Where do I start? EC with a 3.5 month old. - Page 2

[CTH3989]

I didn't think it would be this easy! Today is only our 2nd day. Kind of like our first though because I gave up after 2 tries yesterday.

[Kokopelli-mana]

That's how it started for us, too. It was SO easy. We've changed only 2 poo diapers since ds was 3.5 months old - and he's now 14 months!

I cannot tell you how grateful I am to have missed all those poopy diapers. Ds usually poos first thing in the morning. We just give a quick wipe with toilet paper, and it has just a quarter-sized stain on it. Compared to having to wipe the poo of of his entire hiney, this is cake! I can tell you that he has preferred not to sit in his own waste since EC day 1. And the fact that he hasn't had to makes me feel wonderful.

.... Now if I can only get him to pee standing over the potty (working on that now...)

[CTH3989]

Hehe, I hope it stays this easy! Our day went wonderfully. Check my blog about EC'ing with Elijah. I posted it a few posts back.

Chelci

[granolalight]

Originally Posted by CTH3989

Hehe, I hope it stays this easy! Our day went wonderfully.

It won't.

From all the posts I've read, most people experience EC as consistently inconsistent! It doesn't stop us from doing it though. I don't see how you can stop, frankly. It is addicting, and you never want to change poopy dipes again.

[CTH3989]

Thanks.

[EdnaMarie]

Welcome to our little tribe, Chelci! DD goes off and on. I can't relate to those people who've only changed one poopy dipe- my DD is so unpredictable and we've had two poopy pants in a row. But at least it's not every day.

Regarding clothes: I cut off all her onesies since they get hit when she sits in her pot, or they fall in. We use lots of elastic waist cotton pants, in layers because it's cold here, and tee-shirts. No snaps or buttons. I got the clothes online since I couldn't find plain ones in stores.

Good luck mamma!

[CTH3989]

Thank you! We took yesterday and today off because he was sick and the last thing he wanted was for me to be holding over a potty. We will hopefully resume tomorrow.

Chelci

[FelixMom]

HI Chelsi,

I began ECing my DS when he was the same age as your child. In reflection and hindsight, EC requires you to be patient, attentive and laid back. The patience is for when you're discouraged after too many misses. The laid back part is because if you're stressed, the baby can sense that and might not do what needs to be done in the potty.

I keep DD in cloth when we're not giving her a potty-tunity because there's wall to wall carpeting here... And I haven't been brave enough to venture into nighttime ECing because I value my sleep. Mind you, DD (and DS ages ago) will amaze me from time to time by staying dry through the entire night!

In Laurie Boucke's book Infant Potty Training, she has a chart you can use to keep track of time between pees/poops. If your baby isn't mobile yet and you have a morning or afternoon you want to devote to timing intervals, just keep baby nakey bum on prefolds and keep track of how often baby needs to eliminate after nursing and in between feedings.

Good luck!

[AngelBee]

:

[CTH3989]

@ Felix, Thanks!

[sugarbooger]

Whoo hoo!!! Congrats! We part time EC... as in Mama part time ECs when she's home with DD! We actually only stress the after sleep eliminations, but do give her the cues when she uses her diaper, too. I figure, even tho I can't EC all the time, I can at least keep the positive potty association going until she's old enough to have some control over using the potty independently.

Right now, out of the past 4 mornings, we've had 3 dry night time diapers followed by caught pee and poo immediately following undressing! Wahooo!!!!!

[CTH3989]

That's great! We haven't done EC in a week. I need to get back into it.

Chelci

[sunnymw]

Just FYI about going at night... and some people are gonna laugh at this...

He sleeps nekkid on a waterproof crib pad (in our bed), with a hand towel on top of that. But usually when he wakes up, he HATES being moved out of bed, so I've found that it works best to hold a baby bottle (we use Avent because they are the PERFECT SHAPE) to his penis or up against his perinium (if he's on his back) and cue him.

It was hilarious b/c the first time DH saw me doing it, he said "Oh, so THAT'S what those are for!!"

During the day, if I'm just sitting around or watching a movie or w/e, I'll sit cross-legged w/ him in my lap, with a plastic bowl in between my legs under him. Works great for nursing too!! It's good when I'm on the phone and totally miss his cues...

And don't get discouraged (or try not to)... I've changed pants 4-5 times a day and just had to suck it up. If you feel like you're stressing, just put a diaper on him and take a break, and start again when you feel refreshed or at the next diaper change!

HTH and good luck!

[sunnymw]

Oh forgot to mention... every morning when we get up, I don't make a cueing "sound" for poo-- I just tighten my stomach muscles, which are up against his back, and he does it right away and goes.

[crystalalene]

I have a question about morning ec.
We nurse for a long time in the morning, while we wake up and look around, and it has always been like this. Do you hold them over a potty first, or wait until they are done nursing? I don't want to (for my sake just as much) jump out of bed to get on the potty.
:

[cmg]

Originally Posted by crystalalene

I have a question about morning ec.
We nurse for a long time in the morning, while we wake up and look around, and it has always been like this. Do you hold them over a potty first, or wait until they are done nursing? I don't want to (for my sake just as much) jump out of bed to get on the potty.
:

I think it depends on the baby - she'll hold it until she's done nursing and she's a cranky waker, so I do it right after when she smiles at me. But I have to be quick...