encouragement

[varnka]

Okay, I need some encouragement. I have been on the EC path since my daughter was three months old. Seemed much easier then than now. She is now eleven months and has been walking for a month. I have her diaperless most of the day, yet hardly ever hits the potty. She doesn't sign, and with her walking, she is very busy and I have a harder time reading her signals. I'll put her on the potty and she won't go, She'll walk off and pee. I'll put her back on the potty for recognition, she'll get off and poo! sigh. She looks just as surprised with every accident she has (which is more often than not). If I mention the potty, she understands and will go over to it and we'll sit on it, so she understands what it is...... Is she just not ready (which doesn't make sense to me).  I read stories of babies being seven months old and successfully diaperless, am I doing something wrong?? She is cloth when not diaperless. It doesn't seem to bother her when she is wet. I feel like I have to follow her around all day and just put her on the potty at timed intervals. Should it be this time consuming (and frustrating)? I know it is NOT potty training and should be a bonding experience, but I just thought she would have some sort of recognition to it all by now.

[Marissamom]

seems a  lot of kiddos have a strike or regression right when they start walking. we took a step back and only offered the potty every couple of days for a couple weeks, then DD was ready to go back to it. 

[heatherr30]

I don'T know how useful my advice will be since I only have a 3 month old and not doing very well with EC myself!  But sometimes when I get frustrated it helps to put the potty away and focus on just observing signals (or lack of ha ha) for a while.

The average age for EC kids to graduate in the West is about age 2.  Girls maybe a bit earlier (so I've heard...) but your little girl still has a way to go.  I would say she will be 3 or 4 before she is able to do everything herself so you will be involved in the toilet process till then.  (and possibly still wiping poopy bottoms after age 4!)