Later Starters Support thread

[Siana]

I haven't seen a thread like this and I hope others like me shall join in.

Here's our story:

I've been wanting to EC my son since he was around 6 months. After reading about missing the window of opportunity that comes before 6 months, I didn't pursue the idea further. I thought EC at that point would be like pulling teeth.

Odly enough, yesterday I decided to read over some more EC information. As it turns out, it isn't too late yet! The major reason that led me to be confident this time is that Galen -- now 13 months -- has been signaling to me to change his diaper when wet (we use cloth). For most of his diapering days I have left him coverless and have always changed his diaper as soon as I notice.

So today was our first day of EC. We tried pottying a few times, but Galen didn't pee or poop any of those times. He peed just after . I left him diaperless and am charting his pee to figure out a pattern. I know this is not a reccomended course of action, but I feel it gives me something more concrete to observe. I haven't been able to identify signs of when he is about to pee so far (and I've been paying super close attention but he pees just when I run off for a second to do something!). I know it's a waiting game, but I am very excited about all this Oh and he signed toilet one time after he peed on the floor I can't love this kid enough

[Ms.Doula]

I have watched & waited for someone who is going for it 'late-in-the-game' Because I too, am wanting to try. But Gabriel is just turned 8 mo. old now...... Anyone have any advice for a babe this late on???

[DancingOtter]

I'm also really interested in this, but my youngest is almost 6 months.

[vegaenglit]

im another late starter. i worked the 10+ month of luciens life. i read about EC before i was pregnant and wanted to do signing but with working a lot and some other circumstances, ive just now really started getting into both (hes 13 months.)

ive caught some pee and poop once. his signs arent really obvious but we are working on it.

[Siana]

I'm glad to see there are other late starters coming out of lukrdom

The only sign I see from Galen is during and after he pees. He pats on his penis or diaper. I figure he is just so used to peeing in his diaper that if he does give signs just before they are very subtle, and it will take me a while to pick up on then. He is also a very active child, so I have to factor that in to the equation.

He is signing toilet (his variation) and once even signed it, walked to the toilet and then peed on the floor. Conicidence? Probably, but I took it as a small step in the right direction.

[Pen]

We are starting today! I just found out about this and think it's great. I hope we're not too late and I really don't know what I'm doing.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!!

What gives me hope though is that during the day and early evening, I hadn't been using diapers consistently anyway. My dd would stop what she was doing and open her mouth slightly and I would have about three seconds to get a diaper under her. I had never thought about bringing her to the bathroom . And I had explained to her what she was doing so hopefully that will help. Of course, I can't tell anybody else what I'm doing because I can't take another morsel of criticism - not yet anyway.

[Siana]

Yay! The more the merrier
Pen, how old is your baby?

[Pen]

My baby is almost seven months!! I can't believe it!! this works so well. Yesterday evening, we went out and bought a toilet topper and she used it as soon as we got home and then kept using it until bed time - everytime, including two poops. I am on such a high. I didn't expect it to go so well so soon.
Then today we had lots of errands. She would not use the public restrooms (I was holding her over them and she was freaked out.) So our last errand was to pick up a travel toilet - we got a portable one for the car and a folding one for the diaper bag. Now back home she has used it several times - no accidents and I even got her through a nap diaperless. I feel like I am doing such a good thing for her. The best part is that she is excited too. I feel like she has more trust in me and is saying, "finally, mom, it's about time you figured out what I've been trying to tell you."
I told my husband that this is as easy as breastfeeding!

[Siana]

How amazing Pen! I am so happy for you. Please pass along the luck to the rest of us

What an amazing little girl you have. Of course you're an amazing mom for providing her with the EC option

On our end, we don't have a potty or a toilet seat insert yet. I hope to get both by the end of next week.

We've been EC-ing for a week now. Galen has progressed to stopping as soon as he notices he is peeing. He looks at me as if to say "mom, I'm peeing" then continues the rest immediatly after. He is very helpful will mopping up too I can't wait till we get the potty so we can embark on the next step. I feel like we are achieving a lot with EC-ing him despite odds.

I've heard that EC-ing is as easy as breastfeeding and that's what actually got me to finally do it (this is something I read in an article exactly one week ago )

[Ms.Doula]

I Just cant figure where to start...

My days are so filled with... well.... everything, that I am scared to try EC. I don't notice any signs, and if there are they are very subtle. I hope there is not alot of stress involved. I dont think I can handle more...
I have a 4yo & a 3yo I am CONSTANTLY breaking up/diciplining/cleaning/feeding/ect.

[Siana]

Do you have any waterproof flooring in the area of the house you spend most of your time in? (laminate, hardwood, stone etc.) Accidents are a lot easier to handle that way though you still have to clean them up immediately (to avoid damage to the floors, though this also works in the best interest of EC) in front of baby and say something like "pee pee goes in the potty/toilet". You can also use a sign (toilet sign) at this point.

Most importantly try to get your older two involved. My 3-yr-old is a great help. If I walk away for a second she will tell me if Galen just peed. She will also help me mop up. She shows him how to sign toilet when he doesn't get it quite right (though I don't mind she thinks it's fun to teach her little brother). Also, Galen is always in the toilet when Siobhana pees and we talk about it then so she understands quite well what I am trying to achieve with Galen.

HTH a little bit.

[Shaunam]

Hi, we're late starters too! I recently posted "Is 9 months too late?" and got some great advice. I've decided to give it a shot.

I got a little potty from my sister and let DS play with it for a day before our first attempt. He loves to put stuff in and take stuff out.

Our first attempt was absolutely disastrous. We missed two pees on carpet (but caught one!) and when I took my bath, I brought DS into the bathroom and let him go diaperless in there. Big mistake! There was poop everywhere! Normally, I can tell when he's about to poop, but I was preoccupied with washing my hair and did not notice until it was too late. He was walking around in it and everything. And our bathroom is carpeted too. :

I put the potty away for two days after that incident! But we've been doing better since. The other day we caught two pees and a poop. We had a few pee accidents, but that's no big deal. I'll admit, I'm not being very consistent. I'm still not positive this is for us.

But, on a positive note, we are back in cloth completely (other than when we use the potty of course!). I re-read my post from before and was honestly ashamed that I was using disposables because of DS's icky poop. So, I decided to suck it up and just put him back in cloth. After dealing with the poop-bathroom mess, I can handle anything. Poop on a prefold doesn't look so bad now.

And what is the sign for toilet? DS isn't signing yet (even though I've been signing since he was 4 months) but I would like to get in the habit of using it.

[Pen]

Oh My goodness! Poop on the carpet? I can't wait until I have that - ick, ick, ick.

Well, we have only caught one pee today - so much for my good luck. I figure she's said, "Well, Mom, it was fun..." But we're still hangin in there.

The sign for toilet is the thumb between the index and middle finger while your hand is in a fist. and then you waggle it?

[Lou]

I'm joining in, too!
My dd is 9 months.... and she's been poo'ing in the toilet for three weeks now! I've been interested in EC'ing for awhile, but just waiting for the right time. Life gets so chaotic sometimes so I have to decide my focus- I'm far from supermom! but... it's so easy to see when dd is ready to have a poo- she'll actually wait, squeezing her legs together- it's like she doesn't want to poo in her diaper. So we just go to the bathroom and I set her on the toilet, she usually poops right away. Peeing is a whole 'nother thing.... ah. She's still wearing her diapers, I hate to let her bare bottom get cold on our concrete & tile floors. So I figure we'll just stick with pooping in the toilet and having our little baby bjorns available, and peeing when we can, and maybe we'll get to a place when we do EC all the way. I'm seeing the light, though!!! Before we started pooping in the toilet, I thought it'd be impossible to do EC with a babe and a 3 yo, all the cooking, cleaning, running around, playing, etc.... but I now see how it is possible.

[Lou]

wanted to add that my first dd was peeing in the toilet full time when she was around 18 months old. I really feel like we did more EC rather than potty training.... we just let her go diaper-free, and were outside a lot where she could pee whereever she pleased- that really allowed her to be more aware of her elimination- having the potty available, bringing her in the bathroom while i went to the toilet, etc. for a looong time she only wanted to pee outside, though! seriously! she'd wake up in the morning and tell me she wanted to go outside and pee! so with this babe, I feel like we're on the right path towards being diaper-free.

[Siana]

The last two days I've really cut back on ECing Galen. I've been sick and simply not in the mood to run around to every place that DS goes. I feel miserable about it and wonder if it's going to take us off track. So long as I think of EC as optional, I feel like it won't work out.

[Siana]

double posted. whoops

[AngelBee]

I'm in

Angelo has started to not want to poop in his diaper. He really fights it. So tonight, I put him on the toliet. He did nto go yet, but he was cheering for himself saying "Yea!!!!" :

So.....he wants to go on again!

Then I popped on here and found this thread : I have been intimidated to try because he is so old (almost 13 months) but thanks to you mamas.....I am in!

[Ms.Doula]

HOOORAAAYYYY Angelbee!!!

[AngelBee]

Originally Posted by Ms.Doula

HOOORAAAYYYY Angelbee!!!

Awwwwww shucks! Thanks! :