Squatting to poo? And ECing early or not.

[Calliope84]

Ok, this is kind of a really weird question but... I know babies eventually start to squat to poo in their diapers. It is the natural way to go.

After I gave birth I had mild rectocele and a really painful hemorrhoid and I was crying in pain every time I had to go. So I was googling it and discovered that most of the rest of the world squats to eliminate (I knew this but never gave it much thought) and that there is evidence that eliminating this way clears out the colon more easily (there is a kink in the colon when we sit to eliminate) and they think this could possibly be why western countries have so much more colon cancer, appendicitis, hemorrhoids and other stuff like that. And of course we all know squatting is just about the best position for birthing a baby....

So, I tried it to get rid of the pain and it worked. I feel like I've been eliminating the idiot way my whole life now. But.... it is weird!!! I mean culturally weird. I might get a squatting platform for our toilet and I really believe it is healthy and good to go this way (it is painful if I try to sit now... so maybe the hem isn't really healed all the way.) I did have appendicitis as a child, though I don't know if this really would prevent that...

So now I am asking myself... what do I teach my DD? This may be TMI but my whole family (women) seem to suffer from bowel issues, constipation etc and I have no problems now. DD needs to learn to use a sitting toilet of course, but why should she have to strain and suffer on the toilet when there is an easier way that requires no straining?

I don't know how to teach her to squat though...or if I even should... I wanted to EC, but now I am considering waiting until she naturally starts squatting on her own. If you started ECing early, did your children still naturally want to squat?

I hope no one is too shy to give their opinion on this lol. ;)

[HappyMonkey]

We started ECing at birth with a huge leap in success at 4 months. From the moment she learned to walk though she just wanted to squat everywhere to pee and poo. After two months of random around the house eliminations she's actually pointing between her legs and going OH loudly for us to take her to the bathroom. She's not happy sitting on the toilet yet, so we still hold her in a squat position over the toilet. She's thrilled. In one day she probably tells us 8 times, and goes once on the floor. If she's travelling in diapers she'll pee in them, but wait for a toilet to poo.

We're pretty amazed!

But the squat.. I think it's just a natural thing. She'll even squat for hours playing!

[Shannie77]

We started ECing our first at 6 months.  We used the Baby Bjorn little potty which puts them in a squat-like position.  DD basically pooped in the potty exclusively from 7 months on.  I think we had one poo accident after the first poop and I remember she was squatting when she pooped. :)

DD2 we actually just started ECing this week and it is incredible how easily she is taking to it. :)  She definitely is preferring the BBLP over sitting on a potty insert.

[Carlyle]

I think ecing would  encourage squatting.  Most of the infant/baby holds are basically a suspended squat anyway.  A baby bjorn little potty puts the kids in a squatting position (sort of) too.

[Calliope84]

That is encouraging that babies still squat, but what I am trying to say is--- I don't want to teach her to sit on the toilet at ALL. I just basically healed my pregnancy hemorrhoids by squatting for the past 2 months and I was just talking to a friend who ended up getting surgery for hers because they never healed at all after she gave birth. She was in pain for literally years.

I wrote this post because I was worried it would be socially weird to teach DD to squat, but I think it is probably fine. She can sit at friends houses and stuff if she needs to, but it just isn't comfy. I tried to go back to sitting and I just can't. I feel like I'm trying to eliminate the stupid way... it is so unnecessarily difficult when sitting!  Babies know what they are doing lol.

We are moving into our new house next week and I am ordering this for our toilet - http://www.lillipad.co.nz/

[Kuba'sMama]

omg.. I can totally see myself doing a face dive with my pants around my ankles.  Joking aside, this is very interesting, I too had hemorrhoid problems after the birth of my children and things still don't always feel "just right". Hmm.. learn something new everyday indeed.

[Calliope84]

Originally Posted by Kuba'sMama 

omg.. I can totally see myself doing a face dive with my pants around my ankles.  Joking aside, this is very interesting, I too had hemorrhoid problems after the birth of my children and things still don't always feel "just right". Hmm.. learn something new everyday indeed.

Well, if you ever are in pain from it again you can try this. ;) The pain and suffering I was enduring were enough to convince me to try this out and thank god I did...

and look what I found...

http://www.lillipad.co.nz/lillipad/Lillipad.html

Cutest thing ever! It is like a work of art in your bathroom lol. We are buying one.

I will say, when I first started I was having to hang on to something. I'm getting great at it now and I'd really love if I could squat to give birth next time since it opens the vaginal canal 20-30% more than any other position out there and I apparently make big babies! ;) I've been telling people about this sometimes and some of them think it is a rather hippyish thing to be interested in, but trust me, if you try it you'll be a squat snob and refuse to go back.