Kind of jumped right into this!

[Emelee]

My DD just turned 5 months and before she was born I wanted to try EC. I bought a little potty for her and explained to my DH so he wouldn't think I was crazy. Unfortunately I also told my family who immediately thought I was crazy and of course made fun whenever I brought of EC or even cloth diapering. When DD was born I tried to potty her several times. Each time she would scream and cry, arch her back, and throw an absolute fit even when I KNEW she had to go. I gave up, especially since my family would call and ask how it was going. When I told them it wasn't working out yet they made fun of me.

Anyway, skip forward to last week when my DH goes out of town on Wednesday. I decide that since the weather has warmed up that I'm going to leave her in the nude to sleep and see how it goes. Since she can sit up now, holding her on her potty was easy and the very first time I tried it she peed when I cued her She went 3 times peeing that first day and 1 poop in her potty. By the time he got back on Friday evening she already has gone so many times and I was shocked it seemed to come so easily. Of course I missed several poos because she prefers to go lying down but I've caught many pees even though I don't recognize her cues very easily. The mornings is very easy and she always has a huge pee right when she wakes up that I've been able to catch.

I told DH what was going on and told him he had to try it and she peed for him too (he wasn't prepared it would work and she kinda got it all over)! Now he doesn't think I'm crazy but my parents are still making fun of me. They think I'm trying to make her grow up too fast and that there is NO way she knows what's going on or that she waits for me to cue her. How can I explain this to them? I leave her in a diaper for most of the day but leave her naked at night and during naps/feedings. Sure some have gone on a towel but I've used so few diapers in the last few days it's incredible and quite addicting.

Where do I go from here? Should I just continue to leave her in diapers during the day and when going out? Or should I try and do this full-time? Also, should I make a different cue noise for poop and pee or just the same?

Thanks! I honestly never thought this would work so it came as quite a surprise she's doing so well. I'm very excited if you can't tell

[heatherr30]

Awww just ignore your family. You guys are doing great!  I realized after PT DD at age 2, how much we both hated diapers....  it is defn better for your DD to pee and poo in the potty rather than all over for herself (and to sit in it till you realize and get around to changing her)

Explain to your family that she will most likey PT around the age of 2, although any time between the age of 1-3 is typical judging by this EC board. In no way are you putting pressure on her to "grow up" too fast. In the meantime you will use EC to keep her dry, avoid diaper rash, save money and/or laundry on diapers, and keep DD in touch with the idea of using a potty rather than a diaper.  (altho naturally you do not expect her to break off what she is doing to signal every time or at all until she is old enough for PT)  It is for fun (just like starting solids at the age of 6 months) and gives you the option of leaving her diaper off for a couple of hours a day (which would make any baby happy!)

As for when to use diapers--I would say, any time you and / or DD are getting fed up with EC, or you are busy with other things, put the diaper back on for a while.  Unless you don't mind cleaning up messes in your house---which you probably wouldn't mind if you had dirt floors and all wooden furniture, and lived in a tropical climate so your DD could go naked.  Personally I don't want to clean messes off the furniture and carpet so when I am not paying attn to DS I either put him on a waterproof mat (he can't crawl yet) or put a diaper on.

I make the same cue noise for pee and poop but also teach DS the different words by saying "you just did a pee/poop!" etc.  I am not going to even consider going full-time (ie trying to catch every pee) till DS is old enough to go at least 30-40 min between potty trips.  But that's just me---some people go full-time from day 1. 

[nstewart]

Ditto PP, just ignore your family!  They'll come around.  If they don't just don't talk to them about it!  When I told my mom we were going to try EC with DS, her exact words were "Well that's stupid!" (my mom has no filter).  But I have to say as soon as she saw DS in action she was an instant convert and has been pretty supportive about it ever since.  I also really like what PP said about explaining it to your family.

I'm glad it's going so well for you.  It is a bit addicting, isn't it? lol.  Just take it a day at a time and remember you'll have challenging periods along the way but they won't last forever.

Full-time or part-time, just do what you're comfortable with right now and recognize it might change over time or even day by day.  You may have periods where it is just easier to have your DD in a diaper and only offer at certain times such as after naps.  You may have others where you are in sync and can do lots of nakey time or just not use a diaper at all.  The more flexible you are the more you will enjoy the journey.

[Emelee]

Thanks for the replies! DD is still doing pretty well still and it's a lot easier than I had ever thought. She has no problem switching back and forth from diapers to potty which is great. She's also getting easier to read on her cues but maybe that's just because I'm really listening now. It is helping to clear up a diaper rash she's had for a little bit which I know feels better for her!

I had another question though, I've been monitoring how many diapers she goes through to make sure she nurses enough but with using the potty she obviously doesn't use as many. What's the best way to ensure she's still eating enough?

[Ma Cactus]

My Mum said all the same stuff ("just let him be a baby! babies wear diapers!",and "all you talk about it pee!").  I just ignored it, but one evening when she was watching him, just when we left I mentioned casually that he would probably need the potty in 10 minutes or so.  I didn't tell her to take him or anything, just left it at that.  When I came home, she was THRILLED that he pottied for her, and has been much more accepting ever since. 

[turtlemamameg]

You can monitor it by counting how many pees in the potty combined with how many wet dipes.  My guess, though, is that since you are listening to her potty needs, that you are likely also listening to her hunger needs as well.  She will tell you if she isn't getting enough and is still hungry. 

My MIL was also unsupportive from the start.  She swore (as a nurse) that a baby's sphincter has no sensation or control.  We quickly made her a believer after she witnessed several successful trips to the potty.  Now she brags to all she knows about what a great thing EC is.  Give your folks some time to digest it, and once they see for themselves, they will likely see the benefits of communicating in this way.  Remind them that this is just another way of communicating with your baby and meeting her needs.  PT will come in it's own time when your lo is old enough to take the responsibility on.

[Emelee]

Thanks for the support! We made a trip out to the in-laws for a couple days and I brought DD little potty with us to use between diaper changes and at night. I was discreet and did not mention it because I didn't know how my MIL would react. She ended up coming into the bedroom right after I finished pottying DD on the second day we were there and was curious as to what I was doing. When I showed her how DD had just peed and we were trying to save diapers she was totally for it!! She even mentioned it to her MIL when we all had breakfast the next day! Of course I had to say that No I'm not potty-training her but just listening to when she needs to go. She's by no means out of diapers yet, haha I wish! Now to just convince MY parents it's not crazy.

DD totally understands when we take her diaper off we're going to put her on a potty and seems to go almost instantly when we put her on it! I'm so excited this is working into our daily lives so well. I don't even mind sleeping next to her when she's naked, which I thought would put me off ECing but it hasn't. I go through a lot more towels than ever before but I'm sure she'll get better at holding it longer when she's older.

Turtlemamameg-I nurse on demand so I'm sure she's getting enough since she eats like she always has. She does pee many times a day but doesn't poo every single day. I'm still better at catching those frequent pees than I am at catching that infrequent poo.