Starting at 6 months

[Megan Plunkett]

I just learned about EC and I'm excited to be giving it a try. I've been trying it for about 5 days now and I just don't know if I'm going about this the right way. I've been trying to write down anytime DS eats or goes to the bathroom so I can see if he has any patterns. The first and second day I was actually able to catch a few pees and on day 3 I caught my first poop. It was very exciting. The last 2 days he seems to get upset if I take his diaper off and take him into the bathroom. He loves to play diaper free, but he seems to dislike the bathroom/shower (where I've been giving him opportunities to go).

Another thing is that he does not seem to give any cues at all. I've been trying to watch him closely and I can't discern any sort of acknowledgement that he has to go. 

I know EC takes a lot of time, but I'm a little disheartened. If he doesn't cue, how do I catch him (even in his diaper so I can verbally cue him)? If he get's anxious about the bathroom, what do I do? I also don't feel like he is very comfortable in the hold. 

I really think EC is great, but I don't want him to get worked up by going into the bathroom to try and I'm having a hard time telling if he is going to the bathroom or not if he is in a diaper. It actually seems like he prefers to go IN his diaper because we haven't had any accidents during diaper free time, he'll get fussy, I'll see if he has to go, he complains more, I put the diaper on him and wait, as soon as I stop trying to feel for pee, he goes!

Any tips or tricks?

Thank you!

[Tjej]

At about 6 months my kids were usually on a potty seat on the toilet.  Maybe he isn't comfortable in whatever potty position you're trying and you could try other positions or get a potty seat?

You could also just try and go with timing - offer when he gets up, 15 min. after each meal, etc.  Then it becomes a routine and when he wants to relieve himself he will at those times.  You can cue then when offering, and if you do something he can imitate quite young, he may be able to tell you when he wants to go (a psss sound or the sign for potty might work).

HTH

Tjej

[JessicaWatson7]

I've also just learned about EC through a friend. Caught a couple of poos in the first few days, and a number of pees. Not sure what position you're trying but I face my little one toward me so I can see between her legs. Sometimes (not sure if this is cheating) I give her a little puff of air between the legs and that stimulates a pee. If he's facing outward toward you and you're able to give him that facial reassurance maybe that might help? Though, you may be doing that already. 

Jessica

[Ma Cactus]

Its been a few weeks - any change? 

We started at birth but if I remember, 6 mos was a time when we had to switch things up CONSTANTLY - try in front of a mirror, outside (he ALWAYS loved outside, still does, even when its cold out), in a potty, in a potty in different rooms, in a new potty, etc etc etc.  

Since he seems to like his diaper, you might try cueing him over the diaper, to get the association going, and then move on to potties & toilets etc. 

Alot of it is about helping them relax too: I've heard that blowign on their head can help, and humming, although neither seemed to make an impact on my boy. 

I never really figured out my boy's pee cues either, and we used timing, but in retrospect I think that should be done VERY casually since it is not 'communication' per se, and has a tendancy to make Mama focus too much on the almighty catch.  The communication part will come when baby wants/is able to communicate, and forcing it too much before then can cause undue stress and discord.  So my advice is  always respect your baby's 'no', do everything possible to maintain your own relaxed attitude towards EC, and back off whenever you feel stressed about it. 

[Megan Plunkett]

We've been doing really well. I got a potty that can be out in the living room with us while we play and he seems to really like it. I also focus on being relaxed about it. If either of us are getting frustrated I just put him back in the diaper and try again later. 

I'm still having a hard time learning what his actual cues might be. I have a pretty good sense of when he'll have to go and have gotten good at basically timing him. Even when he sits on the potty there is no change of demeanor or sign as he goes. I have been verbally cueing and showing him the sign for potty while he goes. At what age can little ones use the signs back? 

Thanks for the support it's nice to have other moms to talk to.