someone motivate me please!

[heatherr30]

My Ds is 6 mo old and we have been doing EC since he was 3 weeks.  I catch most poops and a few pees per day.  Problem is, we are in kind of a rut... where i know he pees in his diaper most of the time but I don't know what to do about it...  Also he does not seem to mind a wet diaper but he does mind stopping his play.

Is there anything I can do at this stage or are we just destined to use diapers for peeing until he is old enough to PT?  I really want to do EC with him but I think all the layers of clothes he has to wear (it is cold where we live) keeps us from communicating about pees.  And I do not think the split pants/bare bottomed option would work for us because I do not want pee all over my clothes and house--I have enough laundry to do as it is. 

I would love some suggestions on how I can pee him frequently without annoying him.

[nstewart]

Have you tried putting DS in baby legs or something similar so it's easier to potty him more often?  I live in a part of Canada where it gets pretty cold in the winter and had DS in baby legs and a long-sleeved shirt at home most of the winter (along with warm socks and slippers) and he was fine.

As far as DS being annoyed by being interrupted, I would suggest pottying between activities.  When there's a natural break in an activity or between activities (such as upon arriving home, before leaving the house, after eating, after reading a book or playing a game, etc.

Good luck!

[JustLoveEC]

We bought Andrea's Simplified book on EC and it got us going right away! She had lot's of tips in her book about staying motivated and dealing with clothing issues. And, as a dad, I love that I don't have to change dirty diapers and am saving money too - not to mention a deeper connection with the little guy!

After researching all the EC books, we used the guides at http://ecsimplified.com (ecsimplified.com) and it was likely the best investment we've made on so many levels!

[heatherr30]

Thanks for both comments, I had a look at the web page you suggested and will try pottying beween activities! 

I suppose what we really need is more diaper-free time... but with Dd at home I am bound to be looking the other way just as DS (who is already crawling backwards) pees all over the place.... Hopefully I will be able to focus on him better an hour or two most days when she goes to kindergarten in a few weeks.

[drmom21]

I've just been slacking. I did some part time ecing with my now toddler and it was great! With my nb I am hit and miss. Really depends on my mood more than my committment. I did commit to cding exclusively with this baby then became addicted, now I have so many diapers and want him to wear them all, which doesnt really bode well with going the ecing route. I need motivation as well.

[heatherr30]

Very cute picture, I bet your toddler is proud of that one!!  Thanks for your commiseration. :)

Things are going a little bit better here now that I switched to non-waterproof diapers, underwear, or (mainly when he is being held and/or nursing) bare bottomed most of the time we are at home.  I make a few catches every day, more often than not DS goes in his pants or on the floor but I know about it, unlike when he has his diaper on and I have no clue when it became wet.  Somehow it feels like EC even though we didn't make the catch, because we still had a chance to communicate about it when I change him or clean up. :)

PS there are also plenty of trainers to get addicted to, I can't believe how cute my nearly 7 month old looks in underwear!!

[AndreaOlson]

Heatherr30 - I am glad to hear that things are going better for you! Sounds like you've found some good solutions. Just thought I'd add in this idea...When we were camping a few weeks ago it was COLD outside and I found a good way to use split crotch pants - I made about 3 pairs with a warm material and then I covered them with a Grovia cloth diaper cover AND a folded prefold within that. It's easy-on, easy-off due to the velcro. He'd stay warm and mostly asleep when I went to potty him in this set-up, and he signaled loudly wanting me to remove the diaper first. Underneath the split-crotch I used Hank & JoJo's long tube socks or Rock-a-Thigh Baby's long socks.

drmom21 - we used cloth diapers as back-up for the first 8 months solid (okay, so there were some disposables thrown in there!)...our DS would signal loudest in them, compared to the (totally cute) little undies. Now he prefers undies! You CAN EC effectively with a diaper back-up. It doesn't mean you're not committed and you're certainly not unmotivated. :) Just change baby often and don't let him sit in it (even if he seems not to mind)...encourage communication and be matter-of-fact with your reflections "you went peepee in your diaper...peepee goes in the potty, dear."

:) Andrea & Kaiva 12 mos.