What next?

[LindsayK]

DS is almost 8 months old, and is consistently pooing on the potty every morning. I never really intended to do EC, but we're using cloth diapers, and when we started introducing solid foods, I was just dreading dealing with poo and cloth diapers. I read a bunch of forums trying to figure out what system (potty pail, wet pail system, etc) would make dealing with dirty diapers easier, until finally I read a response on MDC that suggested doing EC for poo. So, we started none too seriously the end of January, with no high expectations since I didn't know if I was "too late" to do EC with then 6 month old DS.

But now its been something like 2 weeks, and our morning routine of nursing and then poo on the potty has resulted in no dirty diapers. I keep waiting to find a dirty diaper, but it seems like going on the potty is the new norm. Cool!

So now I am wondering... what would be a logical next step if I want to continue on using more potty and less diapers? I tried back when we first started reading about EC to keep him diaper free and see what he does for pees, but the boy seriously pees about 10-12 times in an hour (little trickles, over and over) without any warning. My thought is that the next reasonable thing to do would be to start consistently offering the potty at every diaper change and see if he start associating being on the potty for peeing, too. 

Also, I have tried sitting him on the potty, and he really hates it. Instead, I normally hold him on the potty, sitting reverse. He's getting heavy though, and my arms are tired! Any other positions to try that would be easier on me?

[Angelorum]

We sort of did the same things with poops only for a while, the next step I made was to start taking him potty after both of his naps, as I found he always had to pee then.

[LindsayK]

Ha... yeah... I got him up from his morning nap today, and when I took of his diaper, he made the biggest pee I have ever seen - a geyer! Twice! Too bad I wasn't on the ball for getting him over the potty... it went all over the changing table. I'll target post-nap for trying to catch pees from now on :)

[riboflavin]

Yep, start with after naps and after big milk feedings. Wait a little while after big milk feedings though; maybe 10 minutes or so? That will depend on the child. Then if you want you can start doing it after it has just been a while. Even though he pees a lot in little spurts, he may have some big geysers too, as you said, every hour or so. My kids are grads, but I just started babysitting and ECing a 7 month old. I also just started with the main intention of catching poos, but catching the pees just ended up coming so naturally. 

The boy I babysit is pretty heavy too, and the following is how I hold him... I sit on the ground with my legs tucked underneath my butt. I have the little guy on my thighs with his back on to my stomach. I have my hands under his thighs, and my thighs are spread open a bit so that a catching receptacle like a bowl is between them or a little in front. I have a full length mirror on the floor in front of us so we can both watch (and so I can make sure I am aiming him just right!). This worked extremely well for my DS too. They get a kick out of watching themselves go. I always get such a big smile out of him right when he finishes! It's so very cool!

[LindsayK]

Cool, I will try after big feeds too. Right after I wrote the initial post, DS started on a 2 day no-poo stretch, and he hasn't wanted to use the potty at all. He's a little constipated I guess... I don't know how in tune with that I would have been if we weren't catching poos, but now I notice if he's even an hour or so "late"

Thanks for describing how you hold a larger baby. I will try sitting in our bathroom next to the full length mirror and see how that works. Lately DS has been trying to push his feet against the potty suddenly, and can almost knock me off the potty with him!