Very late EC/early PLing

[allisonrose]

Not sure where else to ask about this. I've just begun some PLing with my just-turned 17 month old. At first, I was keeping my son in a diaper most of the time but would remove the diaper to put him on the potty periodically. I would luck out and catch pee sometimes but other times was just a bit too late. After finding an early start PT book at my local library, I decided to try some nakey bum time. He seems to pee about every hour. I know at this point, he's used to peeing whenever. At this age, will he gradually learn to pee less frequently?

Also is there any recommendations for encouraging pooping on the potty? Tonight I had a strong suspicion that my son had to go: he kept touching his butt and was walking on tippytoes. But he didn't seem to want to go outside a diaper. We put a diaper on him for dinner and sure enough he started pooping just after dinner. I took off his diaper quickly and popped him on the potty but he, well, clammed up and didn't finish. Left him nakey butt for a little longer but finally put a diaper on him so he could finish up in preparation for bedtime.

If there are any online resources for EC/PL/PT at this age, I would love to see them. I'm hoping I'm on the right track....

[jenneology]

That is about the age that I started potty awareness with my little boy and like yours, he was peeing wherever he happened to be. When that happened, I would talk to him in a conversational tone of voice and say, "You know, pee should go in the potty. Here's the potty over here. Next time you feel like you need to let the pee out of your body, come over here and put it right here in the potty." After saying that for awhile, he started to catch on, and starting using the potty. It only worked when he was naked though, the second with pants on, he thought he was wearing a diaper again. That was the hardest part, he could be 80% if he was naked, and then 0% with pants. Eventually he overcame that and then only missed when he was too busy playing to stop. I used the same sort of technique as before and calmly informed him, or described to him the correct process.

[fraggleface]

I also did late EC/Early PL with my daughter around 17 months. One thing that helped us with poop is when she would get shy about going on the potty, I would say, "Do you need a poo poo hug? Sometimes it helps it come out if you get a hug." Then her dad or I would hug her while she pooped. She's almost three now and she still asks for poo poo hugs sometimes, but it sure helped her get over not being sure about it. She's been in panties during the day since about 18 months. She was dry at night well before she turned two.

[hrsmom]

poo poo hug!!

[curiouscanadian]

I second the "poo poo hug" recommendation! ( Love that term fraggleface!!) When I started with DS at 10 mos, I found he much preferred me cuddling up behind him when he was sitting on the BBLP. If I could get him to relax he was much more likely to actually potty. We slowly gotten away from cuddling on the potty but I will still kind of "hug" him on the toilet if he's having to work harder than usual at it.

As to your other question, we're still working on the whole process, but I'm repeatedly amazed at how long my 18mo old will go between pees... For example, he pottied at 11:30 yesterday morning and it was shortly after 2 that I remembered to offer again and his diaper was still dry. So a little over 2.5 hours? (No wonder he gets fed up with me asking roughly every hour! )

[allisonrose]

We managed to get a poop on the potty today. He started squatting a bit and so I grabbed him and put him on the potty and he pooped. No problem. I think the problem is when I don't catch him at the start but rather in the process because, I guess, he prefers not being interrupted.

His peeing has been somewhat unpredictable. Sometimes three times in a short period of time. Yesterday and today he had long periods with no pee - 2 hours or more. I guess I need to keep reminding myself that this is a process and not an overnight thing.

Any tips on convincing hubbies to be involved?

[fraggleface]

Glad you guys approve of poo poo hugs.