Newbie

[Mombeck]

Hello! I'm a newbie to the board and to EC. My son, Bruce, is just over 6 months old and we decided to start EC yesterday! Very spur of the moment, but so far we love it!  Yesterday we used less than half the diapers we usually do in a day, and this morning he's peed in the toilet twice already! So fun!

I do have one question.  Since we started this, I have sat Bruce in his walker 3 times, and he has peed in it every time, even if he JUST went pee right before I put him in!  I've been laying a cloth diaper in the walker "just in case" so it's not a huge big deal or anything, but I wish I knew why he was doing that or how to prevent it.  He LOVES to cruise around in his walker but I've been avoiding using it because I can't keep an eye on his potty area....any suggestions?

I'm so excited to be a part of the board...I've never heard of anyone in my area doing this and I'm thankful to have the support of other parents who are ECing. :)

[nstewart]

Hi and welcome,

We're relatively new to EC too (been practicing EC for 2 months now with DS who is 4.5 mos old) so I probably don't have a ton of advice, just wanted to welcome you.  As for the walker, I guess he just feels relaxed there or just likes to pee there.  I have a friend (who doesn't do EC) who's little boy poops every time he is put in his walker.  They call it "the outhouse".  The only thing I could think of is to give him longer to pee because his bladder obviously isn't empty if he's peeing again right after having gone.  I give DS at least 30 seconds and up to 60 if I think he has to go and hasn't gone by 30.

[Mombeck]

Thanks for the response and the welcome!

Your reply makes me think of another question...today was day 3 of EC...day one DS seemed to love sitting on the potty...he sat there for like five minutes at a time and just looked as pleased with himself as could be.  Now, only 2 days later, he's already appearing to be "over" the whole thing....practically as soon as he's on, he wants to get off.  I still managed to get two pees in the toilet today (woot woot!) but they were like immediately after I sat him down....if he doesn't go right away, he doesn't really want to sit and think about it for longer than a few seconds....giving him a new toy/object to play with buys me a little bit longer, but I still hardly ever make it to a whole minute without him doing a "get me offa this thing!"....any advice?

[nstewart]

I would guess that maybe you are taking him too often.  

When we first started EC, I was so excited by how well it was going that I really didn't want to miss pees.  I ended up taking DS waaayy to often (like every 20 mins as one book I read suggested) and we ended up with a potty strike.  Essentially DS still wanted to poop on the potty but every time I took him to pee he screamed and didn't want to be pottied.  Luckily 3 month olds have a short memory and I just stopped peeing him and only signalled every time he peed that I noticed (ie: lots of diaper free time and a cloth diaper with no cover).  I still took him for poops on the potty.  After a week, I started adding in the obvious pees (after naps and after nursing) and as soon as I get the signal that he doesn't have to go (he'll signal this by arching his back or sort of standing up (and he doesn't sit on his own yet so I sit on the potty with him so your DS might signal differently)) I take him away.  Because EC is about communication, it's really important to listen to the signals that say "I don't have to go" and not just the ones that say "I have to go".  That's what I learned the hard way.

So my suggestion would be to back off a bit so he doesn't get frustrated. 

Hope that helps!

[ocelotmom]

Originally Posted by Mombeck 

I do have one question.  Since we started this, I have sat Bruce in his walker 3 times, and he has peed in it every time, even if he JUST went pee right before I put him in!  I've been laying a cloth diaper in the walker "just in case" so it's not a huge big deal or anything, but I wish I knew why he was doing that or how to prevent it.  He LOVES to cruise around in his walker but I've been avoiding using it because I can't keep an eye on his potty area....any suggestions?

I think I recall my DS reacting similarly to the exersaucer, but that was 7 years ago, so I can't remember clearly. :) 
 

[atpeace]

Mombeck, I don't have any advice for you, but I'm following your footsteps!

DS is turning six months old in about a week, and I just decided to try ECing too!  I've been reading the boards and have ordered some books at the library, and your eager post has made me super-excited to start trying this tomorrow!  Thanks!    

[milly5]

Hi,

I am another newbie to EC as well!

I started with our DD (3&1/2 months old) one week ago. 

Thanks nstewart for your reply - it has answered some of my questions too.  I think I have been doing the too much too often as well!

I am having a bit of trouble with the signs though - I really am struggling to see the difference between "I need a wee" to "I need a burp"

and the difference between "I need a poo (sometime in the next hour as I grunt and push FOREVER)" and "I need a poo NOW (oops no warning!)"

and how long do I offer the potty for before I consider it "declined"?

Thanks!

[nstewart]

Hi Milly5.  

If you are already picking up on DD's cues, that is awesome.  For me, DS doesn't cue for pees so it's really a timing thing.  You'll get to know the cues better over time and be more comfortable about how urgent the situation is.  And remember, cues change over time as DC grows and changes so you have to stay on your toes.  Also, the burp and pee thing...they often happen together.  Same muscles, DS often burps when he pees or poops.

The (unhelpful) answer for when to consider it a decline, IMO is that "it depends".  If they are showing a refusal (arched back, turning away, screaming) then I say right away.  If they just sit there and you cue for 30 seconds to a minute (maybe longer for a poop, sometimes a person needs to sit for a bit), then likely a refusal unless you're pretty sure they have to go.  Then give a bit longer as it sometimes takes a bit to relax (for DS I find especially if he is just waking up or something is distracting him such as the cat walking into the bathroom).  If I am sure DS has to pee and he is just distracted or whatever, my secret trick is to pee him in the sink and turn on the facet.  The running water makes him pee every time unless he REALLY doesn't have to go.

Good luck!