Who's Here? Introductions. - Page 3

[marsupial*mama]

OK, this looks like fun!

Name: Jodie
Partner: P
EC'd babe(s): DS, now 3.5. DD, just turned 1.
EC'ing since: early 2004 when my son was 10 months old.
Other kids (+ages): DS, almost 7. DD, just turned 5
Diapers (use 'em? what sort? how often?):

Our system is pretty simple. My older two were diapered in modern cloth, fitted and AIO's etc.

For DS, we were in Australia where the weather is perpetually warm so he just went bare bum all the time and I just watched for pre-elimination signs. I suppose it was more like elimination timing than elimination communication because, as a late starter, he wouldn't be cued.

For DD, I'm using ordinary girls knickers (size 2, Disney brand ). She also spends a lot of time bare bottomed but I've reverted to a much more basic stash of terry towels (origami folded and fastened with a snappi) and hemp prefolds with wool covers for nights.

Favorite 'potty': It doesn't have a brand on it but it's old - obtained second hand and commercially available through Target in Australia. (btw, Target in Australia is a great source of cloth diaper essentials. I was disappointed to discover this is not the case in the US!)

Other info: We've just come out of a lo~ong potty pause incorporating learning to walk and cutting essential teeth. We always caught most poos but now we're having more and more success with catching wees every day!! She has started to motion for the potty or sit unprompted. We just found our first mystery wee in the potty a few days ago so I think we're on the home stretch now. We don't EC at night but she sometimes wakes up dry in the mornings so I think we'll just wait it out until she gives the signal that she doesn't want to wear a diaper to bed at night. With DS that was around 18 months old.

[marsupial*mama]

PS, I'm a rather irregular visitor but I've found this forum a great source of support just lurking and reading the experiences of others - especially during our recent stage of potty refusal.

[FelixMom]

Name: Amy
Partner: Francois
EC'd babe(s): Aurelie
EC'ing since: DS from 4 months, DD from 2 weeks
Other kids (+ages): Felix 4.5 yrs
Diapers (use 'em? what sort? how often?): We CD when not offering potty-tunities (FuzziBunz, prefolds, Kissaluvs, Mother-ease)
Favorite 'potty': BBLP knock-off
Other info: I love not having to change so many poopy diapers. Another added bonus is observing how DD can go for longer spells before needing to pee.

[tsfairy]

Name: Heidi
Partner: Mike
EC'd babe(s): Lucas - almost 16mo
EC'ing since: October 2005 - DS was 10.5 wks old
Other kids (+ages): n/a

Diapers (use 'em? what sort? how often?): we went diaperfree a couple days before DS turned 7mo and now use Gerber size 2T (altered) or 18mo trainers. From about 3 months until then, we only used diapers outside of the house and I loved pockets (HH & FB) because they were more "feel-dry" if we couldn't get to a potty.

Favorite 'potty': the Target version of the BBLP - it has a higher guard and we have fewer splashovers with it than with the real BBLP. DS will only use his little potty these days - he's still really too small for the big toilet, even with a reducer, and he never would use a public toilet (smart kid!) Before he got big enough for the potty (he was around 9mo when he started preferring it) we used the bathroom sink.

Other info: DS is nakey-bum almost all the time at home. Our miss rate is pretty low - usually only 1-2 per day when we're home, and close to zero lately when we're out (as long as I bring the BBLP.) We've been 95%+ for poop catches almost since we started - DS immediately preferred the potty over his diaper, and would always hold it or signal really clearly even when nakey-bum. We had some notable exceptions when I was working from home and DS was learning to crawl, with almost no catches for a couple months there! We've had dry nights since DS started holding it all night at around 4ish months. He HATES if I try to potty him at night unless he specifically asks, but he stays dry most of the time so it's usually no biggie.

I love how in tune with DS I am most of the time. If I get too distracted, DS gives me a reality check by peeing on the rug LOL... then I know to pay more attention to him! I also have become really aware of his food sensitivities in a way that I doubt would have been possible without EC - like if he eats too many grapes or ANY watermelon, he has absolutely no control over his bladder. As long as I keep those foods (plus a few others I can't think of right now) out of his diet he signals really well and we tend to have a really good catch rate.

[Vortexing]

I've been MIA for too long!!!!

I've been missing you EC mamas lately, as we've been off doing other stuff and I haven't had time to get my MDC fill lately. Here's my info:

Name: Amy
Partner: Jai
EC'd babe(s): Adia (6 mths)

EC'ing since: We officially started at 3 weeks, so we're coming up on our 6 mth ECing anniversary!! Also, that will be our 4 mth night time ECing anniversary too!!! yea!!!!

Other kids (+ages): n/a

Diapers (use 'em? what sort? how often?): Yes, we use Daisy Doodle AI2s for going out, since we still don't EC out of the home unless we go to someone's house for a few hours b/c she pees SOOO MUCH. Quick trips to the grocery store and the like are currently basically the only diapered time. And we have prefolds in the house for cleaning up misses.

Favorite 'potty': We spend equal time using the BBLP (living room and bedroom) and the BBPC (in the bathroom when we have to potty too).

Other info:
-One of my biggest issues with other more mainstream parents has now become, seeing parents ask a baby if they're pooping in their diaper, and saying, "ok, well we'll wait until you're done!!" Just makes me grind my teeth just trying to not pick up their baby and bring them to a freaking potty!!! :

-Also, I've learned that size 2T undies actually fit a 6 mth old. So we actually have our 6 mth old wearing undies and pants around the house!!!!

[giarose]

Name:gia
Partner:giustino
EC'd babe(s): marius (2.75 yrs), alessandro (8 mos)
EC'ing since: m- 9 mos, a-since birth
Other kids (+ages):
Diapers (use 'em? what sort? how often?): ds1 we used AIOs then switched to prefolds, ds2 we mainly use prefolds and gerbers training pants, but these days he's mostly nakey butt
Favorite 'potty': bblp, insert to a potty - ds2 wouldn't go anywhere else for a long time
Other info: we started late with ds1 but he was out of diapers by 20 mos. we did have some regression after ds2 was born and we moved. he stays dry most nights, but not all the time. ds2 did great the first 4 months, very clear signals, then after a month-long road trip (I only changed a handful of poopy diapers that month!) he went on a potty strike. didn't want to pee or poop in a potty or in a diaper. two months later he started signing "potty" and the strike was over. now we can't keep him on the potty because he's crawling around and standing up, trying to walk. he likes to poop standing up now. i havent caught much this past month he doesn't like wearing prefolds much anymore (or anything) but it's getting cold. not sure what we'll do... that's for another post...

[Rico'sAlice]

Another "wanna-be" here-

Name: Alice
Partner: Enrico
EC'd babe(s): None yet. (But I have essentially EC'd special needs adults for years.)
EC'ing since: Planning to start from birth.
Other kids (+ages): None
Diapers (use 'em? what sort? how often?): Not sure. Will start diaper free and naked except for in the car and see how it goes.
Favorite 'potty': I dunno yet. Seems like it may depend on baby's sex.
Other info: Due in May!


(And Hi Aletheia! Fancy seeing you here...)

[chainedangel]

Name:Amanda
Partner:
EC'd babe(s):Zoë-Jane (almost 17mos)
EC'ing since:3 or 4 mos. off and on.
Other kids (+ages): Stenson(9), Cameron, (7), Elliott(5)
Diapers (use 'em? what sort? how often?):Flats and prefolds w/wo plastic pants when out of the house. Her Daddy uses paper dipes
Favorite 'potty': We use a potty made by Safety 1st, a seat reducer by some other company, we're getting a wooden potty from my brother and I would love to someday get a BBLP
Other info: I used ec techniques a bit w/ all three boys. ds 1 & 2 when they were 3.5 and 18 mos respectively, were full on trained using ec methods. DS 3 I used ec for a lil bit when he was a babe but stopped for many reasons. DD made the connection herself one day. She had learned to blow raspberries and started to only blow raspberries when her "other end" was about to make a similar sound... (bf baby poop is loud!) So, we started ec. Have had a few potty strikes and lapses since, but all in all it works.

[LeslieB]

Name:Leslie
Partner:Bryan
EC'd babe(s):John, 9 months
EC'ing since:4 weeks old
Other kids (+ages):none
Diapers (use 'em? what sort? how often?):Yep, we still use diapers. Fuzzi Bunz most of the time. DS was naked a lot and wore prefolds when it was warmer and he was smaller. We just moved to NH so the colder weather has put a damper on ecing so I decided to rethink our diaper situation. I just ordered some larger prefolds and some baby legs.I'm hoping to wean off the fuzzi bunz except when we're out.
Favorite 'potty':OUTSIDE! DS will go through mini indoor potty strikes, but will always go outside, even in the cold weather. We do use the BBLP as well for inside pottying.
Other info:ECing has really been going well over all. I'm still amazed by it every day. Even though DS is still in diapers, he has pretty much stopped pooing in them since 4 months old. He did have some diarriah lately that went in the diaper, but some adults even poo themselves when they have diarriah. So I don't let those bother me. Pees are still so hard to catch. Sometimes I'll catch almost all of them during the day and sometimes not.
We night time ec'ed until DS was about 6 months old. He became really resistant to it and got really upset so I cut out the night time pottying. He usually stays dry until about 4am, though. Not sure when we'll get back into that. He's also had a few potty strikes that coincided with crawling, but that was mainly for indoor pottying; outside seems to always work for him.
So overall, I'd say things are going really well. DS is completely aware of his elimination, and I love that. He just can't always hold it if Mama isn't paying attention.

[KBug]

LeslieB - your DS sounds just like mine - a great lover of the outdoors. I often wonder if it's somewhat instinctive not to soil your nest as it were... I have cut the toes out of some of my (old) socks and use them for leggings (the knee goes where the heal was). Works great - so cheap and easy and keeps me off the fuzzi bunz at home. We have some nice fleece onsie tops that I leave open but the flap mostly covers his bum.

[Thalia]

Another wannabe here...

Name: Thalia
Partner: wordyeight (DH)
EC'd babe(s): due in July 2007
EC'ing since: we've been learning about EC for two years now
Other kids (+ages): none
Diapers (use 'em? what sort? how often?): we plan to use a cloth diaper service in the beginning
Favorite 'potty': don't know yet
Other info: I've been lurking in the EC forums for a long time. DH and I plan to use EC with our firstborn, who we are expecting in late July.

[Lynnseedoil]

Name: Lynn
Partner: DH
EC'd babe(s): Ari (10 months old)
EC'ing since: We started using sign language and saying Psss when she poo'd at about 1 month (? approx ?). Then transitioned to the potty at about 4 months when she was more sturdy.
Other kids (+ages): none
Diapers (use 'em? what sort? how often?): Diaper service which is being cancelled Wednesday! Then we'll start washing our own pre-folds. I like Bummi's Super Whisper Wraps for covers. I just inherited tons of pants from my EC-ing SIL so we'll make the switch to padded underwear/training pants after the holidays or in the spring. She only uses the potty. I haven't figured out how to get her to pee/poo in public yet so we'll continue to use pre-folds when we go out, I imagine.
Favorite 'potty': BBLP (in blue!)
Other info: I haven't changed more than 1 poopy diaper/month since she was about 5 or 6 months. She absolutely Will Not poo in a diaper. Go Ari!!! We're having more and more dry diapers and signing to pee. It's so cute, we use a sign where we put all of our fingertips together and then open them wide. Her interpretation is scratching her eye. Go figure... As long as we understand it, it doesn't matter what she does. FIL always jokes about her itchy eye.
This forum has been a great source of info and inspiration. Thanks ladies!

[LeslieB]

Originally Posted by KBug

LeslieB - your DS sounds just like mine - a great lover of the outdoors. I often wonder if it's somewhat instinctive not to soil your nest as it were... I have cut the toes out of some of my (old) socks and use them for leggings (the knee goes where the heal was). Works great - so cheap and easy and keeps me off the fuzzi bunz at home. We have some nice fleece onsie tops that I leave open but the flap mostly covers his bum.

Yeah, I wonder about that nest instinct. Maybe it's true.
The sock idea is a great one. Didn't even think of it! Where do you get fleece onesies. I just have thin long-sleeved onesies. Fleece ones would be so much better.

[KBug]

LeslieB - I bought them from Mountain Equipment Coop www.mec.ca It's a Canadian co-op and you have to buy a $5 membership but they have great prices and a great selection of clothing. They monitor all factories that make their clothes to ensure good working conditions.

[runes]

Name: Michele
Partner: DH
EC'd babe(s): K (13 1/2 months old)
EC'ing since: Started with EC at 6 weeks old, I put her on the BBLP and cued her and she peed!! Started introducing the sign for potty at around 5 months.
Other kids (+ages): none
Diapers (use 'em? what sort? how often?): We have our own little system of using 7th generation sposies when out and about/at night, and cloth. I just bought some BG OS pockets, some MagicAll AIO's as well as using our standby stash of fitteds and wool. At home, we often just have dd in a fitted without a cover. We're part-time ec'ers.
Favorite 'potty': BBLP
Other info: I'm thinking about transitioning dd from the fitteds to one-wet training pants when we're home.

[Aletheia]

Great! I updated the first page to here.

Hiya Rico'sAlice... and congrats on the pregnancy!

[APMomOfKimmyN-Maya]

hello from bay area

Name:Samantha
Partner:Michael
EC'd babe(s):Maya 9 months
EC'ing since:3.5 months
Other kids (+ages):5 yr old girl Kimmy
Diapers (use 'em? what sort? how often?): I leave her naked throughout the day and will sometimes put a prefold on my lap while nursing her. She wears cloth diapers out in public but I still try to EC.
Favorite 'potty':the regular potty with the soft attachment seat w/ handles
Other info:

[Slaydensmom]

Name: Jennifer
Partner: Kevin
EC'd babe(s): Slayden(who is now 11.5 mos.)
EC'ing since: around 3 months when I held him over the sink in front of the mirror. Transitioned to the BBLP when he was able to sit up on his own(like 6.5 mos?) and still put it in front of mirror. He loves the mirror play time and also all the cool bathroom items to play with(brushes, bottles,etc.).
Other kids (+ages): none
Diapers (use 'em? what sort? how often?): use them pretty much all the time. We caretake someone's home and have lots of carpet. but Slayden does get some nakey bum time usually every day. We use a variety: prefolds, FB, BG, some fitteds( my LBs!) and wool covers.
Favorite 'potty': BBLP, only one we've used except the sink! ...and the adult potty a few times
Other info: I am sort of a lazy ECer: only really get catches after naps and upon wake up in the am. We were more on it when he was younger but then things changed around 6-7 mos and I can't seem to see any cues anymore. So its really about timing at this point and some days I'm more on it than others. He loves his nakey bum time and gets a little bummed when I go to put that diaper back on! I feel like I should try harder again to become more on it so that he can be FREE! more often. We do get most poops. In the last 2 weeks, I have only changed about 4 poopy diapers. No nighttime EC-I tried a couple of times and he would be awake afterwards so that he thought it was time to play and Also seemed a bit resistant to doing potty at night.

[Valian]

Name: Valian

Partner:BookDad

EC'd babe(s)s, 03/06/06

EC'ing since: started using cues around 3 mo, full-time starting at 5 mo
Other kids (+ages): none

Diapers (use 'em? what sort? how often?): We've always used prefolds with a cover and just take them off and on all day for pottyunities. Once we crossed into catching most pees we added Bumkins AIOs. At 10 mo we transitioning into potty training underwear with a cover.

Favorite 'potty': Currently a "retired" tupperware bowl : We started with large yogurt containers, and he went through a sinks only phase. We don't own any offical potties.

Other info: We love EC. It may start as a choice, but if you continue with it, then I think it transforms your mindset towards elimination. I can't put into words really, but its just a different way of seeing babies. We'll EC any and all future babies for sure. Our goal has never been diaperfree, just catching what we can and responding to Ds' cues for his needs. Of course, once we figured out what his cues meant it was like he'd been flashing a neon sign at us, "I need to PEE folks, help me out here!"

[splunky]

Name: Wendy
Partner: my wondeful husband!
EC'd babe(s): DD 11/18/06
EC'ing since: 3 weeks
Other kids (+ages): 3 boys 8, 6, 4
Diapers (use 'em? what sort? how often?): I use pampers, they have this strip in the middle that is yellow, it turns green when they pee. We live in Asia and it's very expensive to get cloth. My family is visiting next mo. and am having them bring a few different trainers out to see which ones we like. Not brave enough to go nakey butt too much yet.
Favorite 'potty': Sink or BBLP knock off
Other info: I am kinda lazy with it right now. But, now that my 2 older boys will start school again, it may become more of a priority. We mainly catch the after naps and before/after feedings, and since sh'es night owl, we catch the ones after the boys are in bed. But DH and I both love it!