Infant Potty Training

[Guest guest]

Has anyone ever done this with the second or third baby (and not the

first)? I am pregnant with my second and my three-year-old son is

still in diapers. I would be interested in the older child's reaction

to the younger one " using " the toilet before they did.

Thanks,

Audrey.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 11/12/2001 5:30:25 AM Pacific Standard Time,

deb_proen writes:

 

 

> Based on two of many of Dr. Sear's comments, I don't see how you can expect

> an infant/baby to be potty trained.

>

>

 

It isn't about traditional " potty training " and no one expects a baby to hold

it. It is learning how to read your baby's cues when it has to go. Every

baby has a certain way of communicating that they have to go and with EC, the

parents learn how to read those signals and just take the baby to wherever

they want them to go and let them go. The moms that practice it are in no

way really potty training. It does make it an easier transition than going

from all diapers for a few years to the toilet. I wish that I had learned

about it sooner and tried it on Colin. We stopped putting him in diapers at

home around 12 months and he has been peeing in the potty since he was about

15 months old.

 

Sara

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

I did not see the original post.....but I thought potty training was all

about when the child was physically and emotionally ready (not because the

parents did not want to wash diapers or because the parents thought the

diaper was uncomfortable). Sofie never complained about a diaper not being

comfortable, in fact as a infant, she did not even care if there was poop in

it. From the mom's I talk with, most babies don't care.

 

I don't think a baby can physically hold the pee until at a potty or tell

you when they have to go. That is something I thought a toddler could do

but definitely not a baby. Maybe I am blessed, but my daughter potty

trained herself at 26 months. Yes, she has an occasional accident, but we

reinforce the positivie so she won't feel so bad. But you know, feeling bad

at times is part of life and learning how to get over it and on with life

without it affecting you is important.

 

Here are some comments from Dr. William Sears re: potty training

(http://www.askdrsears.com/html/10/t106600.asp):

 

Toilet-training is a complex skill. Before you rush baby to the potty at the

first squat, consider what's involved in learning toileting skills. First,

baby has to be aware of the pressure sensations of his bowel and bladder.

Then he must make the connection between these sensations and what's

happening inside his body. Next he learns to respond to these urges by

running to the potty, where he must know how to remove his clothes, how to

situate himself comfortably on this new kind of seat and how to hold his

urges until all systems are go. With all these steps, it's no wonder many

babies are still in diapers well into the third year.

 

The muscles surrounding the opening of the bladder and bowel (I call them

doughnut muscles when explaining the elimination process to six-year- old

bed wetters) need to be controlled to open and close at the proper time.

Bowel training usually precedes bladder training, mainly because the

doughnut muscles surrounding the bowel are not as impatient as those around

the bladder. When a baby senses the urge to defecate, he has more time to

respond before soiling his diapers. A solid substance is easier to control

than liquid. When the bladder is

full, the urge to go is sudden, strong, and hard to control.

 

Based on two of many of Dr. Sear's comments, I don't see how you can expect

an infant/baby to be potty trained.

 

_______________

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[Guest guest]

<Based on two of many of Dr. Sear's comments, I don't see how you can expect

an infant/baby to be potty trained>

 

In fact, from what I read, they do not get potty trained much earlier than other

children who wore diapers.

 

Hugs,

 

" My darling girl, when are you going to understand

that being normal isn't necessarily a virtue.

It rather denotes a lack of courage! "

 

Aunt Frances in Practical Magic

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

At 05:41 AM 11/12/01 -0500, you wrote:

>I did not see the original post.....but I thought potty training was all

>about when the child was physically and emotionally ready (not because the

>Toilet-training is a complex skill. Before you rush baby to the potty at the

>first squat, consider what's involved in learning toileting skills. First,

>Based on two of many of Dr. Sear's comments, I don't see how you can expect

>an infant/baby to be potty trained.

 

Sorry if we are beating this topic into the ground, but I just thought I'd

clarify something. First, I don't like the term Infant Potty Training

because that is really not what it is about. It is called lots of things,

but the purpose as I see it is not to 'train' anyone. It is about

listening to your childs cues...just as one would listen to their child's

cues about being hungry and ready to nurse. My son hates for any fabric to

touch him when he is sleeping (kicks covers off, wants to be naked, etc.)

so he has slept naked or without a diaper through the night and for naps

for well over a year (he's 21 mo.). Sure once in a while we'll wake up

with a soaked bed, but most of the time he gets up and goes when we jump in

the shower. I never expected this from him...this is just the way he has

done things...I just took his lead on this since it is a personal matter I

figure he knows best. He will bring a diaper to me so he can poop in

it...again his choice. I have never made a big deal about poop on the

floor (we have easy to clean hardwood and ceramic tile in most of the

house), but it has only been something I've had to deal with a hand full of

times since he's always had an aversion to pooping on the floor. Most of

the time when we are around the house and I try to put a diaper on him, he

will say 'no' and take the diaper and throw it over the balcony or out of

the room. If I explain that we are leaving the house then he'll stand

there and I'll put the diaper on. I did not do elimination communication

or infant potty training per se, but it is really the same concept. I

don't expect him to 'hold it', in fact as my yoga instructor used to say

'The key to enlightenment is to eat when you are hungry and sleep when you

are tired.' I would add and 'eliminate when you need to eliminate'. We

try to listen to our bodies and my son has really helped us with that...in

exchange I try to facilitate his listening to his body by not forcing

clothes or diapers or food or sleep on him. This is what *our* life is about.

 

Cheers,

 

Linda

[Guest guest]

Sounds like it's the parents who are being " trained " here. How do you handle

outings of more than an hour or two?

 

-

<colinsapmama

 

Monday, November 12, 2001 9:03 AM

Re: Infant potty training

 

> It isn't about traditional " potty training " and no one expects a baby to

hold

> it. It is learning how to read your baby's cues when it has to go. Every

> baby has a certain way of communicating that they have to go and with EC,

the

> parents learn how to read those signals and just take the baby to wherever

> they want them to go and let them go. The moms that practice it are in no

> way really potty training. It does make it an easier transition than

going

> from all diapers for a few years to the toilet. I wish that I had learned

> about it sooner and tried it on Colin. We stopped putting him in diapers

at

> home around 12 months and he has been peeing in the potty since he was

about

> 15 months old.

>

> Sara

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 11/14/2001 5:18:02 AM Pacific Standard Time,

bebarker writes:

 

 

> Sounds like it's the parents who are being " trained " here. How do you handle

> outings of more than an hour or two?

>

 

No one is being " trained " you are communicating with your baby. Parents that

practice EC will use a diaper on long outings. Like it was said before, this

is not for everyone, but just because people don't agree with it, doesn't

mean that it is wrong. Remember, there are alot of people that think that

vegetarianism is weird, strange and unhealthy.

 

Sara