[paulamc]

We've been EC'ing since DS was 11 days old (he's 9 weeks now), and I've generally been happy with our progress. We're very relaxed about it. He's always in diapers (cloth with wool or fleece covers) and I take him to the potty at each diaper change and anytime I happen to think it's been a while. For a long time we were catching poos and pees several times a day with this method. The past few weeks poos have been less frequent, and on occasion I notice him straining, and take him to the potty - we've had a few successes this way as well.

We started out pottying him in the bathtub but have shifted to the toilet - whether the bathtub or toilet I hold him with his back against my tummy, my hands under his thighs/ knees. When we went to the bathtub I sat on the side of the tub. Now I sit on a stool facing the toilet.

Lately we don't seem to be having much luck, however. He's been a bit fussy the past few days in general, but in particular as soon as I go to take off his pants or his footed sleeper he starts howling, and there's no way he'll go to the potty in that state. I always wrap him up in a receiving blanket and try to calm him down before we head for the bathroom, and sometime he'll go after that, but much of the time he continues to resist.

I feel like we need to step it up a notch somehow or the EC is going to just go by the wayside as if it never happened! I've been using all the one piece footed suits with a zillion snaps that everyone gave us, but maybe we need a wardrobe change - for example, split crotch pants (do they work well in the position I use, and for boys when peeing?), or baby legs, longies with a t-shirt at night. Should I turn up the heat and take his pants and diaper cover off for a while during the day? I hate to raise our heating bill...

I could really use your advice and encouragement. Has anyone else had this problem at 2 months?

By the way, we have a BBLP but haven't used it yet. I tried to nighttime potty once with it this week, but he wasn't having any of it...

UPDATE: After DS's nap we nursed. He cried afterwards but then had a good burp and was all smiles, so I took him to the potty and hurray! He peed and pooped both! Despite this encouraging turn of events, I'm still interested in any advice or thoughts you may have!

 

[baby pea]

I've found that we have good times and not-so-good times, but that if I don't get uptight about it, it's always better. It sounds like you are doing a great job. There's so much going on in your little one's little bod that you can't take it personally if things change.

If my dd is distracted or upset, she doesn't potty. I've found silly ways to distract her from being distracted so that she'll go when I'm pretty sure she needs to. And if she's upset, I calm her first. (Of course she's older than yours and is getting better at 'holding it'. But you've got lots of time to figure things out.)

Making a clothing change might help a lot though. If he's cold, wearing baby legs and a top will make potty time less chilly, and perhaps less traumatic.

Good job, and good luck!

 

[hrsmom]

Hi- I think you will like using leg warmers and a shirt! I like to put shirts on my baby that are a little bigger, like size 2 T or 3 T if they're short sleeves, or long sleeve onesies and I don't snap them. (Some people don't like leaving onesies unsnapped, it doesn't bother me for around the house.) I would definitely give that a try. Sometimes I put clothes on my LO that aren't EC-convenient, just because it was a gift and it's cute, or whatever, and it usually lasts about two trips to the potty. If it's a pants outfit, they usually stay off, and if it had a lot of snaps, I usually don't re-snap after a certain point.

I don't remember specifically at what age, but there are definitely times when my LO cries (howls) when we get to what I refer to as the potty station. So in those cases I just don't offer her the potty. Sometimes she pees shortly after (there was a reason I took her there, after all) but that's just part of the deal, part of how she's learning. It does take some getting used to from our perspective. (For me it has, anyway.) It has been so helpful to read suggestions from other moms. EC won't fall by the wayside. Not too long from now you'll be having awesome EC days, then you'll have more days with misses, etc. etc.

It sounds like you're not offering too much or putting pressure on him, that's good!! You also mentioned he's fussy in general, maybe he has a little cold, or teeth are starting to bug him or who knows what! (My LO had teething signs that young and one finally just popped through! She was a lot less fussy when I put an amber necklace on her at 3 months.)

 

[EdnaMarie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulamc Lately we don't seem to be having much luck, however. He's been a bit fussy the past few days in general, but in particular as soon as I go to take off his pants or his footed sleeper he starts howling, and there's no way he'll go to the potty in that state. I always wrap him up in a receiving blanket and try to calm him down before we head for the bathroom, and sometime he'll go after that, but much of the time he continues to resist. I feel like we need to step it up a notch somehow or the EC is going to just go by the wayside as if it never happened! I've been using all the one piece footed suits with a zillion snaps that everyone gave us, but maybe we need a wardrobe change - for example, split crotch pants (do they work well in the position I use, and for boys when peeing?), or baby legs, longies with a t-shirt at night. Should I turn up the heat and take his pants and diaper cover off for a while during the day? I hate to raise our heating bill... I could really use your advice and encouragement. Has anyone else had this problem at 2 months? By the way, we have a BBLP but haven't used it yet. I tried to nighttime potty once with it this week, but he wasn't having any of it... UPDATE: After DS's nap we nursed. He cried afterwards but then had a good burp and was all smiles, so I took him to the potty and hurray! He peed and pooped both! Despite this encouraging turn of events, I'm still interested in any advice or thoughts you may have!

Yeah, we had that problem at two months, four months, six months, eight months, ten months, twelve months, fourteen months, etc. etc. It was not linear. She would seem to progress and I would think, "we're finally in tune!" and then a week later, I would be doing a load of laundry a day. She really started taking charge around 21 months after a long potty strike and has been more or less dry since then. Maybe three accidents a week, MAXIMUM, and always connected with mood issues.

It sounds trite, but be patient. Don't worry. You are not slipping away, your baby is just a baby and signals will change and things change but you will get it.

:

I do think that with the next baby we will use only pants that pull down quickly, no onesies or snappies. I will not buy split-crotch pants or anything too fancy, but AIO diapers and pull-down pants (or trap-door jammies) are a must.