For the very first time, Crusoe woke up with a dry diaper this morning!
That's not to say that he did not pee all night.... To the contrary, he woke up, cried, woke me up, and peed in his potty three times, at 9pm, 12:30am, and 6:30am, during his 12 hours of sleep, from 7:45pm-7:45am.
Like with Finn, we've been practicing 'elimination communication' with him since he was born, trying to notice cues from him when he needs to pee and poop, as well as offering him opportunities to use the potty when he wakes up, after meals, after nursing (you know, the same times when we adults usually have to go... minus the nursing part).
He seems to be getting more uncomfortable peeing in his diaper, which is a good thing for learning to understand his body and becoming potty trained. We want to encourage his use of the potty over the diaper, but it sure is convenient in the middle of the night to just let him wet his diaper and go back to sleep. I'm trying to be more disciplined, though, and to respond to his wiggles, cries, and fussiness, which have all become reliable signs that he must urinate.
He regularly poops on the potty (ever since he was about 6 months old), and now he seems to be making the transition with pee, too. I just hope that he doesn't have a rebellion at his one-year birthday like Finn did, and revert to diapers again for 7 more months. Ask us about it on Feb. 17.
He seems to be getting more uncomfortable peeing in his diaper, which is a good thing for learning to understand his body and becoming potty trained. We want to encourage his use of the potty over the diaper, but it sure is convenient in the middle of the night to just let him wet his diaper and go back to sleep. I'm trying to be more disciplined, though, and to respond to his wiggles, cries, and fussiness, which have all become reliable signs that he must urinate.
He regularly poops on the potty (ever since he was about 6 months old), and now he seems to be making the transition with pee, too. I just hope that he doesn't have a rebellion at his one-year birthday like Finn did, and revert to diapers again for 7 more months. Ask us about it on Feb. 17.
Sometimes baby dolls have to use the toilet, too.
Did Crusoe get a haircut? One of the photos looked like he'd had a buzz-cut. Well, I admire you guys but continue to think you are the ones more trained for all this elimination process. Carry on! I'd have loved being your kid, Gran
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly the point, Gran! He IS training/teaching/telling us when he needs to eliminate. Just like he tells us when he's hungry, tired, wants to read a book, etc., and it's our job as parents to learn to meet his needs appropriately until he can communicate them in other ways (via signing or talking).
ReplyDeleteWhen a baby cries from hunger, do we say, "oh, that baby is training her parents"? Of course not; it's a natural response to a natural need.
It's unfortunate that our American (and Western) culture has ignored the fact that babies DO indeed communicate when they need to use the bathroom, but we've been 'trained' by the multi-billion dollar diaper industry that babies have no control or ability to communicate this need until they are 3 or 4 (or 5!) years old. Babies in other cultures are more aware of and in control of their physical elimination processes at much earlier ages (6 months to 18 months) than Western (Pampers) babies are, sadly.
The communication part of elimination communication works both ways: he communicates when he needs to pee/poop and we learn to respond, AND we communicate by putting him on the potty at certain times (after eating, nursing, waking up) to encourage him to pee/poop then, and he responds.
I LOVE it! Now that Elias is 17 months, I wish I hadn't dropped the ball with doing EC with him. Emerson was potty trained by this age and he hasn't even started :-( It is so much work on the front end, but the payoff is so GREAT, for everyone! Way to go! I am hopeful that I can start working with Elias soon so that he won't be the 3,4 or 5 year old in diapers!
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