I've been asked how the infant pottying is going. Yes, two months into it, and we are still at it. We’ve had our ups and downs, but we’ve kept at it. One thing I have learned: It takes commitment. When I first started, I was committed to at least give it a try. The further I got into it though, my commitment changed. I became committed to see it through because I was/am not willing for the alternative—two years of diapers and then a year long battle to untrain her in what I already trained her to do—go in her diaper. That seems so counterproductive to me.
A couple of weeks ago though, we hit a snag. Nothing was working, and I got really discouraged. We were missing almost every time, and I could not figure out why. I seriously thought of quitting. It would be so much more convenient to just leave her in diapers and try to forget about it. The problem is I'm not too sure I could just forget about it this far into the game. To be honest with you, it’s become more like a habit and a way of life for me, and I think it has for her too. Inconvenient? Most definitely. But do I face the inconvenience of it now or later? I still opt for now.
In the midst of my discouragement, I bought this book. It was not cheap, but I still had some birthday money someone had sent me several months ago. BJ teased me about what I wanted to spend my birthday money on—a potty book! Ornery man! He is not the one making multiple trips up the stairs to the "special bathroom" losing more weight in the process!!! (Which by the way, paid off! She willingly goes anywhere I ask her to now so long as she actually needs to go.) Anyway, I would definitely recommend that book. It gave me the encouragement I needed, and it also gave me some tips that I had not found anywhere else online. As a disclaimer though, I must say that I don’t agree with everything in the book. For instance, it “explains” why infant pottying works . . . “because of 200,000 thousand years of evolution”. I just pushed those peas to the side of the plate!
However, it did encourage me to keep at it, and in the book, I discovered what our recent problem had been. When we were catching potties before, Brina was pretty regular every 40 minutes. I got used to that, and we really had a system going. Then the little stinker changed things up on me (not on purpose, of course). As she got older, she was able to hold it longer (every hour to hour and 15 minutes). I was still taking her every 40 minutes when she didn’t need to go. This frustrated her. Then we’d miss it every time, and that frustrated me!
I had to go back to square one. When I again timed her potties, I found out that she was going every hour to hour and 15 minutes. I started taking her potty at the right times, and it’s again working like a charm. We are catching almost everything and only missing 3-4 times a day. The misses do not bother me so long as we are getting somewhere.
In my reading and research on the matter, I learned that many babies signal when they need to go. Some fuss, some wiggle, some get facial expressions right before they go. Well, I’ve had a problem with that. I just don’t see the signals if they are there. I’ve concluded one of two things to be the case. Either Brina does not signal for me, or I am just too blonde to see it! (And I DON’T need any comments on that, dear family!)
So I am teaching her sign language. Believe me, in a few more months, she will be able to signal when she needs to go! Right now, I’m relying on timing mostly . . . and Mommy’s intuition.
Intuition? I read about that too, and that didn’t seem to work for me either. Therefore, I was pretty skeptical about the whole premonition thing. However, now after two months, amazingly, I am finding that there IS something to that! I’m not sure if it’s just that by this time I know my baby pretty well or what. But it is happening more and more that all of a sudden I’ll get a funny feeling that she needs to go, and when I take her, she goes immediately! Pretty amazing.
We are even pottying at night now. She usually wakes me up one time in the middle of the night to nurse, and I take her then too. She goes for me nearly every time if I hear her cry and take her in time. A small challenge is that she sleeps in her own room, so it takes me a minute to get to her and get her in position at the potty. But that is okay. We win some and we lose some.
By the way, I had to modify the classic potty position just a little. Brina feels more comfortable and secure in this position . . .
. . . than in this one.
From the get-go, she flatly refused to potty in this position.
Lastly, whenever I need more encouragement, I call my Grandma. She had her children trained (to hold it until taken potty) and out of diapers at nine months old. People thought my grandma was crazy too, but how can one argue with it when it works?
* Leftovers before church tonight
* Leftovers before church tonight
7 comments:
Thank you for sharing this. :) Our daughter Faith was 8 months old when she first began using the potty. I was so impressed as I had not tried to train her. She did very well for months and months until we went on vacation and using the potty was not an option. At least not a convenient one. We had purchased a potty seat the kind that you set on the toilet but we found that the public restrooms that often flush BEFORE you are ready scared her too badly. So then she refused to use the potty. It was so sad. Thankfully when she decided to train herself again....it was a breeze both day and night with only an occasional accident. I think using cloth diapers may have helped as most babies do not appreciate being wet. Thanks again for sharing this post.
HI Jessi,
Wow I give you credit for sticking with it. When it comes to children we are sowing now to reap later in many areas including the potty. What a saver in many ways having her potty trained.
I guess I should cover my head in shame because I have two in diapers daily, and one still in at night, three children 3yrs old and under. I think it comes down to a lot of Mommy laziness.Oh well, everything is a learning experience.
Have a great day in the Lord,
Bekki
Wow, I didn't know mothers started so early to potty train. It was interesting to see the change in your girl's facial expression when she sits in a position she likes and doesn't like.
Nikki, that is interesting. It took me a LONG time to potty train Seth. I waited till the normal age (about 2) with him. Part of our problem probably had to do with the fact that we were on deputation travelling and had to use a different toilet everywhere. Those automatic toilets scared him to death too and gave us major setbacks as well. He was not trained until we got here to Kenya, and he was almost 4. That is a major reason why I wanted to start early with Brina.
Bekki, you need feel no shame at all. If I had three children under 3 years old, I don't think I would have time to do infant pottying. I can't say I'm happy about the 5-year gap between my two, but it does free me up to be able to focus on Brina when I need to. God knows.
Joyful, I laughed too when I saw the two pictures and how naturally her facial expression changed for each one! Ha ha
Wow, Jessi, you're a trooper! Two thumbs up for all of your hard work, Mom. I'm sure it is going to pay off in the long run!
Hey Jessi, thanks for this post! I tried with Aaliyah at four months; but them we moved and all training dissipated. I didn't bother with Cassidy because we live in a borrowed home with carpet. Aaliyah would go "number two", but not number one before we stopped training. Anyhow...Aaliyah ended up being trained right after her second birthday. Her Grandma came to visit and asked her to go to the big girl potty... she did and has been "going" ever since. Go Figure!
soundsb like a lot of work but I am happily following your journey here:) You're a great mama!!!
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