EC and elimination timing

[ShannonCC]

I got the idea that some might be confused over what "timing" means when it comes to elimination communication. I couldn't put a finger on my discomfort til this morning it finally occurred to me that some might be thinking it's *making* the baby go at certain times! I've no doubt there are still people who do that, and have read it was done early last century, but that is not EC. So if you are at all interested, read on

Timing means one of two things. First, it's noticing the baby's pattern. My son (and most people!) pees shortly after waking in the morning. I take him to the potty first thing in the morning and every single time without fail he pees. I don't have to wait for a signal from him because I know his bladder is full. I also offer him the potty after naps and after eating solids because those are times he is likely to go.

Timing also means just looking at the clock, realizing the baby hasn't gone in awhile, and offering the potty just in case.

If anyone was confused, i hope this cleared it up

[mrzmeg]

Shannon, you explained that very well!
I mostly rely on a mix of timing and instinct. Tristan has to pee in the morning and whenever he wakes from a nap. During the day, he has to pee about every 15 minutes or so. I don't use a clock, I just all of the sudden get the feeling that he needs to go (and I'm usually right).
Of course, I don't wait more than a minute or so if he doesn't go and I don't make him sit there if he gets upset.

On another note, how do you moms of boys "point" their pees? I've just been sitting Tristan down on the Baby Bjorn, but today he peed and it shot out horizontally and over the side of the potty . I guess I should start remembering to put a finger on his penis and point it downward...

[HeatherSanders]

Melanie, if I am holding down Kenny's penis when he starts peeing, it isn't a problem. If I forget and then go to point it down once he starts (and it always shoots off horizontally to the left and then straightens up a bit), he'll stop immediately.

Timing is a big thing for me right now . . . I get those 'feelings' he needs to go and we go then too, but we ALWAYS GO and he most always eliminates at about 10 minutes after a nursing, another 10 minutes out from there and always when he first stirs (before he's actually 'awake') and immediately upon being set in his car seat to go somewhere! :LOL

As far as intuition . . . I also get a strange warm feeling. This sounds strange, but hang with me. If he's sitting on my lap, it 'feels' as if he's peed, but he hasn't. I'll go take him to pee and he'll go. The same with when he's against my chest. I'll 'feel' warmth (although nothing is there) and when I take him, he always needs to pee.

Anyone have that?

[mrzmeg]

Heather, I've had that warm feeling a few times. I read somewhere that that's a really common thing among EC'ing moms!

[HeatherSanders]

Originally posted by mrzmeg
Heather, I've had that warm feeling a few times. I read somewhere that that's a really common thing among EC'ing moms!

That's the other percentage of my brain that I haven't been using for a while.

[ShannonCC]

Wow! Every 15 minutes! Owen doesn't go nearly that much, but then, he's 9 m/o now. In the morning he goes a lot, maybe that often, but then it slows down considerably. Some evenings he's gone 2 hours w/o peeing! Drove me nuts thinking something was wrong. Actually, both my kids combined pee less than I do so I spend all my time in the bathroom anyway

I have felt the warmness before peeing too. I sound like a stick in the mud (I do believe in intution, really!) but I wonder if it's a physical thing? Does that area get a rush of blood when it's about to do it's job maybe?

I don't have to aim Owen. If I set him down on the BB right then it all dangles in there naturally There are times I set him down wrong tho and his penis squishes up and the firehose goes up and over, lol! But most of the time it's not an issue.

[HeatherSanders]

Originally posted by ShannonCC
I have felt the warmness before peeing too. I sound like a stick in the mud (I do believe in intution, really!) but I wonder if it's a physical thing? Does that area get a rush of blood when it's about to do it's job maybe?

Hey, that is a very good point . . . I like it! It make sense . . . the area often expands and sometimes changes color. My husband would probably better like that explanation! :LOL

[ShannonCC]

What can I say I'm just a wet blanket

I have a thought for the psychic communication too. I don't think the baby is psychically telling the mom it has to go. Instead, I think the mom is subconsciously picking up signals but not fully, consciously, noticing them. It's the mom's subconscious telling her conscious mind "the kid has to pee!".

I do believe in intuition and psychic communication, I just tend to be very sceptical about it at the same time (if that makes sense to anyone but me :LOL). So don't anyone think I'm laughing at you if you do think it's psychic communication ok?

And yes, my dh would also snort his coke laughing if he read the psychic EC stuff