Our 8 mo. arches when we take her to the potty now

[pippisvilla]

I started EC when she was born and have been mostly successful. We are much better at poos than pees.  She had a great 7th month and now that she has become mobile and so strong she really resists going potty and arches her back and cries whenever we hold her over the potty.  I was wondering if anyone else has experience a phase like this.  I am so excited to find other ECers as I don't know any around me.

Thanks.

[MamaPunky]

I know my reply is late...you've probably already passed this stage...buuuuut....I've ECd my son since 1 month also...he has been doing GREAT...poops and pees in his potty, in the sink, outside, in the toilet..EVERYWHERE I cue him....UNTIL..this passed week. He is now 7 months and completely arches his... back and cries during the day when I sit him on his potty =( then I immediately take him to the bathroom over the sink...and he goes within seconds...even if i sit with him on the big toilet he'll go. Its frustrating. I havent come up with a solution yet. I have to distract him now...give him a book..sing his favorite song...lean him forward near my chest..sometimes even give him a boob and he'll relax and pee...I hope there's a way to help them with this.

Also...this past 2 weeks my son cries in the middle of the night maybe 3-5 times...I know he has to pee because if I dont change him and soothe him back to bed he's SOAKED in his bumGenius. But he cries hysterically if I try to potty him in the middle of the night....and again...I have to give him a boob while he sits on the potty to stop him from crying =( help anyone!

[pippisvilla]

Thanks so much for your reply.  I am glad to know I am not alone.  We had a pretty successful potty day yesterday, which was good because it helped my confidence.  I have sometimes breastfed while she is crying and arching, too.  I wonder what it is that inspires this, if it is that she just doesn't want to go or she is showing she is in charge.  She also needs distractions, like a book.  She wants to grab at everything in the bathroom.  In some ways it is very funny.  I am hoping it is a phase and soon with baby sign she will be diaper free.

And I hope your son starts to sleep through the night and comes out of this phase, too.

[milly5]

Hi, my almost 12 monthold did this two - I think it was about 9 months. We called it a 'potty strike'. If she didn't want to go, we just put a nappy back on her. ANd we also changed potties.

She is now OK and happy to potty again, but if she does arch then I figure she is telling me she doesn't need to go.

[pippisvilla]

Thanks for your reply.  We've been putting her diaper back on when she arches.  I am glad to hear that our 12 mo. old seemed to get through this phase.

[anjsmama]

How funny - I came on here to ask this exact question! DD (7.5 months) has started arching her back and fussing and such over the potty in the last few weeks. While she still pretty much pees in the potty (even with the fussing) , she's started pooping in her dipe, which is something she's never really done. We started EC at a few weeks, and though we sometimes "miss" pees she's always pooped in the potty. 

I think it's like defiance - she's so big and strong and mobile now, she doesn't want to be held like that. I've tried sitting her on the edge of the seat, but she's not a huge fan of that either. I've thought about maybe getting a little potty she could sit on herself? But she's so bouncy/playful when she's seated, I'm not sure if it'll work.

Also agree with a PP who said when their babe starts to arch, they just let em go. I don't want the potty to become something we're 'fighting' over, so when she arches, I just put her dipe back on and let her go. Hopefully this phase will pass soon... I did not EC with my first child and I know how hard the diaper habit is to break!

[AndreaOlson]

This is all totally normal. It doesn't necessarily end, either...but takes different forms as baby gets older and more able to do more things! What's important is to not get mad at your babe, to not become coercive, force a position, try a rewards system, or overly praise when you get what *you* want. Your baby is just telling you that she's PART of this process now...this is new for her...and she is also experimenting with when and where she goes, and how often.

My suggestion is to continue to *communicate*....EC is about that, after all. It's not defiance. It's her Communicating that she needs a change. She needs support in exploration, and she also needs information about when and where to go.

Also, the #1 thing to do with a 7 month old on "potty pause" is to try a different position, environment, cue, or receptacle. Eventually, she will want to go on the potty again b/c that's what YOU do. :)

Another view on a potty pause, which I love, is that it's just ^part of the process^. We don't stop letting our kids try to walk when they stumble and trip, do we? So, even if you put that diaper back on, do not give up! Just continue to communicate, matter-of-factly..."You don't want to go on your potty. Okay, let's try the sink. No? Okay, let's try outside. Still no? Okay, well, I'm gonna put your diaper back on and just let me know next time you need to go."

 You may find that relying on Timing also goes out the window, as baby will begin to want more control (of course!)...esp at around 12 months, which is where we are! We are now encouraging baby to sit on the mini potty by talking about it more and finding a potty that HE wants to sit on. Stories, songs, and straight-forward conversation. :O)

Hope this helps!! Hang in there!!

Andrea

[pippisvilla]

Great to hear from both of you and know that there are others out there experiencing te same thing ad that this is normal.  It is such a journey in communication. I agree that it is important to just support our babies where they are.  I wish it was as easy as just putting her diaper back on because she seems to fight that, too.  Sometimes we struggle and other times she goes with ease.   Yesterday morning, she was holding a bit of toilet paper while she sat on the potty. It was so cute because after she peed, she wiped herself and dropped the tissue in the potty.

[Deepfeet]

thank you thank you thank you!!!!

DS is 7 1/2 and we are all about peein/pooin on the baby bjorn some days and other days we are adamantly refusing and going on the floor (he is so intrigued by watching himself pee, playing with his penis while peeing etc). I love that he's interested in peeing, but I really hope this is a phase.

If DH is home, DS refuses (most of the time) to let me take him to the potty. He wants daddy to sit with him and hang out. If I take him he will arch his back and squeal and stand himself up (his cue that he is done or just wants to be out of there).

I really believe DS is simply expressing his autonomy (as a previous poster mentioned). Yes, it makes for a lot more laundry, but he's happy and I'm sure we'll get back on track. eventually...

so glad i'm not alone though!