Eli Ebony and Logan
The kids in Elis room!
Monday, January 31, 2011
How time flys!!!!
I can't believe Logan will be 11months old in just over a week. I really should think about what I am going to do for his birthday...
Wow, I have to think back now to capture the last 4 months. I am so glad I started when I did, even though I can see that it doesn't really matter when you start... if they are 12mths old or more, just start introducing the toilet as a normal part of life.
I knew when I began from reading up on EC and (new ECing) friends I had spoken to, that there would be changes and set backs etc. I was just so pleased everything was going so well and so surprised by it I felt we had a great start. I have never stopped offering and Logan has never stopped going. Our best success is always when he is most relaxed and at the moment he is still most relaxed when laid back in my arms in a slightly squatted position.Hence outside is usually the best place, and so as not to confuse him or atleast make it easier the times I have to offer the toilet or potty I have a potty outside we 'do it over'. Mostly we aim for the potty, and sometimes the wee skips over it and sometimes it goes in and everywhere in between. Best of all we can catch the poos.
As Logan started to crawl around, he was less keen to sit on the big toilet. I have one of those loopy loo or whatever they are called that have an extra seat you put down and a toddler sized hole. This hole has only really now just become more appropriate for him in size, but still it is better if i face him tot he back of the toilet so him legs can just sit up on the seat too. His poos have been trickier to catch as they haven't been as obvious to me. I knew I was probably beginning our first stall, but was confident everything we had done up till then was still there.Once he was starting to refuse to sit on the toilet (arching up and a bit cranky) I decided I would pull back for a few weeks to not offering so much and give him some space.
This worked great and we still had enough catches I knew he wasn't forgetting 'the drill' IYKWIM, and this led into the summer break and Xmas with lots of people around and both the big kids home on school holidays and many more things going on. He progressed then to crawling on all fours and freestanding and has taken a single step on two occasions in the last few days. The last couple of weeks it has been a little quieter and we have been going to the toilet a lot more regularly and even poos have started coming back again. I know it is probably me more than Logan which has held him back a little over the past 8 weeks as if I don't offer, how can he wee in the potty???? So with a little more time on my hands again, and him standing so much more we can now progress to the next level.
I guess this is a good example for those not sure about starting, that ANY offering is good offering.They won't forget so long as you keep consistent and do it regularly enough. This morning he has done a wee on every offer, although with getting the kids ready for school and showering etc myself I still missed the big POO... bummer. I think this will be the best when he gets back to getting a good offer and taking it up for the BM's. He certainly knows when he has done one and is not keen on it being in his nappy. This warm weather is fab as we can have some nice nappy off time outside. Funnily enough he rarely wees even then, until i stop and offer.I shows what great control they can have from quite early as far as using the muscles to make a wee come out! Even this am when I went to offer and realised he had weed in his trainers. I took them off, offered and he still did a big wee... so often I am sure it is more a matter of 'I can't hold all this in', so they wee a bit...
He is a real wriggly worm now when it comes to getting nappy on. There are far to many more exciting things to be doing than laying on his back. I have quite a few pairs of trainers now and some beautiful fabric I was going to make more nappies out of, but I think I will make more trainers. It is SO much easier to allow him to stand and whip on a pair of pants! I'm better off having 20 pairs of trainers (and the side snap ones are fab if he has done a poo in them) for day time really. I will probably find them I have more MCN's than I need and can start to whittle them down.
His signing is getting better, and if I ask if he needs to go to the toilet, and I do the sign, he will sign back to me the toilet sign. SO I am hoping that as time goes by he will start to sign those to me and attempt to say toilet of his own accord. With food he has the more sign down pat and uses it for more and 'I want that'. It has been great, just a simply sign like that because it is easier to work out what he is after and more importantly what is does not want. He attempts a few more signs and i can usually get what he wants as he will do his rough form of it after I ask, or shake his head no if that is not correct, so progress is happening. Another month or two should be quite exciting.
I guess that is where we are at ATM, and I'm excited to continue the journey.Thanks for taking the interest in it,and I hope that my story can help/aspire you to give it a go. I know I was looking for as much info as I could when I began, and there was not alot out there. The best thing is real life people with some experience and esp with an ear to lend. I can not tell you how worth it, it is!
Wow, I have to think back now to capture the last 4 months. I am so glad I started when I did, even though I can see that it doesn't really matter when you start... if they are 12mths old or more, just start introducing the toilet as a normal part of life.
I knew when I began from reading up on EC and (new ECing) friends I had spoken to, that there would be changes and set backs etc. I was just so pleased everything was going so well and so surprised by it I felt we had a great start. I have never stopped offering and Logan has never stopped going. Our best success is always when he is most relaxed and at the moment he is still most relaxed when laid back in my arms in a slightly squatted position.Hence outside is usually the best place, and so as not to confuse him or atleast make it easier the times I have to offer the toilet or potty I have a potty outside we 'do it over'. Mostly we aim for the potty, and sometimes the wee skips over it and sometimes it goes in and everywhere in between. Best of all we can catch the poos.
As Logan started to crawl around, he was less keen to sit on the big toilet. I have one of those loopy loo or whatever they are called that have an extra seat you put down and a toddler sized hole. This hole has only really now just become more appropriate for him in size, but still it is better if i face him tot he back of the toilet so him legs can just sit up on the seat too. His poos have been trickier to catch as they haven't been as obvious to me. I knew I was probably beginning our first stall, but was confident everything we had done up till then was still there.Once he was starting to refuse to sit on the toilet (arching up and a bit cranky) I decided I would pull back for a few weeks to not offering so much and give him some space.
This worked great and we still had enough catches I knew he wasn't forgetting 'the drill' IYKWIM, and this led into the summer break and Xmas with lots of people around and both the big kids home on school holidays and many more things going on. He progressed then to crawling on all fours and freestanding and has taken a single step on two occasions in the last few days. The last couple of weeks it has been a little quieter and we have been going to the toilet a lot more regularly and even poos have started coming back again. I know it is probably me more than Logan which has held him back a little over the past 8 weeks as if I don't offer, how can he wee in the potty???? So with a little more time on my hands again, and him standing so much more we can now progress to the next level.
I guess this is a good example for those not sure about starting, that ANY offering is good offering.They won't forget so long as you keep consistent and do it regularly enough. This morning he has done a wee on every offer, although with getting the kids ready for school and showering etc myself I still missed the big POO... bummer. I think this will be the best when he gets back to getting a good offer and taking it up for the BM's. He certainly knows when he has done one and is not keen on it being in his nappy. This warm weather is fab as we can have some nice nappy off time outside. Funnily enough he rarely wees even then, until i stop and offer.I shows what great control they can have from quite early as far as using the muscles to make a wee come out! Even this am when I went to offer and realised he had weed in his trainers. I took them off, offered and he still did a big wee... so often I am sure it is more a matter of 'I can't hold all this in', so they wee a bit...
He is a real wriggly worm now when it comes to getting nappy on. There are far to many more exciting things to be doing than laying on his back. I have quite a few pairs of trainers now and some beautiful fabric I was going to make more nappies out of, but I think I will make more trainers. It is SO much easier to allow him to stand and whip on a pair of pants! I'm better off having 20 pairs of trainers (and the side snap ones are fab if he has done a poo in them) for day time really. I will probably find them I have more MCN's than I need and can start to whittle them down.
His signing is getting better, and if I ask if he needs to go to the toilet, and I do the sign, he will sign back to me the toilet sign. SO I am hoping that as time goes by he will start to sign those to me and attempt to say toilet of his own accord. With food he has the more sign down pat and uses it for more and 'I want that'. It has been great, just a simply sign like that because it is easier to work out what he is after and more importantly what is does not want. He attempts a few more signs and i can usually get what he wants as he will do his rough form of it after I ask, or shake his head no if that is not correct, so progress is happening. Another month or two should be quite exciting.
I guess that is where we are at ATM, and I'm excited to continue the journey.Thanks for taking the interest in it,and I hope that my story can help/aspire you to give it a go. I know I was looking for as much info as I could when I began, and there was not alot out there. The best thing is real life people with some experience and esp with an ear to lend. I can not tell you how worth it, it is!
Saturday, October 2, 2010
I can't remember NOT doing this...
You know it's amazing when you start something and then before you know it, it is like you were always doing it. The other night our two big kids Eli and Ebony went to Nan and Grandpas house for a sleepover. Rand and I had a nice hot Thai soup for dinner and while he made it chatting with Logan I had a shower. As we ate, we laughed at how quiet it was. Rand asked if I remembered when we had no kids and it was quiet... and you know I remember lots of things we did alone, but it is truly hard to remember them not being here.
I know there was a time when I put on a nappy, and after enough time had gone, or Logan was going to bed etc, I would change it. Now I don't actually even really like putting a nappy on him... strange huh! I mean I did it that way for two other children,and not a single part of it ever seemed strange. It is really like not knowing something,and then once you know it, you can't 'unknow' it. I remember learning Dutch, and looking at others thinking it was like a bubble and I just couldn't wait to be able to get my head in. Then before I knew it I was in the bubble, and I couldn't remember NOT being able to understand what people were saying.
Randall said to me today, why do you want to 'toilet train' for so long anyway??? Interesting question, but easy to answer really. I'm not toilet training. That implies I am training him so that in x days/wks he will be able to take himself to the toilet and my job is done. My intention is just to care for him as I do with everything else. I feed him, put him to bed,bathe him change his clothes, clean his face after eating and toilet him. I simply give him the opportunity 'NOT' to wee or poo on himself if I can and it is possible. 'Hmmm" he said, OK,with a smile.
I guess in many ways it is a bit like the sign language (which we didn't do with the other two)and RB has come around to it, but sometimes still laughs and thinks it is funny and wonders why. He is a sponge and everyday learning probably a million new things, and one day he will start to sign back to me. Then he will probably add signs at a phenomenal rate and away we'll go. Whenever that is -7 months to 10/12 months, it will be because of what I am doing now. I know that if I started then knowing what age he would begin, he wouldn't start that day cause I showed him. It is a bit like this with the EC. If I start to unteach Logan to go in a nappy at 18months, there will be a delay in working that out and gaining control etc. AT this stage he is automatically learning that the toilet (or another apt place like a potty etc) is where we go,and I am sure he would already prefer to have a BM in that seated almost squatted position that standing upright (or laying as the current case may be) and pushing it against a nappy. For me the benefit is obvious, far less pooey nappys to clean, and a VERY easy bottom clean after. I am confident (even with any setbacks) that he will be somehow signalling to me (even if I am giving significant assistance to the process) between 12 and 18mths. Then it comes down to semantics as to when he is officially tted. He may not be able to have his clothes on and take himself when out without accidents till after 2, but hey what toddler doesn't have accidents and need help with the details? We will hopefully avoid any constipation issues or 'where does the poo go' question or concerns.
I love surprises. You know one thing with this journey, and the surprises can still be significantly small, but they are still awesome. I guess as time goes by they progress too. Although I daren't take a single toilet break for granted, it's a little something beyond my expectation that takes me by surprise and delights me.
I guess I should give an example. The other night RB was home early enough to get out in the garden with the kids and plant a few more veggies in their patch. I had dinner ready and told them to come in in 5. In the meantime Logan woke up. I had put him in a nappy about 1/2 hr before he went to bed. He woke after about 45mins as expected, and was still dry (yep that still always gives me a kick everytime). I thought OK you must need to do a wee. Nope,nothing. I left him 10mins finishing up with dinner. Still nothing. Dinner was then done and going cold. I called them all in again to clean up. RB gave them a quick bath. I was starting to obsess... thinking if I put trainers on him,as soon as he sits at the table with us, he will wee... surely he can do one. I must have offered 3 more times in 10 mins or so... as I went for the last one I thought... what am I doing???? This is not what I want to do... if he doesn't wee now, we can just sit up, and be done. No wee, no probs, popped trainers on and up we sat. About 15mins into dinner (and he hasn't weed now for maybe 1 3/4hrs to 2 hrs) he gives us a bit of a grunt like he maybe want to go. RB and I look at each other and I jump up, and take him to the loo. To my amazement he was STILL dry, sat straight up and did a 1 and 2. Then came back to the table. After we finished I bathed him and put him in his night nappy. Night done...
Sorry it was a bit lengthy that story, but like I said such a surprise! I have now made (6) and altered (4) and bought 2 pr of training pants so I have enough for him to be on them during the day if I am at home. If I miss a wee in between offers, I just change his pants. One day this week he wore the same pair between 8am and 5pm, woke dry both sleeps and when we went out (for about an hr) I had him in a nappy which was wet when we got home. I missed a few wees in the am and after 5 another... but that is the closest we have come yet to a totally dry training pants day. In fact on Fri Vicki and the kids were over for the day.We took the kids in the arvo up to the school for a play. We were going to go just close by and decided after we left to go to their school. For the first time I took him out in trainers and just carried him in the sling. We were the only ones at the school. Logan had done a wee just before we left. I offered once we got to school and he went again.After we had been there for abit he did a pop off and I felt he needed to go again, bu had brought NOTHING. Vick said you need one of those doggy bags like people take when they walk their dog. Now interestingly they have them at school, so knowing we were alone, we figured lets see. Vick grabbed two (we needed 'wipes' LOL) and of course he did his business, I wiped his bot, and away it all went in the bin. Now maybe this is me getting a bit 'weird' about the whole thing, but in realistic terms... we were discreet, clean, if we had an 18mo training and they needed to go, I really don't know what we would have done other than trying to tell them to hold it. He atleast didn't go in his trainers (and believe you me it was not one you'd want to have to clean up) and we made the trip successfully home. Now Vick and I thought this was quite funny/amazing/clean and good. Unfortunately I think I have gone too far for Randall with that one. I certainly wouldn't have done it, if we weren't alone or it was during term... but if you're travelling I'm sure there are many people who have had to use the roadside or bushes and just tried to be as discreet as possible.
Anyway, to finish off... I am truly enjoying the journey. I was LOVING raising Logan before, but I think this has added a whole new dimension. I also hope that this is sort of teaching an oldish shall we say tradition to Eli and Ebony for their future.AND I love NOT washing out pooey nappies!!!!!!!! Yay!
Till next time, happy ECing. This long weekend I am enjoying some quality one on one time with each of my big kids. Ciao!
I know there was a time when I put on a nappy, and after enough time had gone, or Logan was going to bed etc, I would change it. Now I don't actually even really like putting a nappy on him... strange huh! I mean I did it that way for two other children,and not a single part of it ever seemed strange. It is really like not knowing something,and then once you know it, you can't 'unknow' it. I remember learning Dutch, and looking at others thinking it was like a bubble and I just couldn't wait to be able to get my head in. Then before I knew it I was in the bubble, and I couldn't remember NOT being able to understand what people were saying.
Randall said to me today, why do you want to 'toilet train' for so long anyway??? Interesting question, but easy to answer really. I'm not toilet training. That implies I am training him so that in x days/wks he will be able to take himself to the toilet and my job is done. My intention is just to care for him as I do with everything else. I feed him, put him to bed,bathe him change his clothes, clean his face after eating and toilet him. I simply give him the opportunity 'NOT' to wee or poo on himself if I can and it is possible. 'Hmmm" he said, OK,with a smile.
I guess in many ways it is a bit like the sign language (which we didn't do with the other two)and RB has come around to it, but sometimes still laughs and thinks it is funny and wonders why. He is a sponge and everyday learning probably a million new things, and one day he will start to sign back to me. Then he will probably add signs at a phenomenal rate and away we'll go. Whenever that is -7 months to 10/12 months, it will be because of what I am doing now. I know that if I started then knowing what age he would begin, he wouldn't start that day cause I showed him. It is a bit like this with the EC. If I start to unteach Logan to go in a nappy at 18months, there will be a delay in working that out and gaining control etc. AT this stage he is automatically learning that the toilet (or another apt place like a potty etc) is where we go,and I am sure he would already prefer to have a BM in that seated almost squatted position that standing upright (or laying as the current case may be) and pushing it against a nappy. For me the benefit is obvious, far less pooey nappys to clean, and a VERY easy bottom clean after. I am confident (even with any setbacks) that he will be somehow signalling to me (even if I am giving significant assistance to the process) between 12 and 18mths. Then it comes down to semantics as to when he is officially tted. He may not be able to have his clothes on and take himself when out without accidents till after 2, but hey what toddler doesn't have accidents and need help with the details? We will hopefully avoid any constipation issues or 'where does the poo go' question or concerns.
I love surprises. You know one thing with this journey, and the surprises can still be significantly small, but they are still awesome. I guess as time goes by they progress too. Although I daren't take a single toilet break for granted, it's a little something beyond my expectation that takes me by surprise and delights me.
I guess I should give an example. The other night RB was home early enough to get out in the garden with the kids and plant a few more veggies in their patch. I had dinner ready and told them to come in in 5. In the meantime Logan woke up. I had put him in a nappy about 1/2 hr before he went to bed. He woke after about 45mins as expected, and was still dry (yep that still always gives me a kick everytime). I thought OK you must need to do a wee. Nope,nothing. I left him 10mins finishing up with dinner. Still nothing. Dinner was then done and going cold. I called them all in again to clean up. RB gave them a quick bath. I was starting to obsess... thinking if I put trainers on him,as soon as he sits at the table with us, he will wee... surely he can do one. I must have offered 3 more times in 10 mins or so... as I went for the last one I thought... what am I doing???? This is not what I want to do... if he doesn't wee now, we can just sit up, and be done. No wee, no probs, popped trainers on and up we sat. About 15mins into dinner (and he hasn't weed now for maybe 1 3/4hrs to 2 hrs) he gives us a bit of a grunt like he maybe want to go. RB and I look at each other and I jump up, and take him to the loo. To my amazement he was STILL dry, sat straight up and did a 1 and 2. Then came back to the table. After we finished I bathed him and put him in his night nappy. Night done...
Sorry it was a bit lengthy that story, but like I said such a surprise! I have now made (6) and altered (4) and bought 2 pr of training pants so I have enough for him to be on them during the day if I am at home. If I miss a wee in between offers, I just change his pants. One day this week he wore the same pair between 8am and 5pm, woke dry both sleeps and when we went out (for about an hr) I had him in a nappy which was wet when we got home. I missed a few wees in the am and after 5 another... but that is the closest we have come yet to a totally dry training pants day. In fact on Fri Vicki and the kids were over for the day.We took the kids in the arvo up to the school for a play. We were going to go just close by and decided after we left to go to their school. For the first time I took him out in trainers and just carried him in the sling. We were the only ones at the school. Logan had done a wee just before we left. I offered once we got to school and he went again.After we had been there for abit he did a pop off and I felt he needed to go again, bu had brought NOTHING. Vick said you need one of those doggy bags like people take when they walk their dog. Now interestingly they have them at school, so knowing we were alone, we figured lets see. Vick grabbed two (we needed 'wipes' LOL) and of course he did his business, I wiped his bot, and away it all went in the bin. Now maybe this is me getting a bit 'weird' about the whole thing, but in realistic terms... we were discreet, clean, if we had an 18mo training and they needed to go, I really don't know what we would have done other than trying to tell them to hold it. He atleast didn't go in his trainers (and believe you me it was not one you'd want to have to clean up) and we made the trip successfully home. Now Vick and I thought this was quite funny/amazing/clean and good. Unfortunately I think I have gone too far for Randall with that one. I certainly wouldn't have done it, if we weren't alone or it was during term... but if you're travelling I'm sure there are many people who have had to use the roadside or bushes and just tried to be as discreet as possible.
Anyway, to finish off... I am truly enjoying the journey. I was LOVING raising Logan before, but I think this has added a whole new dimension. I also hope that this is sort of teaching an oldish shall we say tradition to Eli and Ebony for their future.AND I love NOT washing out pooey nappies!!!!!!!! Yay!
Till next time, happy ECing. This long weekend I am enjoying some quality one on one time with each of my big kids. Ciao!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Oh oh oh, I think he is communicating with me...
Now as I have said before, as a result of starting later (than newborn/3monthsish) I missed looking out for his natural cues and as a result I think he has stopped doing them.This in turn means we have to start communicating a different way and learn together.
I think this week we have had a breakthrough though. Although Logan is not yet able to 'tell' me clearly with any sign that he needs to go, when I take him and if he needs to do a BM, he has started do the raspberry I have been doing to indicate number 2. This happened for a day or two, which I sort of noticed and dismissed.By the third day I was looking for it. He doesn't actually do it to tell me to take him, but whenever he has done a poo however large and even once just pop offs he has made this raspberry like sounds.It is quite distinctive.
More to the point he doesn't do it in general with relations to going to the loo,because if he just does a wee he doesn't do it. It is often even a little delayed from being first held in position. He usually wees with a BM, as all the muscles are relaxed, but a little less than a normal wee. If he starts the sound, I ask him and cue him. It has given me confidence to wait a bit longer than I would have, and invariably something has come out. (And I tell you -without being too graphic- one day they were pretty runny and I was sure glad I wasn't cleaning that off his butt and out of a nappy).
I guess I am going to just monitor this to be confident this is truly happening. It has been another growth in his/our learning though, and we have had great success this week with all sides of elimination. Now we need to continue with consistency and eventually that true communication to ask me to take him.That will be amazing. I feel very close to him and very pleased to be able to instinctively read him (sometimes) so well!
I have made 3pr of training pants now, plus the 2 ecaware I bought. I hope to have 12 or so in the end... so we can use them all the time at home. I have to say though I have made them so absorbent they take a bit to dry. The summer will be great because they will be able to turn around quite quickly. I am just putting 2 layers of bamboo now although the first one has 3,and I am making some seperate boosters so they can be dried seperately. I will start going through my nappies now too I think and see which ones I can sell. With the training pants I don't need my newborn prefolds so much although they have been invaluable 1 wee catchers!
Well this one was just going to be quick, so better make tracks!
I think this week we have had a breakthrough though. Although Logan is not yet able to 'tell' me clearly with any sign that he needs to go, when I take him and if he needs to do a BM, he has started do the raspberry I have been doing to indicate number 2. This happened for a day or two, which I sort of noticed and dismissed.By the third day I was looking for it. He doesn't actually do it to tell me to take him, but whenever he has done a poo however large and even once just pop offs he has made this raspberry like sounds.It is quite distinctive.
More to the point he doesn't do it in general with relations to going to the loo,because if he just does a wee he doesn't do it. It is often even a little delayed from being first held in position. He usually wees with a BM, as all the muscles are relaxed, but a little less than a normal wee. If he starts the sound, I ask him and cue him. It has given me confidence to wait a bit longer than I would have, and invariably something has come out. (And I tell you -without being too graphic- one day they were pretty runny and I was sure glad I wasn't cleaning that off his butt and out of a nappy).
I guess I am going to just monitor this to be confident this is truly happening. It has been another growth in his/our learning though, and we have had great success this week with all sides of elimination. Now we need to continue with consistency and eventually that true communication to ask me to take him.That will be amazing. I feel very close to him and very pleased to be able to instinctively read him (sometimes) so well!
I have made 3pr of training pants now, plus the 2 ecaware I bought. I hope to have 12 or so in the end... so we can use them all the time at home. I have to say though I have made them so absorbent they take a bit to dry. The summer will be great because they will be able to turn around quite quickly. I am just putting 2 layers of bamboo now although the first one has 3,and I am making some seperate boosters so they can be dried seperately. I will start going through my nappies now too I think and see which ones I can sell. With the training pants I don't need my newborn prefolds so much although they have been invaluable 1 wee catchers!
Well this one was just going to be quick, so better make tracks!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
The journey has more clarity...
You know I truly feel I have grown as an ECer! I can imagine some mature ECers reading the start of my journey and either thinking... hmmm she is going to try too hard,or she's too planned and set on goals. I have read and learnt more both from online and my little gem of a boy 'Logey Bear'. I truly understand what people say when they talk about starting out with it being about toilet training or whatever and then realising it isn't about the toilet it is about communicating with your baby and the bond you share.I think it strengthens the bond that much more. I have developed in my thinking and realising it is not about the 'catches' or the 'misses' for that matter... nor the 'stats' on how it is going. (Although I have to say when I started it was SO AMAZING,and I was so pleasantly thrilled by the whole concept, I could not help but keep some stats. Even it this was just to believe this couldn't just be luck!) I have officially relaxed into it and stopped counting.I have also come to terms with the fact I know there will be some potty pauses,and some days or weeks once he starts to crawl or walk etc that he may seem to be too busy and have difficulty relaxing. I must remember not to stress!
Now in saying that, I think we have had such a fabulous success rate with wees over the last 5 days it is soooo cool! I love to think he can wear a pair of training pants for a few hours or the same nappy on and off for 3 or 4 hrs with all the wees caught,wake up dry,another wee and away we go. The mornings are tricky with 2 other children,trying to get them ready for school etc, and he wees much more regularly in the morning after waking. So I usually get one, miss one, get one, miss one,till school, drop off. He has certainly got both the cue 'chsssss chssss' and the position down pat!
Fri I started taking him outside,which i never thought I would do. I didn't really like the idea with my other children, so why would i TEACH it to my baby? But again I have come to realise again it is about communication. Logan is getting to rely on the fact that I will take him to the toilet. Invariably even if I have missed a wee,I still offer. He can often still do a pretty decent wee. He can't stop wee if his bladder gets past a point (we know this isn't developed yet) but he can certainly (if relaxed) release the bladder at will. As he grows and develops and his 'holding ability' improves (and he has held up to an hr or just over while awake and even longer counting sleeps.) even the mornings will be easy. BTW, he LOVES it outside at the moment. I have the potty sitting out there at the bottom of our big step and I sit on the bottom step,hold him in a comfy position and aim for the potty. Makes it easy if he does a number 2,and he visually gets the picture that the ideal goal is to wee in a specific spot.
I know one of the fears people have is that it is very time consuming. I have to say although it probably is a little more so than just leaving him in a nappy for 4hrs or so... it really isn't that bad. By the time you take out sleeping in the day,he is only really awake for 10/maybe 11 hours a day. An offer takes a few minutes. He either goes or he doesn't and you move on. If you notice a miss in between I just change the insert or nappy prefold. I mostly save the nappys for going out now,because at home it is easier to have something small that holds a wee and quick to wash and replace. I haven't finished all my trainers yet as I decided to buy some propper PUL, some bamboo fleece, elastic to make drop front ones and some plastic studs and stud pliers... so just waiting on their arrival. Will be much easier to just change pants or a little bamboo filler in them when required. Anyway, my main point is that it doesn't stop me doing most of the things I am doing. Someimes I set the timer just to 20 or 30 mins,so I get a little reminder. I find this handy if I am busy doing things at home.
Marnie and the girls came around today.It is so nice to have someone who knows exactly how you feel and where you are coming from. Also to be able to freely do what you want to with someone around, because it must seem strange to some people if they see you taking your baby to the toilet/potty etc. I don't have many people yet I would feel that comfy to do what I want to in front of them.It is also amazing the great puzzle of life, the poeple that come in and out of your life because of different things. I wouldn't have ever met Marnie if it wasn't for EC! I bought 2m of PUL for the training pants and Marnie went halves,so she collected that today. She too has decided some trainers at home would certainly be handy! We even enjoyed some yummy little mango and lime tarts, as it is Elis birthday today...8 yo, and he loves this tart, so I made a bigone for his b'day cake and a few littlies as spares.YUMMO!
Oh and one last thing to finish my post... I spoke to Nanny tonight when she rang for Elis b'day. I have been meaning to ring her, and just had to ask about tt and nappies etc from bringing up mum and the gang. Mum has 10 brothers and sisters and I knew there were no disposables then so cloth it was. She said that she always bought a new set of cloth for the baby and then the older ones passed up to the next baby, after you'd feed them you would 'hold them out'... YES 'HOLD THEM OUT". This was in her own words. I was surprised to hear it. So I confirmed and repeated, and she said yes that's right.I said that is what i do,after feed and after sleep and she said yeas that is the most common times, 'that was what they taught you to do'... hmmm I thought, no one teaches us to do that anymore. She said when you don't have many you can do it more and put more time,as youhave more children there isn,t as much time and you let them train in their own time. (Still making these general offerings though)She said some were early some were late. I said some are not training them till later nowadays, maybe 2 and a half... she laughed and said oh no, my longest one was still done before then.
This was my first real contact with an older generation, and my family what's more, that certainly did basically what I am doing. She said if you have the time then why not? Of course it didn't have a name because it was the norm and was even partly the way they were taught to look after their baby!I wish people were given this basic knowledge so more babies from younger ages saw and experienced the potty ot toilet so it was the norm before they had a chance to think about it. She did say some did it from birth but she felt that was a bit much.In hind sight I would have loved to of observed my newborn giving clear signals and possibly started around 3... but I am happy with our progress and know that whatever the case, going to the toilet will certainly be something that is just 'normal' to Logan and there will be no specific transition to speak of... it will be a matter of learning control and then independance. He will probably need my help up to 18mths/2 yo and even longer for wiping or clothes maybe when we are out etc. He will still have accidents to this stage and beyond. But I am saving money, I will and already am slowly washing less and less nappies and eventually wipe very few poos off of a bottom that has had it mooshed against it. Yay yay yay, what mum wuldn't LOVE this!!!!!
Now in saying that, I think we have had such a fabulous success rate with wees over the last 5 days it is soooo cool! I love to think he can wear a pair of training pants for a few hours or the same nappy on and off for 3 or 4 hrs with all the wees caught,wake up dry,another wee and away we go. The mornings are tricky with 2 other children,trying to get them ready for school etc, and he wees much more regularly in the morning after waking. So I usually get one, miss one, get one, miss one,till school, drop off. He has certainly got both the cue 'chsssss chssss' and the position down pat!
Fri I started taking him outside,which i never thought I would do. I didn't really like the idea with my other children, so why would i TEACH it to my baby? But again I have come to realise again it is about communication. Logan is getting to rely on the fact that I will take him to the toilet. Invariably even if I have missed a wee,I still offer. He can often still do a pretty decent wee. He can't stop wee if his bladder gets past a point (we know this isn't developed yet) but he can certainly (if relaxed) release the bladder at will. As he grows and develops and his 'holding ability' improves (and he has held up to an hr or just over while awake and even longer counting sleeps.) even the mornings will be easy. BTW, he LOVES it outside at the moment. I have the potty sitting out there at the bottom of our big step and I sit on the bottom step,hold him in a comfy position and aim for the potty. Makes it easy if he does a number 2,and he visually gets the picture that the ideal goal is to wee in a specific spot.
I know one of the fears people have is that it is very time consuming. I have to say although it probably is a little more so than just leaving him in a nappy for 4hrs or so... it really isn't that bad. By the time you take out sleeping in the day,he is only really awake for 10/maybe 11 hours a day. An offer takes a few minutes. He either goes or he doesn't and you move on. If you notice a miss in between I just change the insert or nappy prefold. I mostly save the nappys for going out now,because at home it is easier to have something small that holds a wee and quick to wash and replace. I haven't finished all my trainers yet as I decided to buy some propper PUL, some bamboo fleece, elastic to make drop front ones and some plastic studs and stud pliers... so just waiting on their arrival. Will be much easier to just change pants or a little bamboo filler in them when required. Anyway, my main point is that it doesn't stop me doing most of the things I am doing. Someimes I set the timer just to 20 or 30 mins,so I get a little reminder. I find this handy if I am busy doing things at home.
Marnie and the girls came around today.It is so nice to have someone who knows exactly how you feel and where you are coming from. Also to be able to freely do what you want to with someone around, because it must seem strange to some people if they see you taking your baby to the toilet/potty etc. I don't have many people yet I would feel that comfy to do what I want to in front of them.It is also amazing the great puzzle of life, the poeple that come in and out of your life because of different things. I wouldn't have ever met Marnie if it wasn't for EC! I bought 2m of PUL for the training pants and Marnie went halves,so she collected that today. She too has decided some trainers at home would certainly be handy! We even enjoyed some yummy little mango and lime tarts, as it is Elis birthday today...8 yo, and he loves this tart, so I made a bigone for his b'day cake and a few littlies as spares.YUMMO!
Oh and one last thing to finish my post... I spoke to Nanny tonight when she rang for Elis b'day. I have been meaning to ring her, and just had to ask about tt and nappies etc from bringing up mum and the gang. Mum has 10 brothers and sisters and I knew there were no disposables then so cloth it was. She said that she always bought a new set of cloth for the baby and then the older ones passed up to the next baby, after you'd feed them you would 'hold them out'... YES 'HOLD THEM OUT". This was in her own words. I was surprised to hear it. So I confirmed and repeated, and she said yes that's right.I said that is what i do,after feed and after sleep and she said yeas that is the most common times, 'that was what they taught you to do'... hmmm I thought, no one teaches us to do that anymore. She said when you don't have many you can do it more and put more time,as youhave more children there isn,t as much time and you let them train in their own time. (Still making these general offerings though)She said some were early some were late. I said some are not training them till later nowadays, maybe 2 and a half... she laughed and said oh no, my longest one was still done before then.
This was my first real contact with an older generation, and my family what's more, that certainly did basically what I am doing. She said if you have the time then why not? Of course it didn't have a name because it was the norm and was even partly the way they were taught to look after their baby!I wish people were given this basic knowledge so more babies from younger ages saw and experienced the potty ot toilet so it was the norm before they had a chance to think about it. She did say some did it from birth but she felt that was a bit much.In hind sight I would have loved to of observed my newborn giving clear signals and possibly started around 3... but I am happy with our progress and know that whatever the case, going to the toilet will certainly be something that is just 'normal' to Logan and there will be no specific transition to speak of... it will be a matter of learning control and then independance. He will probably need my help up to 18mths/2 yo and even longer for wiping or clothes maybe when we are out etc. He will still have accidents to this stage and beyond. But I am saving money, I will and already am slowly washing less and less nappies and eventually wipe very few poos off of a bottom that has had it mooshed against it. Yay yay yay, what mum wuldn't LOVE this!!!!!
Monday, September 13, 2010
few days wrap up...
You know the old saying the 'simplest things in life are often the best'? Well I have to say there has never been a time more appropriate than right now for this very phrase. I am not sure when I will come to terms with the fact that this is actually real.Now I appreciate the fact that this sounds a little extreme,but I think my point is the that it seems too good to be true. I was telling a girlfriend today about my journey so far,and she understood that this is just a simple teaching and learning curve with a baby,much like any other part of a babys life. I commented on how dad asked me how I knew he needed to do a poo... the fact is I DON'T yet always know,or not always in time anyway. And she commented how do you know when they need to go to sleep???? The real issue is you read their cues, and when you first become a parent you're not necessarily all that good at it... but you get better. (Really we are both learnng together).
Vicki commented the other day about how good it was to have made some friends who have walked the walk,as I can 'see if it works'. I have come to realise there is no see if it works... Will all babies learn to walk? Of course they will, some at 9months and some at 18months but if they are physically capable,they will learn.All babies will learn to go to the toilet, if they are not introduced to the concept till later they don't get the opportunity the begin the journey.
The one thing I know for sure,he is already getting the idea/ better than he was 3 weeks ago with simple things.He can hold his wee a bit longer.If he needs to go,he will. truth is he'd prob go if I cue him or not,but I find cueing him good in case I need him to go somewhere 'different' to the norm.I need him to have a clear sign that it is ok. I remember flying home to my parents with Eli around 2 yo and newly toilet trained.We were on the descent,and he needed to go to the toilet.The poor thing was desperate,but I had Ebony in my arms,and no way they would let me get up and take him to the toilet.I had to put a nappy on him and tell him to go in the nappy. I envisage in the future a similar thing happening,once he gets more control. If he gives me a look,which I know means 'I need to go',but it is not a possibility,I may need to cue him to go in his nappy????
I have had many more successes with him going to the toilet,and by now you don't need stats or how many per day.For the purpose of EC none of this is relevant. I offer him regularly and he goes if he needs to.I miss both,but we get plenty. There are a few occasions at this stage that stick in my mind.
Vicki commented the other day about how good it was to have made some friends who have walked the walk,as I can 'see if it works'. I have come to realise there is no see if it works... Will all babies learn to walk? Of course they will, some at 9months and some at 18months but if they are physically capable,they will learn.All babies will learn to go to the toilet, if they are not introduced to the concept till later they don't get the opportunity the begin the journey.
The one thing I know for sure,he is already getting the idea/ better than he was 3 weeks ago with simple things.He can hold his wee a bit longer.If he needs to go,he will. truth is he'd prob go if I cue him or not,but I find cueing him good in case I need him to go somewhere 'different' to the norm.I need him to have a clear sign that it is ok. I remember flying home to my parents with Eli around 2 yo and newly toilet trained.We were on the descent,and he needed to go to the toilet.The poor thing was desperate,but I had Ebony in my arms,and no way they would let me get up and take him to the toilet.I had to put a nappy on him and tell him to go in the nappy. I envisage in the future a similar thing happening,once he gets more control. If he gives me a look,which I know means 'I need to go',but it is not a possibility,I may need to cue him to go in his nappy????
I have had many more successes with him going to the toilet,and by now you don't need stats or how many per day.For the purpose of EC none of this is relevant. I offer him regularly and he goes if he needs to.I miss both,but we get plenty. There are a few occasions at this stage that stick in my mind.
- On Sat he woke at 9:30am and I was taking the big kids to taekwondo.I offered him the loo but suspected he had just gone. I continued to get ready,and offer a couple of times in between...by 10 to 10 we had to go.I whipped a nappy on and away we went. I took his top hat potty.Once we got there I dropped the kids (5mins late) and then parked and jumped in the back of the car. I took his nappy off and it was still dry! Yay! Then he proceeded to do a nice big wee in the potty, I put his nappy back on and in we went. Fab!Knwing how regularly he goes in the morning I was sure he would go on the way.
- Today after lunch with Michelle, I had to go and pick up the kids from school. We were home by 3:30pm.I put him on the potty and he went. I put a clean nappy on and at 4 he went gain,and his nappy was still dry. That was great,he went to bed by 4:15 or so.Once he woke,I went straight in, unzipped his sleeping bag and took off the nappy... still dry. Of course it was just after 5:30pm by this time.Then I offered again at 6pm and he didn't need to go, but was still dry. So same dry nappy for 2 and a half hours... so far that's a record!!!! Yippeeeee!
Thursday, September 9, 2010
HAPPY 6 MONNTHS LOGEY!
Oh yeah,happy 1/2 a year Logey. Logan is 6 months old today, 9/9/10.Amazing how time goes!
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