I can't stay away...

[mamamoo]

Ever since I read my first thread about EC'ing I have been battling myself. I tried it with Sam when he was like 2 weeks old, then I went back to work(PT), and started suffering from ppd. Now my husband has moved out...but I can't stop thinking about this. I feel like I'm too overwhelmed to do it most of the time, but I CAN'T stop thinking about it. I feel like I'm almost neglecting (this sounds harsh...but I don't know a better way to say it) Sam by not doing ec. Okay this is what I mean...I know all the benifits of breastfeeding(insert anything here, cosleeping, GD), so I do it(I also LOVE it), but if I didn't BF even though I knew it was best, I would feel the way I'm feeling now about ec.
Does this make any sense at all?

So I guess I'm wondering if I catch a pee here and there how much does it hinder/help the whole ec thing?

Also I startled Sam midstream yesturday(I got so excited), and he didn't finish(well I got tired of standing there), is there a trick to help them finish going once they've been interupted?

Does it hinder the ec to not do it while out and about...

I think I have a zillion questions. Oh, where can I see a pic of the baby bjorn potty?

TIA~

[NaturalMom]

Debi,

I want to begin by saying that we all do what we can do. You are not damaging your son by not ECing. If you can do it here and there, then I think that's great. Even if you just do things like grunting with him when he poops or 'sss sss' when he pees, then at least his cues aren't going unnoticed and he will probably keep awareness about eliminating rather than gradually ignoring and forgetting that he is 'going' and having to be retaught again.

I don't know if this helps, since we really have only been doing this about ten days, although we have grunted/'sss sss' since my son was born. He just hated the whole thing and we were overwhelmed with a newborn, so we waited to do the actual potty thing until he was three months old. So please take what I say as just my opinion as well as a little info from reading alot about it... If you can, get a copy of Diaper Free - it's a great book, or go to the website (http://www.natural-wisdom.com/index.htm).

I have a pic of my son on his Baby Bjorn Little Potty (http://www.sheridanpack.com/Eliminat...munication.htm) but you can also find it on the web if you just do a search.

Sounds like you're already doing a great job - congrats to you

[Ahleemah]

Repeat after me:

Part-time EC is still EC.....
Imperfect EC is still EC.....

(repeat 100X)

It's TOTALLY OKAY to adapt EC to your needs.... many moms do parttime, or start late, or only do poops, or only do pees, or only do it once a day, or only do it after nursing, or only do it after waking up.....

There are NO rules! :-)

Blessings!

Ahleemah -who recommends you buy INgrid's book as well

[mamamoo]

Thanks~I guess I needed a little reassurence. I am going to take off Sam's dipe right now!!

[AmyB]

Originally posted by mamamoo
Thanks~I guess I needed a little reassurence. I am going to take off Sam's dipe right now!!

Go for it!

You don't even need a bare-butt baby to do EC. You just need to give your baby a chance to go when his diaper is off. My EC baby wears a diaper most of the time, she just doesn't usually go in the diaper.

When the communication starts to happen you'll be amazed.

--AmyB

[Ahleemah]

another helpful idea

I wore ds in the sling, with a diaper tucked between his legs. In the sling, I rarely missed his cues, he was very clear. And if we missed... well, I have several slings.. :-)

And I would just let the peed ones dry.. not wash every time. BAby pee is sterile, and usually doesn't smell at all.

Blessings!

Ahleemah