Attempting Infant Potty Training

Warning!  This post might be TMI for some!  =)

I starting infant potty training with Brina this week, and let me tell you, it is an all-consuming, full-focus endeavor.  Unfortunately, between home-school, cooking, and keeping house, I do not have as much time to devote to it as I'd like.  However, every little bit helps, and it is definitely a long-range goal.

I love this picture!  I took it myself, and amazingly, it turned out!

Many people find the idea of infant potty training crazy.  I did too when I first heard about it.  But as I've been scrubbing yukky, cloth diapers out by hand before they go in the wash, the idea has become more and more appealing to me!  After some research, I became even more interested in giving it an honest try.  I always love a good challenge, and this is definitely a challenge.  What keeps me at it is the teeny weeny bit of progress I've seen in just three days.

Babies are incredibly smart.  Of that I have no doubt.  I saw my infant son understand and use sign language well before his first birthday.  In fact, by his first birthday, he was communicating very well in sign language.  By the way, I am currently teaching both Seth and Brina Kenyan Sign Language.  Seth is learning it as a fun, extra part of school, and Brina's instruction comes whenever there is an opportunity . . . like "Want milk?"  =)

Anyway, back to the potty training.  I knew I would probably try it with Brina, so as soon as she was born, I assigned a word for #2 and said it every time I saw her doing it.  #1 was more difficult to catch, however, so that is what we are working on now.  Instead of a word for #1, I've assigned a sound, a gentle "sssss" sound.  I say gentle because I've had to work at keeping it gentle so as not to startle her when I feel her going.  It startles me, and the "sssss" sometimes comes out rather forcefully as I spring into action!  Then she cries.  Ooops!  We're both learning at this.

Needless to say, Brina and I have been spending a lot of time together.  The first day, I tried multitasking.  I laid her on my bed diaper-less on a big bed-wetting pad, and ironed beside her.  I tried to watch her as I ironed.  I got a ton of ironing done, but I didn't learn much about her potty times and facial expressions.

Day 2, I again ironed with her beside me on the bed, but I was more diligent to write things down like times that she went, facial expressions when she went, etc.  Still no real progress though, and by mid-afternoon, I was frustrated.  I called it quits for the day.

Day 3, I decided not to multitask.  I decided that whatever hours of the day I spent training her (after school until time to cook supper), I would focus on her and hold her continually if I had to.  I've had her in a onesie, and I just loosely wrap a prefold around her to keep her modest . . . and to hopefully catch some of it!

Our progress so far after 3 days:  Most times, she goes #1 on cue right after she wakes up because she already needs to go.  And she continues to go #2 when I catch her at it and rush her to the bathroom.  I don't know if that last one is progress or not!  She was fussing over the toilet, so the bathroom sink is working better for us while she is still little.

Yes, I am training myself to take her potty, but I am also training her to go on cue in the right place when I say the word or the sound.  It will take a long time, I know, but hey, I'm already washing out less yukky diapers! So it's worth it to me!

By the way, my Grandma told me that she potty trained her babies too.  I guess it used to be a more common thing to do.  She had them trained by about 9 months.  They would fuss to go and she would know and take them potty.  By that age, they did not want to mess themselves.  Hmmm.  Times have changed.  Well, I'm determined to give it a try anyway!