So my "offering after every sleep" strategy...

[Harmony96]

DS is 5 months old now. A few of weeks ago, I posted b/c I was stressing out about ECing, b/c I was having a ton of misses. After some feedback and self-reflection, I decided to just offer the potty after every wake-up time, whether it be first thing in the morning or after a nap. I decided to do this regardless of the status of his diaper, regardless of if he ever went in the potty or not, and regardless of if he peed in the new diaper right after the offering.

And now, I can't remember the last time we had a catch.

But, I'm surprisingly calm about it. He HAS peed in the potty before, and I believe that he will again. Maybe it'll be in a few days, maybe it'll be in a few months, maybe it'll be longer than that. But when he first wakes up, I'm going to be changing his diaper (or taking it off if it's just dry) anyway, so it's no skin off my back to take a minute or so to set him on the potty at the same time. If I'm consistent with him and keep talking to him, maybe he'll remember what he used to do.

Right?

I hope so, lol.

Andrea

[Harmony96]

[karika]

yes. consistently offer the potty at predictable times and if you see him squirming or anything else that may be considered as a sign by you (dd1 patted her tummy). I would take him potty whenever you go potty also. Offer it often enough that he will understand that if he needs to pee a pottytunity is coming soon. Not sure about your comfort level at going diaperless, but if you do, you will see the signs easier since it is able to see exactly when he pees. Some children do seem to 'catch on' easier than others. dd1 never pooped anywhere but a potty, and dd2 has pooped without warning every time until recently (16 mo), well, maybe there was warning, but her being 2nd child perhaps I was not paying as much attention also. When the child wakes, it is like I can 'feel' whether or not they need to go. Sometimes I hold her for a few minutes, then offer. Or, if we have been asleep for 5 hrs and nursing nearly the whole time, I offer before I even wake up good, I get her on potty immediately. I am not sure I am understanding, are you saying that you put the child on the potty when he awakens and you get no pee? I do not understand that. Perhaps he needs help relaxing. dd1 would just go, but dd2 will sometimes get up as soon as i set her on it, but then if I put her back on and put the boob in her mouth she is able to relax enough to do it. She needs the boob in her mouth a lot of times to pee in our sleep and upon awakening. try that. and try offering potty every 2 hours at least, or at signs of squirming and whenever you go. or let go of all of it, and keep him naked from waist down and watch him for signs then clean up the messes. though I am not sure what that is like with a little boy, I have girls and it goes straight down, does it go all over with a boy?

My 6 yo is EC grad, independent at 2 y 2 m (except for cleaning after poop I always insisted on doing that until she was much older to prevent possibility of infection from poor cleaning), always pooped in potty. EC'd from 2 wks, diaperless full time at 4 mo

dd2 is 16 mo and was different I tried (full time) diaperless way early, and got too frustrated (with the poop on the floor), so she has had a combo of disposable, cloth, naked, undies and pants... we have been completely diaperless since about 12 mo, except when I go to a mother's group or Unity meeting with her.

[lisavark]

Andrea, yes, if you keep communicating, then eventually he will get it!

But I would say you should communicate about the fact that he ALREADY peed when you notice his diaper is wet when he wakes. And then say something like, "Do you need to go more? Come try to go on the potty!" So that you're acknowledging the fact that he already went--he probably JUST peed if you notice his diaper is wet when he just woke up, because most likely he's peeing immediately on waking.

And even if you don't want to go diaper-free, you can have a really good chance of catching the moment when he's peeing if you pay really close attention. Are you using cloth diapers? When my DD was that age, I was constantly sticking my finger in her diaper to feel if it was wet. She didn't signal (as far as I could tell) and I couldn't figure out her timing, so I was just constantly checking. So at least I could cue her immediately after she peed. And if I noticed she was wet when she'd been dry a minute before, I'd say, "Pssss! You peed! Pee-pee!" And then take her diaper off and hold her over the potty before I put another diaper on.

[Harmony96]

karika, yes, I put him on the potty when he wakes and I get no pee.

lisavark, I do let him know that he's already peed when I take his wet diaper off, but I haven't been saying "let's try the potty anyway" to him. I've just been putting him on there and trying to cue him, lol. I think the transition would be good for him. We do use cloth diapers. Coverless prefolds at home, and the same prefolds but w/ a cover when out and about.