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a few more getting started obstacles. Help!

889 views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  mamarosa 
#1 ·
Thanks to everyone who replied to my other getting started thread!

I don't know whether I said so, but Daniel is our first baby, and breastfeeding has been *okay*, but I would not call it easy at all. Plus, I am still fatigued and I have a sore back from the birth (it will be two weeks ago on Saturday).

I think that if I were less tired and felt better this would be easier. I don't want to get frustrated, and I *really* don't want Daniel to become frustrated or associate potty with anything negative.

BUT, the last three times I have held him over a receptacle and gone, "sssss," he has cried, so I just took him off. We've caught two, so far, and had several more misses. Above all, I don't want to force my son into this, but at the same time, I feel I should encourage him, much like I had to encourage him to nurse.

And my biggest question: do babies eliminate in their sleep or will they always wake for a bit to do it?

Thanks so much for any insight!


Jean
 
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#2 ·
Hi Jean,

Don't worry about EC if it is stressing you. All the hormones are still pouring out of your body and you will be quite tired and stressed for a while. It'll get easier soon.

Yes, just take him off if he cries. If he goes in his diaper, that is fine. If Liam is tired, he wants nothing to do with the potty, even if he needs to go and that is why he can't sleep. I figure that is what diapers are for at that point. Often I give him our cue when he goes in his diapers, so he catches on that I know what he is doing.

We have lots of misses, especially pees. Oh well!! Sometimes not in a diaper either (clean up time!)

I don't think they eliminate in their sleep, but they need to be at least half awake. Since a newborn is often half awake though, it may seem that he is going when he is sleeping. I wasn't ECing when Liam was 2 weeks, but I was trying to change his diaper with every pee (he had really sensitive skin). He was usually semi-awake when he would pee.

Breast feeding will get easier too. I was really worried about supply etc, with my first , too worried. With my second, I let him lead and it all worked out (he just turned 4 months and is 18 pounds!!).

Daniel needs to eat, so you do need to teach him BF right away. He doesn't need to EC, so that can go much slower.

Hope it is getting better already!!

Chris
 
#3 ·
My dd, now 4.5 months old, hated EC when she was a newborn. She would cry if you held her while she eliminated. So I let it go. I changed her as soon as she went, so she wouldn't get used to sitting in a dirty diaper. I gave the auditory signal whenever I knew she was eliminating. It was frustrating for me at times, but I kept reminding myself that this was for HER benefit, not mine. One day when she was 7 weeks old, I knew she had to go. So I undressed both of us and got in the bathtub and started playing with her. She was happy, relaxed, and when she started pooping, I gave the signal. It was amazing. I could see the comprehension dawn on her. I have washed less than a dozen poopy diapers since then. Unfortunately, she is quite conent to wear a wet diaper.
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#4 ·
ita with the posts above. nakking, but just wanted to let you know we waited until 2 or 3 months and it was much easier and less stressful.

do what works for you, and if ec isn't working let it go and come back to it later. you've got enough to deal with now, and it will still work in a few weeks or months!
 
#5 ·
Well babies half asleep can really seam asleep. I had read that babies will always wake up to pee, and now I believe it to be true. But a few months ago, when dd was still pretty new, I had just finished reading all this EC stuff on the net, I went to bed with dd fast asleep... 2 mins later she poops. I pick her up, get her in the bathroom, take the diap off, let her finish, rinse her bum. She doesn't crack an eyelid the whole time... doesn't even need to nurse back to sleep! WTF?
 
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