Starting w/11.5 month old - logistics?

[~megan~]

What is the best way to start EC with my 11.5mo DD? I am planning to let her go bare bottomed around the house, but should I have a potty seat close to where she is playing or try to get her to the bathroom once I learn what her pee cues are?

Also, I'm looking in to AIO's for dipes - she's currently in sposies but I've wanted to CD for a long time.

She also still nurses on demand. I've read the Early Start Potty Training book which advocates putting babes on a schedule. That will obviously not work for us, so can any of the BTDTs give me an idea of what it's like to EC while nursing on demand?

Thanks and any other tips you can give are greatly appreciated!!

[LinkiesMami]

If it were me, I'd start out with prefolds or fitteds without a cover at first, instead of AIOs - that way, you'll know right away when she goes, but not have so many puddles

I haven't read that book, and I'm not sure how it would be to EC with a baby on a schedule, but EC is really just about communication. You are probably one step ahead, because you already communicate about nursing! You know when she needs to, when she wants to, when she's too busy, etc. It will be the same for her potty needs as you figure out her cues. (And don't be discouraged if you don't notice cues - I started with my DS around 7 months and I've only had ECing success with timing and intuition. The kid just does not cue!)

[ClothClaire]

I agree with the previous post about using prefolds or fitted. I try and use my prefolds and fitteds without a cover so I can change DD right away when she is wet.

We started using the potty at 9 months and I just put her on after waking up in the morning and after naps. I can also tell when she is pooping so I did that also. Gradually she has started to let me know when she needs to use the potty and I am trying to pay more attention to her cues (like maybe she is fussing at mealtime and she never fusses).

Good luck.

[marriedgirl05]

We started right around that time with my son. We started with poop, because that was the easiest to predict time-wise and his cues were a little easier to read. :-) We just did that for about a month-6 weeks, then we started on peeing in the potty. I agree that fitteds are probably the way to go because they are easy to get off/on (easier, I think, than prefolds) and you can see when she goes right away. For us, it has been easier to use the regular potty (rather that a little potty). In the beginning we sat on the potty behind him, so he was kind of closed in between our legs. Later we got the step up potty seat from the one step ahead catalog and like it a lot. DS still doesn't have a lot of "pee cues" that give us more than a couple seconds before he starts. Going on a schedule works best for us. Even if she's nursing on demand, I wouldn't think she's really drinking that much. Just paying attention to what she's drinking from the cup should help. Hope this helps some!

[~megan~]

Thanks ladies! The advice about fitteds makes so much sense. Off to do more research

[bgmom]

We started at 11m and here is our experience. First, we let dd wear real undies at home to figure out when she pees so we target potty time better. We put her on the potty 6-10 times a day, she disliked it at first, so we used books, toys, etc, whatever works to make her like it. When she finally peed in the potty (poop was very rare at first) we gave her a lot of encouragement and rewards - clapping, saying good job, spinning her in the air - whatever makes your child happy. Don't get discouraged, sometimes we sat for 40-60 min until we got "result". We used a body language sign (like tapping on the belly, but you can come up with just anything) and did it every time before we put her on the potty. Eventually she learnt to do it and she still doesn't say potty but uses the sign.

In exactly 5 weeks she knew how to purposefully empty her bladder when we sat her on the potty and if she didn't have anything she would just get up. It took about 3-4 more weeks to feel comfortable pooping there. Now, 6 months later, she tells she needs to poop (using sign language), she can hold it if needed. She still can't tell on time she needs to pee, so i still have to put her on the potty regularly and clean up an accident or 2 per day. Again, I give her a lot of praise when she does her stuff in the potty, but try not to be too critical of accidents. At first we were too harsh and she regressed, for a week she refused to sit on the potty at all. So I guess a lot of praise for potty and very little criticism or just indifference for accidents works best.

I hope this helps a bit. Good luck and remember that patience is the name of the game, it will work out eventually.

[musicalisa]

We started when my son was 9 months old. The best time for us was immediately upon waking – he ALWAYS has at least a pee then. After about a week of doing that, he was really getting the hang of what the potty was for, and we branched out to more morning pees. Then he started pooping regularly after his afternoon nap, etc. We also BF on demand. Instituting a BFing schedule is totally crazy! You're not stupid – if she nurses a LOT at 2pm, you know you're going to need to put her on the potty about half an hour later!!