Getting back into it

[AllyBird]

We started part-time EC when J was ten weeks old, and we had some success with it but never pursued it, so it stayed very part-time. When he got to be about nine months old, he started absolutely refusing to go in classic position, so we got him a chair, which he has to date never used. We struggled with the sink and the bathtub for about two months, in which catches became increasingly infrequent, till we finally gave up. No catches for two-ish months now, although I have given it a shot a handful of times--I still know when he has to go, and he's still very uncomfortable with a wet diaper, but he will not go in the potty with me there. I've tried every bit of advice my ECing friends have given--songs, running water (even pouring it over his belly), standing, toys, books, sitting with him, nursing, I'm sure there's more--but to no avail. Their babes seem to be willing to sit there for a few minutes, which mine will not, no matter how novel the toys. Anyone have tips?

One thing I think might work is true diaper-free, at least when we're around the house (he usually wears a cotton diaper), but my husband isn't a fan of the idea, and truthfully J doesn't come and get me when he needs to go if he's nakie-butt; I guess he figures he doesn't need me to take his diaper off : How can I teach him that the potty is the place to go?

[sapphire_chan]

The one thing I don't see in your list is using a toilet seat reducer so he's sitting on the big potty and is more at your level as he goes.

Or, to go the other direction, could you put him on a potty in the bathroom with a toy and then leave? "Okay, kiddo, you're all set, let me know when you're done"?

[hrsmom]

Is the potty in front of a mirror, or do you have a way of putting the potty in front of the mirror? We had/have ours on the bathroom counter, and my dd has always loved looking in the mirror. Now she uses that one only once in awhile, and mostly for poops! The counter at my mom's is very tiny, but sometimes my dd asks to go "up there?" and we squeeze the potty on the counter and she looks at the mirror, plays with the light switch, and goes! Also, at home, she gets to play with lotion and powder and toothbrushes when she's on the counter. My dd had a long stretch of time where she mostly refused to go in the potty. I just kept changing her as soon as I knew she needed it and talking to her about it. I did do some nakey butt time, but only until I got tired of cleaning up poop and wiping up pee. Our "potty strike" lasted a good seven months, and then suddenly she was holding it and telling me for poops, and staying pretty dry, too.

[AllyBird]

Originally Posted by hrsmom

Is the potty in front of a mirror, or do you have a way of putting the potty in front of the mirror? We had/have ours on the bathroom counter, and my dd has always loved looking in the mirror. Now she uses that one only once in awhile, and mostly for poops! The counter at my mom's is very tiny, but sometimes my dd asks to go "up there?" and we squeeze the potty on the counter and she looks at the mirror, plays with the light switch, and goes! Also, at home, she gets to play with lotion and powder and toothbrushes when she's on the counter. My dd had a long stretch of time where she mostly refused to go in the potty. I just kept changing her as soon as I knew she needed it and talking to her about it. I did do some nakey butt time, but only until I got tired of cleaning up poop and wiping up pee. Our "potty strike" lasted a good seven months, and then suddenly she was holding it and telling me for poops, and staying pretty dry, too.

Yup, we've had maybe the most success with the sink in front of the mirror, or a hand mirror he can look in, and he plays with the toothbrushes and whatever's in the cabinet. He won't sit on his potty.

Our potty has a removable seat that sits on the toilet, but he won't sit on that either. I can't blame him, really, it doesn't look very comfortable.

Sooo hoping we can end up like your story, hrsmom!

[hrsmom]

You will! And maybe even with a shorter strike!

[AllyBird]

So, how did you know that the strike was over? Did you keep offering once a day or once a week or something? Or did she show you?

[hrsmom]

I kept offering every time she woke up, throughout the strike. Most of the time she'd take me up on those pottytunities, but not always. If she clearly did not want to be anywhere near the potty, then we didn't. I remember a couple of mornings where she just wanted to get up and walk around and not be bothered with the potty. I also offered periodically throughout the day. I'd say we typically caught 1-3 pees during that time, some days zero, somedays maybe 4. At some point (about 17 months old) she started telling me she had to poop, and was ok going potty. Now that all but the last four molars are in, I think we're good to go for awhile. (Hoping not to jinx us by typing that!)