Is this a good plan for newbies?

[lvnurs9]

11/18 New Q- How long should I hold DS over the potty? I'd like to get a BBLP, but until then... I want to give him ample opportunity, but right now he just laughs (and toots hehe).

I just found out about EC yesterday, so I know I have a lot to learn! I really want to give this an honest try. DS will be 6mo on Wed. It will have to be more PT bc of work and life, but I feel if we succeed even part time, it's worth it .

Except for working Wed night (7p-7a), I am off all week, so it's a good week to devote! A few facts- DS is not really on a set schedule, so I will have to work on that as well if I want to get timing right; it's cold here now, so I'm not sure how I am going to be able to go pantless- or diaperless either. I only have a few fitteds, so I guess that will have to suffice! I don't want to have to take his pants and diaper on and off a billion times, so any advice there would be very appreciated!

Here is my proposed schedule:
*wake up, offer potty, nurse
-I'm not sure if he pees when he eats... if not I guess I should offer the potty after he nurses??
*offer potty before and after nap
-I changed him today before his nap and he woke up dry. I offered the potty and he didn't go, so I ran warm water in the sink and placed his feet in it... he peed!
*offer potty before and after nursing
*repeat for afternoon nap and nursing session
*offer potty before night nurse
-He goes down after he nurses. I'm not sure I want to offer again before bed bc he will wake up too much and probably not go down. Thoughts?
-Should I offer when he wakes up at night? We still nurse 1-2 times.

I'm excited to do this!

[Harmony96]

IME a baby will need to pee about 15-40 minute after nursing, instead of RIGHT after nursing. WTG on using the warm water to help him pee!

I don't offer the potty for DS after his last nursing of the night. Sometimes I'll offer in the middle of the night (like if he's already wet and wakes up) but otherwise I'll just let him stay until the morning. Sometimes he's dry all night and sometimes he's not, but he almost always will go first thing in the morning now. (DH takes him for that potty time while I catch a few more Z's, lol.)

For keeping warm, try babylegs. Or you could make your own by taking some adult socks and cutting off the feet.

When you say "not on a schedule" and "getting the timing right," do you mean that you are under the impression that to do a timing-based method, your LO has to be on a schedule where they pee/poop/eat/sleep at the same time every day? Because that's not true. I do a timing-based method with DS, and all that means to me is that when I think about it, several times a day, I'll take him to the potty. Sometimes he's dry all day. Sometimes I forget and don't take him in time and he has a wet diaper. But if I had to set a clock by his potty times, that would stress me out, lol. I don't want ECing to be stressful. So I take what works for us and run with it.

HTH and congrats on starting the journey!

[Sakari]

Originally Posted by lvnurs9 I just found out about EC yesterday, so I know I have a lot to learn! I really want to give this an honest try. DS will be 6mo on Wed. It will have to be more PT bc of work and life, but I feel if we succeed even part time, it's worth it . Except for working Wed night (7p-7a), I am off all week, so it's a good week to devote! A few facts- DS is not really on a set schedule, so I will have to work on that as well if I want to get timing right; it's cold here now, so I'm not sure how I am going to be able to go pantless- or diaperless either. I only have a few fitteds, so I guess that will have to suffice! I don't want to have to take his pants and diaper on and off a billion times, so any advice there would be very appreciated! Here is my proposed schedule: *wake up, offer potty, nurse -I'm not sure if he pees when he eats... if not I guess I should offer the potty after he nurses?? *offer potty before and after nap -I changed him today before his nap and he woke up dry. I offered the potty and he didn't go, so I ran warm water in the sink and placed his feet in it... he peed! *offer potty before and after nursing *repeat for afternoon nap and nursing session *offer potty before night nurse -He goes down after he nurses. I'm not sure I want to offer again before bed bc he will wake up too much and probably not go down. Thoughts? -Should I offer when he wakes up at night? We still nurse 1-2 times. I'm excited to do this!

Like previously stated - use leg warmers to avoid the pants off and on issue! and I also used some flannel folded and than tied around DD's belly with a strip of cloth as a quick remove dipe I guess technically speaking it would classify as a preflat with prefold belt. worked great tho!

I think it's awesome that you JUST found out about EC and are already ready to try it! I have to say, it took me awhile to wrap my head around the idea.

I don't think you need to offer before and after eating and car rides EACH time. Just when the car ride was extra long, or if LO didn't pee before eating, maybe offer after, etc. But soon you'll figure out when they like to go - I almost always didn't have success when I offered before things, so I just started offering after. No need to stress about it! and offering too often can become stressful, for mom and baby, depending on the situation.

Like Harmony said, you don't need to have LO on a schedule to incorporate EC. Not at all! If you want to, that's fine, but don't feel like if he doesn't eat/sleep/play at the exact same time each day that EC won't work. It's very flexible.

Nighttime is best played by ear, I think. Just see how it goes. Sometimes our nights were the best and sometimes they were just a bunch of misses. At times it seemed that nights were more relaxed and there was nothing else to do, so pottying was a breeze. You'll figure it out as you go - and as you learn your baby's communication. If he's stirring in the night, that might mean he has to go. I wouldn't rouse him to offer again after he falls asleep nursing tho. Offer beforehand and then let him sleep! and always be ready and willing to change what you're doing -whether at night or in the daytime - because what worked one day might not the next, or what fits into your life one day, might not the next, etc. etc. etc.

and don't keep a running tally of catches vs. misses. That's just too discouraging on the days that the catch tally is low!

GL!! and have fun!

[lvnurs9]

Thanks for the pointers! I've been trying to offer after feedings (about 15min or so after) and after every diaper change. He loves being held over the potty lol but hasn't peed again for me! I almost caught his poop, but I was ordering pizza

I'd love to get him in a dry diaper before he naps, then *hopefully* be able to catch him when he wakes up, but he tends to fall asleep after nursing, so I just lay him down... oh well I'm definately not stressing and just having fun trying! Writing stuff down is too time consuming lol. I'd love to try just to see if I can find a pattern (like how often after eating or waking up), but ya... I don't have that much time!

[Sakari]

putting a dry dipe on before nursing (and then letting him fall asleep) sounds just fine. That's what we always did.

and don't worry about not having time to notice his patterns - you will! Without even taking the "time" to, you'll begin to notice and respond accordingly, even if it's subconscious!

Keep up your cue sound, even when you're not having catches. That's great that he loves his potty!

Sounds like you're doing awesome!

[carazoe]

Instead of holding him over the potty, have you tried holding him under the knees, hanging over the sink? I've been doing that with my son for the past 3 days and making the "pee noise". He pees almost every time (usually only when he just peed during nap in his diaper). Havent had a poop in the potty yet but he poops every 4 days or so, im not sure how likely we will be of getting in the potty any time soon.

[arelyn]

If he's tooting on the potty that's a good sign!! It means he's flexing the right muscles!! My DS used to take forever to poop so no advice here on how long. I do second the hanging over the sink (or potty if that grosses you out). DS had trouble pooping in a sitting position until he was 18 months or so. He just had to have his knees up to push I guess.

[lvnurs9]

I have read that many of you offer between sides/while nursing... and that pulling off the breast is a signal they need to go. DS has never done this... until this week! It's actually a little annoying, but everytime I nurse him, I start on the right (it produces way less than the left), and about 5 min in, he pulls off, then back on... off/on... you get the picture. Is he telling me he has to pee? Or is he jsut annoyed that the flow is too slow lol? I usually give up and put him on the left and he goes to town. I kinda wanna try nursing naked, but I'm scared haha.

Also, with misses, when do you cue? I don't always know right away... or do you cue when you can tell (ie when using a fitted)?

Thanks for all the support!

[lvnurs9]

Yay! He peed!

I watched him yesterday in fitteds and noticed that 20 min after eating, he went... then 20min after that and 20 min after that. Then, he didn't go for a whole hour! So, this morning, 15min after he ate, I took him, and he went!

[Harmony96]