Piper is potty training me.
It started when I first saw her poop... "Gross...I wouldn't want to be sitting in that!"
Then when she was one wk old she went through 5 diapers while Isaiah and I were on a date....and her Granny had double diapered her for the trip home. I laughed when I saw it. Then a few hours later....here she goes again...more poop....so I waited and went through the diapers put more ointment on her bad rash...then out of the corner of my eye I saw the toilet a few feet from her changing table.
Hmmm yep- I set my newborn barely a wk old on the pot.....and she finished her doo doo there.
Sitting on Grandma Nans potty going pee pee
I had heard of Moms putting their babies on the toilet before we had Piper and I thought "I will never have time to do that- but that sounds like a good idea." I heard that they took a little pot with them in the car...sounded like a lot of trouble....and that their babies didn't wear diapers...crazy!
But when I saw how much my dear little babe was pooping and how fast I was going through diapers.
One of her regulars- huge and gross....glad I don't have to clean it up!
Then I read in a child training book that all infants protest a bowel movement and it's true! And that women in Africa carry their infants around on them naked and have to learn when their baby needs to go so they can set then down on the ground with their feet in a squatting position. So I watched for Piper to start to fuss for no reason and I'd rush her to the toilet and she would poop for me.
Now she poops less often but a lot more at once.
We are bonding, communicating and I'm training her that going on the potty is where we go potty not in our pants.
I know of a lot of parents (and so do you) that struggle with potty training because their child is used to going in their pants and doesn't care plain and simple.
Piper can't talk, walk or wipe herself but she is training me to look for her signs that she needs to go- like sucking on her fist would give me a sign that she needs food or yawning means she needs a nap.
Then I do my part to train her by naming what she is doing I use "doo doo" in a low voice and "pee pee" in a high voice to name what she is doing.
She pees a lot so it is hard for me to catch and I think that will take some more time for us to get down but she waits for me to set her on the pot to doo doo unless I ignore her need too long.
Last Sunday I was busy- we had church and were in town running errands for a few hours and I only took her potty once.
I sometimes fear people at church will hear her fussing in the bathroom and think I'm torturing her....but that is just what she does before she poops- wiggles and fusses and then relaxes and goes....yeah I have her bowel movements down to a science.
So anyways she woke mid nap and was fussing- I was hoping she would just go back to sleep...but nope she had to poop and the noises came and I regretting not taking her. She gave me plenty of warning but it was too late...she ruined her dress...all the way up her back.
If I just let her poop in her pants all the time I figure I would go through a lot of clothes....thank goodness she poops on the potty!
Why am I posting this? To encourage other Mommies to start training NOW!
It's so rewarding- Piper always gives me grins after I praise her for pottying on the toilet.
It doesn't take that much time...if you have time to change a million diapers a day you have time to set your baby on the toilet.
My family is very supportive and one lady at church even took her potty after I told her about it.
But some of course think I am crazy- but they aren't reaping the benefits...they are changing more diapers.
For more info- look up elimination communication.
