Where do I start? EC with a 3.5 month old.

[CTH3989]

Hi ladies! Where do I start with EC? My son is 3.5 months old. I tried to read some threads but I got overwhelmed so I just tried to wing it today and we didn't get one pee in the toilet.

I am using fitted dipes with no covers and before I can get him to the potty, he has already peed. I have a few questions...

1. Do I use the big potty for my son or something smaller(if something smaller, what?)

2. How do you dress your child for EC?

3. Is my son too young to start EC?

4. How do I get him to understand using the big potty?

5. How do I learn to read his signs?

Thanks ladies!

[granolalight]

Hi Chelci!

Welcome and congrats! So cool that you have decided to begin EC. I will answer your questions, I'm sure the other gals will be along shortly to chime in...

You can hold him over the big potty or sink. We use the BBLP and my 3 month old DS loves it.

Your son is definitely not too young! EC can start from day 1.

There are many different ways to dress for EC. You'll have to find what is comfortable for you in your home, your climate, etc. The best way to learn is to try to have him naked on a cloth dipe, that way you will know immediately when he goes, and what his signals/patterns are/were.

As far as signalling? Honestly, I'm not very good at all reading DS's signals. I use timing and intuition. If it's been a while, I jsut offer it to him and he usually goes. I always offer upon waking and he almost always goes then. Some days are better than others, but I would say, on average, I catch more than 50% of them now.

Try using the cuing noises... ssssss is pretty popular and makes sense. Even if you miss one and you feel him peeing on a dipaer, cue him then so he will learn to associate the cue with what is happening in his body. Then cue him when you hold him over the toilet. He'll get it!

These websites were helpful to me:

http://www.natural-wisdom.com/index.htm

http://www.tribalbaby.org/index.html

Take it easy, don't pressure yourself or him. When you catch your first one, you'll be so excited, then you'll become addicted!! I found that it's not nearly as hard as I thought it would be. Good luck!

[CTH3989]

Thanks for the help! I got so frustrated today and I just quit so I will try it again after he wakes up from his nap.

[Kokopelli-mana]

That's the perfect age! It is exactly when I started ds and he took to it almost immediately. Try holding the baby over the sink as soon as he/ she wakes from a nap. Make the pssss sound every time. I found that instantly ds was relieved to not have to sit in his own waste. Don't stress out about misses. Enjoy and good luck!

[CTH3989]

I just tried and I sat him in the sink and he just swatted at his lotion bottle on the counter. He diaper was already a little wet when I took it off. We sat there for a little bit and after he didn't do anything I picked him up. Oh well, I will try again in a few minutes.

What kinds of cues should I look for?

[cmg]

Originally Posted by CTH3989

I just tried and I sat him in the sink and he just swatted at his lotion bottle on the counter.

Try the squat position as well - hands under legs, back against your chest. It's particularly helpful for poops. If he was wet, tho, he probably just peed. I've got a 3.5 mo old and her pee spacing is pretty reliably 15-20 min apart, if that helps.

It can be a bit frustrating at first, esp. when your third pair of pants just got peed on but after a couple of weeks it will get easier. There's a lot of helpful suggestions in this forum.

[CTH3989]

Thank you ladies. I could definitely use more tips! How does it work at night? Do I have to get up during the night to do EC or just put a diaper on and start again in the morning?

[SunCB]

I can tell you what I do but I am only beginning too. I would say I am a PT ECer. DS2 is in CDs with covers.

I take him to the toilet when he wakes up from his sleep periods and every time I change him. I have only understood a few ques from him.

I started with him around 3 months and now he is almost 5 months. I started with putting him over the sink but now just holding him over the toilet. I put him on backwards with my hands are on his thighs and his butt is on the front of the toilet and my arms go up his back for support. We usually get most poops in the toilet as I have learned what times (early morning and early evening the majority of the time).

Depending on if we are going anywhere DS will be fully dressed or just in a shirt, CD w/cover, socks, and leggings. I say pee pee and pssss and poo poo and grunt noises for him to know he can go.

Hope that helps.

[CTH3989]

Thank you. I have made up a song for him and every time I take him to the bathroom, I sing it to him. I will take him to the potty when he wakes up.

[cmg]

Originally Posted by CTH3989

Thank you ladies. I could definitely use more tips! How does it work at night? Do I have to get up during the night to do EC or just put a diaper on and start again in the morning?

I keep the baby bjorn potty by the bed and just hold her over it when she's started wriggling after nursing (she always waits until after nursing to pee). But you will probably need to experiment with timing to find something that works. She lets me know pretty quickly if she's not ready to go yet.

I keep her on a pre-fold on a lambskin in the bed, nakey from the waist down if I'm "on", otherwise, I use a pre-fold and an elastic belt (she often gets me when she pees - probably worse with a boy ). Other folks use a wool pad - it's to protect the bed.

I usually try to get a pee in just before bed, too.

I've actually found EC'ing has helped her sleep better (she usually passes a lot of gas, which makes her wriggle around until it's gone) but it took a fair amount of trial and error over a week or so to find a routine that worked. How well it works depends a lot on your baby's temperment, I think.

[tbone]

Just wanted to let you know that I just started EC too and it can get overwhelming, but it's sooo exciting when you get a pee or poo (especially poo!) in the toilet. I'm just doing it part time but I do feel like I'm getting to know ds better in the process.

There is lots of support on this forum and everytime I start to think it's just not worth it, I read a few posts and get back into the swing of things!

[CTH3989]

Thanks for the tips.

I took Elijah to the potty twice since he woke up around 9:30 and he hasn't peed yet. He's nursing right now so I will take him after he finishes eating.

I need to find an easier way to dress him so I don't have to do so much undressing.

[CTH3989]

Thanks for the tip! I can't wait until I get a pee or poo in the potty.

[CTH3989]

: HE DID IT!!!! I Am so excited!! I took him to the potty at about 10:50AM and 2 secs later he did it! He did it so fast and I was so shocked that I forgot to do the pss sound. I did it immediately afterwards and then congratulated him and told him how proud I was of him. I just thought I would share my happiness!!!


Chelci

[CTH3989]

Question: How often does an infant have to potty? When should I take him to the potty again?

[cmg]

Originally Posted by CTH3989

Question: How often does an infant have to potty? When should I take him to the potty again?

I get 10 minutes after the first potty of the morning, and after that it's every 15-20 minutes.

[CTH3989]

I've been taking him every 15-20 minutes. The last one was 30 minutes apart. We have had 3 successes and 4 misses for a total of 7 pees today!

[granolalight]

That's great, Chelci. It's so fun when you catch 'em.

Sometimes I get brave and let DS be naked or just on a prefold. But today I got poop and pee on my clothes and didn't enjoy that too much, so now he is in a dipe with a cover. Fortunately, it is warm here, so I can keep him out of pants and he won't be cold. I don't like all the undressing. It's annoying.

[CTH3989]

Nak.

I have Elijah in a onesie and sleeper but they are unbuttoned asnd pulled up and he has on a Kissaluv fitted.

I have caught 6 out of 10 pees and 1 outof 1 poo! He has been inthe same dry dipe since 1:10PM.

I have started a blog so I can keep track of EC'ing with Elijah.
http://elijahquinn1115.weblog.com

[tbone]

Congratulations!! I'm so glad your doing so well!