Ten days no misses!!

[hrsmom]

I don't have to worry about jinxing it, because we've had a miss, but Hannah went 10 days with no misses! And the number of misses these days are quite few, prior to that it was like 3 in a week an a half or something.

She gets upset when she goes in her pants, too, which is a new thing for her, and a good indication that she prefers not to, I think!

ETA: FWIW, she had a potty strike that lasted 7 months or so, so there is hope if you're in the middle of one now!

[sapphire_chan]

While this sort of post is usually means a miss will happen, it sounds like it's almost all her now so you guys should be fine.

[catccc]

Congrats, that is so awesome!

I have questions about the potty strike, when did it start and end, and to what degree was it? Did she refuse to use the potty at all, or did she just have more misses than usual?

[hrsmom]

The potty strike kind of began around 10-11 months. Prior to then we didn't have any poop misses for like two months! Pee misses did become more frequent around 9 months. That all continued until about 17 months. She mostly would just flatly refuse to be placed on a potty of any kind. During that time, we averaged 0-3 catches a day, mostly the ones after waking up. We had the random poop catch in there, but lots and lots of misses and lots and lots of laundry! It was pretty aggravating at the time, to be honest, but I did learn to roll with it and stay cool most of the time. It's but a memory now! I gave her opportunities to potty, and changed her as soon as I knew she was wet or poopy. She didn't seem bothered at all about being wet! We did nakey time, too, until I would get tired of messes. There were some times of few misses scattered throughout, but none that lasted for any length of time!

[sgmom]

TEN DAYS!!! What did you do during the strike phase?

*high five* to Hannah!!

[hrsmom]

During that time, I mostly just offered when she woke up. Most of the time she'd go then, but not always! Other times I might offer would be coming in from a nap, if I was wearing her and took her out, getting home from an excursion, and sometimes in the car if we were out for a long time. She'd rarely go any of those times. She had a way of refusing the potty that really set me off! I had a very hard time keeping my cool, and did lose it once or twice. There were definitely times when it wasn't fun. I'd read on these boards that it should be fun, and it wasn't! So I just backed way off, and changed her frequently. When it was warm, we'd do nakey outside, and she did like peeing outside. Sometimes I wonder if I could have done things differently, but it's in the past now, so there you have it! I know I was having a hard time myself during that time, not getting any sleep, allowing the pressures of single parenthood and single incomehood to get to me. Big lesson for me in surrender, to be sure!!

ETA: there was a potty on the floor in the living room available to her at all times, but she never even looked at it until fairly recently!

[catccc]

hrsmom- thanks so much for sharing this info, it really puts things into perspective for me. I think I need to let go a little bit and move at DD's pace, not the one I am trying to maintain. DD is not in a full-on potty-strike like Hannah was, but definitely not the no-miss 6-7 month old she once was. And major major kudos to you for doing this as a single mom! One more question- about nakeybum and peeing outside... Did she just do this on the go, or would she squat and go, or would you assist and she would go. I guess I'm asking to what extent you were involved in ECing when she was nakeybum outside. thanks again for sharing!

[hrsmom]

Thanks, catccc! I'm trying to remember!! There were times when I thought, "well, let's just go outside and at least if she pees we'll be outside" so kind of using the outdoors as back-up! Sometimes we'd go outside and stay awhile, and she'd pee. There were also times that she preferred to pee outside, and would indicate that. Sometimes we'd be outside and she'd ask for her pants to be off, and she'd pee. I let her know that outside was an ok place to pee. One time I tried letting her know she was in charge of pottying, and she took herself outside. That was cool!

Even before she was walking, and was resisting the potty, there were several times when I took her outside and held her in my arms over the grass, and she peed. (Her potty pauses before walking were short and sweet!)

Even during her extended pause or strike or whatever you want to call it, I could see how she was growing and developing, and I had an appreciation for that. Even if the frequent peeing on the floor and leaking non-waterproof training pants got frustrating at times!