signaller when she was smaller, and now she doesn't say anything. It seems like when I do it by timing, I'm always getting to her immediately after she's peed, or I take her a million times and she doesn't do anything. I can't get the timing right!

Part of me is thinking this is a potty strike since she just started crawling, and I've tried changing up potty places, bringing a toy, giving her something to chew on while she goes, etc., but part of me thinks I just need to buckle down and do this right. If I'm on, like yesterday, I can go all day with only 2ish diapers (and we catch everything at night). But if I get off ONCE I'm off for the rest of the day.


Anyone else have this experience? Should I just chill and wait it out, or does it seem like it would self-correct if I just tried harder. Admittedly, the bad days are the ones where her brother is particularly needy, or I didn't get enough sleep or something.

She also may be teething, I guess. She doesn't have any yet and her brother was a very late teether.

[hrsmom]

Hi Leah- Yes! At almost the same time age-wise. My babe was born a month after yours (but a year earlier ) and it was right around October/November that we had a lot more pee misses. (And then, eventually, more poo misses, but that came later!) I read somewhere that summer time is easier, and that was definitely the case for us. My approach has generally been to just ride these things out. Sometimes they only last for a couple of days or weeks. Sometimes months, but not always.

My babe was a decent signaller when she was tiny, but that went away way before I was ready for it to!

I also noticed that we'd be off if I missed a certain pee. Sounds familiar! In our EC journey we've had long stretches with very few misses (1 or fewer a day) and long stretches with lots of misses (1 or 2 catches a day, and even a handful of no-catch days.) Even now with teething she's doing ok. I think we caught the second pee today, but I don't remember! This evening when she got home from the park, she took herself potty. That happens maybe 2 times a week now. It's a neat transition! I'm rambling. I guess what I'm saying is that even with periods of lots of misses, they get to a point with few misses and it's pretty awesome!

(Totally off topic- are you from Sacramento? I always wonder that when I see your screen name.)

ETA- just remembered we did not catch the second pee today.

[hrsmom]

I had another thought, sometimes when they're little a good way to get back on track is to wear them for awhile. That really helped us get back in the groove on days when we were totally off!

[InMediasRes]

Ta da! I figured it out!

I keep changing up the potty place, taking her to the sink in the bathroom, her BBLP in the living room, the big potty in the bathroom, trying to find a place she likes the best. It struck me that I hadn't tried the BBLP in the bathroom.

I'm not going to jinx us, but it's going much better now...

hrsmom - I used to live in Sacramento. We recently moved to Salt Lake City.

[hrsmom]

That's great! They definitely have preferences!!

[InMediasRes]

So, with our newfound trick yesterday, we only had 3 misses! I am loving the change. My little girl is doing so well!

[evrimbilkur]

hey it is very nice to read some others asking the same qustions like i did
since a few weeks we are in the same situation with my ds 7 months old. i am also trying out new things. since he is crawling he is not really signing or may be his signs change. he is teething also. it is funny always i think now it goes perfect, i catch nearly all and then everything changes again and everything on the heather drying. to wear him is a good idea but i think after a while he will protest it because he wants to crawl everywhere. he is even so restless in my laps and jumping out to make his explorations tours. would be great some tips? are we going to get to stage that he crawl toward potty when he needs to go? when should i expect this to happen more likely?
enjoy your time

[emmaegbert]

no answers just more questions...

my little girl is almost 7m. She's been crawling over a month now, and is very agile now. I noticed that with increased mobility I started missing a lot more pees. But she's never been much for signals (though we all swear we've seen her recently do the potty sign...). I have her back in loosely fastened dipes (can pull em up and down like undies) or padded trainers, and though we'll often go w/ maybe 3-5 misses in a 24-hour period, it does make me wonder when will she start letting me know?? I figure she's just really busy right now with other things. She sure does crawl towards the potty- but its to play with it! Yikes.

I had to lay off myself with expectations for EC. For example, I ended up deciding not to really try it much when we're out and about. It was too disruptive and she just never seemed to actually go in the potty out and about. And I just try to not worry about it if we don't have a lot of catches. I pretty much go on timing/intuition and just try not to sweat it when we miss. Anyway, I guess I'm just saying, whether its a potty pause or the new normal, I have to just feel like we are having "success" whatever we are having. Does that make sense? Its so many fewer dirty diapers than my first, I can really see that.

If there is one thing I've learned by poking around this board, its that kids are all different.

Teething, colds... who knows. I have noticed she's having wetter and more frequent poops. I think its from the marathon cold she's been experiencing, but its been a bummer to miss more poops- we'd gone months will almost no poop misses at all. (she has an older brother bringing home all sorts of germs!)