EC Adventures - Two at a time!

So our EC Adventures series has begun a new chapter: we'll call it "Tandem EC." EC with two is not all that much more difficult than EC with one - so far. Occasionally, they have both needed to go at the same time, in which case either Brandon and I each take one, or we just have a "miss" to clean up, but this doesn't happen too often (thank God).

Leonidas is very upset with me for having another baby, and consequently, has been refusing to go on the potty for me. He also seems to be completely unaware that he is going at times until after the fact, which is unusual for him. He has been wetting the bed 2 or 3 times a night, which he has never done. He does, however, like to pee outside and "water the grass", so when daddy is unavailable to take him to the potty, I let him play outside :) We have recently started putting his potty in the living room so he can sit on it himself, and this has seemed to help matters. Now if we can only get him to understand that his underwear have to come off first...

Ruby has been surprisingly easy in this respect. She cries or fusses when she has to go, and we are communicating very well back and forth. EC Rule # 807: Cues are more reliable than timing. The fact that your always-on-schedule-reliable-baby just peed and pooped three times in a row does not mean that she doesn't have to go again. That squirming means something - pay attention! This was a lesson hard-learned today.

EC Update - 12 months

A year has gone by, and we are still EC survivors :) Leonidas has had his share of potty strikes, but right now, we're in a pretty good spot (knock on wood). He's talking more now, and so he can tell us when he needs to go (when he feels like it). I was so proud of him today. This afternoon, he came inside and said "ba ba" (which is Leo-speak for "pee pee") and took out his little potty seat and tried to set it up on the floor, lol. I took him to the potty and he went :) Then, this evening, while sitting in his high chair, he pointed to the bathroom and said "bope" (aka "poop"), and did just that when I took him in there! I think this cancels out the peeing-on-the-floor incident from this morning :/ I've only really been home one day since I've stopped working, so I'm not quite sure how the day usually goes, but I'm guess we have about 2-5 misses per day on average. Since he probably pees at least a dozen times a day, I guess that's not bad for a one-year-old! Sometimes he tries to tell me that he has to go and I don't realize it until after the fact, but mommy's learning, too. The great thing is we're communicating, and most of the time I just "know" when he has to go (even though I ignore the feeling at times, not being sure of myself). I feel so close to him, being able to know what his needs are and meeting those needs. More than anything, I think that's the point. Pee on the floor once in a while is not a big deal, but feeling this close to your child is unparalleled.

EC - 18 week update

I think we're nearing the end of our potty strike. Supposedly they go through those when they are about to reach a big milestone, and since Leo sat up last week, I guess they were right. We only had 2 misses today, so I'm pretty happy about that. He's actually been signaling again, and I've been paying attention a lot more as well. It seems easier when we're out and about - not sure why. Maybe it's because I don't want to look like an idiot in front of strangers, lol! He's even been going for quite long car rides (30+ minutes) without wetting, so maybe his bladder's growing a bit. I sure hope so! Taking him to the potty 20+ times a day can get a little old. I'm just glad we're communicating again.

EC - 16 week update

Ok, so a little late, but here it is. EC adventures - not as good as last week started out, I must admit. We have anywhere between 2 and 10 misses per day. I started keeping track of when he goes. It turns out he pees 20-24 times a day, and poops 15-20 times a day! So I guess half a dozen "misses" isn't really all that bad. He is seriously on the potty every 15-30 minutes when he is awake. He usually sleeps through a 1-3 hour nap without wetting, so that's good. He's only woken up wet a handful of times, and that's when he woke up slightly, peed, and went back to sleep, so at least he's not actually going in his sleep. I really need to get a waterproof pad though. I put him on a fleece blanket, which works really well - when he stays on it. I am so tired of washing my sheets, lol. But it beats washing diapers for sure! Now if only we could get those teeth to finish coming in - maybe we could go back to normal...

EC - 15 week update part 4

What happened to my happily ECing baby?!? Oh, this afternoon was terrible. He kept peeing on me, and he actually pooped on me once. He NEVER does that. He is teething pretty hard, so I'm sure that's it. The signs were just gone - no warning at all.

But on a better note, we had our first diaper-free outing today! We went to a worship service at church this evening in his training pants. About 4 or 5 trips to the bathroom in 3 hours, but no accidents! Yay :) We would have been fine on the way home as well, except the dumb-asses at McDonald's were SO slow - ridiculously so - and he wet in the drive through line. He then began to scream so much I had to take him out of the car seat and put in on my lap while I waited for my food. I parked and changed him and then he was fine. Poor thing. He tried so hard!

Then tonight, whilst we were sitting on the couch, he did the sign for pee-pee! :D I put him on the potty and he peed! I was so happy, it made all the extra laundry worth it.

EC - 15 week update part 3

Alright, alright, so my over-confidence in the last few posts has taught me a lesson.

Haha, God, very funny.

I was peed on no less than half-a-dozen times yesterday. Even at that, we actually made it to the potty at least 10 times, which means this little bugger is peeing about 16-20 times a day! I guess it's safe to say he's eating enough. Interestingly enough, I haven't missed a poop in over three days - probably longer. Yay us! Today has been much better. Only one accident this morning, just as I was taking him to the potty, and one overnight. Not too bad :) The funniest thing is he got his butt from my side of the family (poor thing) and it's such a bubble butt his undies don't cover it, lol! My GOD it's freakin' cute as hell! Totally the best part about ECing, lol.

Have an opinion? Write a blog, but leave me out of it!

I am so sick and tired of everyone telling me that I am doing everything wrong with my child! Everything I do gets some kind of criticism, or at the very least, condescending skepticism. I really don't want to hear it anymore.

I don't keep my baby on a schedule. I know your baby goes to bed at 6:30pm and sleeps until 10:00am. Good for you. As for me, I don't force my baby into a schedule. I like to think his needs come before my comfort, but hey, that's just me.

I use cloth diapers and elimination communication. No, it's not a hassle to wash them, and at least I'm not polluting the world with human feces in landfills and chemicals used to manufacture disposable diapers. In addition, elimination communication is not really infant potty training, but that's apparently all anyone understands so I bill it as such. I am not training my baby to go to the bathroom through EC any more than I am "training" him to eat by breastfeeding. He just does it naturally. Really. I'm just not "diaper-training" him like most people in this country do, and then wonder why they have such a hard time "potty training" when they've constantly reinforced elimination in a diaper for two years. Yes, it's a commitment. Yes, they DO have some control over their bladder and bowels from birth. No, it is not "mommy training". It is simply communicating a need and fulfilling it. You can laugh and call me ridiculous all you want, but I don't remember the last time I changed a poopy diaper and my 3-month-old has not worn a diaper in three days. How much money have YOU spent on diapers this week? Yeah, so shut up.

I breastfeed my kid. I breastfeed in public without a cover, because I don't think it is obscene, and neither does the state of California. If this offends you, stop staring. I shall continue to breastfeed him until he weans himself, whenever that may be. I will not force him to wean by any means. If that means that I will be nursing a 5-year-old then so be it. He's not gonna be chewing on your tit, so what do you care? Back off.

I intend to practice baby-led weaning. I will not be giving my baby cereal or pureed "baby food." He can eat regular solid food like everyone else. That's what he was intended to do. That's what God made teeth for. Babies can't move food from the front of their mouths to the back before they can chew, and they can't chew before they can pick the food up and put it into their mouths themselves, so if I allow him to naturally follow his own development, there should be no problems. I happen to think that letting him control what goes into his mouth is better and safer than shoving pureed foods down his throat and teaching him that he does not have to chew his food.

And since he is breastfed, he DOES have to be fed more often. Babies are actually efficient at digesting breast milk, so no, it doesn't last long. The fact that he is eating every hour or so does not mean he is not getting enough from the milk!. He has been gaining weight at a rate of almost 1 lb. per week. Trust me, he's getting PLENTY of food. I don't need to supplement with cereal early just because he's frequently hungry. He is hungry because he's growing. That's what most babies tend to do. He will not die without cereal. I promise.

I don't carry my baby around in a car seat everywhere. I wear him or carry him in my arms, because I realize that wearing or carrying your baby has tremendous benefits on his cognitive and psychological development. Not only does it assist him in forming proper attachments, it also helps him learn balance and movement, which drastically improves physical and cognitive development. I know it's inconvenient at times, and he is getting heavier, but at least I'm getting a workout and losing that baby weight. Besides, his brain and muscle function are a little more important than my convenience anyway. I'm not asking you to carry him, so leave me alone.

I do vaccinate my baby, but I do not intend to give him all the vaccines recommended, and I delay many vaccinations. He's not going to die from any STDs as a baby and he's not going to give your child some deadly illness just because he hasn't been vaccinated for it. Measles doesn't just appear out of thin air - it has to be contracted from someone, and when was the last time you saw a kid with measles? I've researched the risks, and by "research" I don't mean talking to my pediatrician about it. I'm not going to explain my reasoning to you. If you think my kid is gonna give your kid diptheria then stay away from him. It's probably for the best anyway.

I co-sleep with my baby. Lordy, Lordy, God save her soul! Don't go preaching to me about how "dangerous" that is. If anyone cares to actually READ the studies, rather than just quote what they've heard, they will see that bed-sharing is only dangerous if one does not take the same precautions one would take under ANY sleeping conditions. If you are not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and make sure your baby can't be strangled by loose bedding or wedged in between pillows or mattresses and headboards, co-sleeping actually DECREASES the risk of SIDS. Bed-sharing helps to regulate an infant's heart rate and respiration and allows the mother to wake more easily if something is wrong with the child, in addition to facilitating breastfeeding and reinforcing good sleeping habits. So wipe that shocked look off your face and let me sleep!

Of course, I AM planning to have my next child at home as well. Don't even approach me on this one. You will not win. That's a whole 'nother blog. Go read it.

So yeah, just stop condemning me and let me raise my child. I have enough stress trying to take care of a baby - I don't need your constant bitchy comments as well.

Thanks.

EC - 15 week update part 2

Alright, so last night we had 2 accidents - which were really just a case of me not wanting to get my lazy ass out of bed and hold him on the potty, so I let him pee and just changed him right away. We've also had 2 accidents this morning already - one was my laziness, but the other I didn't even expect. He peed on me right as he started nursing. He almost never goes while nursing, unless it's the middle of the night and he's not really "awake". I chalked it up to being sick. Poor little thing is still getting over this chest cold that mommy gave him. His cough just won't go away, and he is so congested. I keep saying if it gets any worse I'm going to take him to the doctor, but it hasn't gotten any worse. It just hasn't gotten any better, either. He's napping right now, so we'll see how the rest of the day goes...

EC - 15 week update

Ok, so here's how the Elimination Communication adventure has been going. We started this from the day Leonidas was born, and so far, so good. We began by holding him over the potty, which was great with a 6 lb. 8 oz. baby. Ten weeks later - at 15lbs. 1 oz. - not so much. So, for the sake of my back, we decided to get him a potty. We got the Baby Bjorn Little Potty, and he LOVES it. He peed in it the first time we tried. That was easy...or so I thought.

The biggest problem has been figuring out his "cues". He began by crying a certian way when he had to go. Then he moved on to hitting me - hard. That was pretty easy to read - until he began hitting EVERYTHING as a way of playing. So we decided to teach him the sign for "pee-pee", which is working well. He has signed pee-pee a few times, but usually just gies me a certain "look" when he has to go. Lately, we've been going more on timing than anything else. He goes when he wakes up and right after he eats. He alsu usually goes during a feeding - he comes off the breast and looks at me like, "Well, take me to the potty, and hurry up about it!"

Today we went 24 hours without a diaper for the first time, and last night was his second night diaper-free, with no accidnets. Yay! Only two accidents today, which, for a three-month-old, is not bad! Tonight he's sleeping away again, and so far, no misses. We got him a bunch of tiny underwear and a few pairs of training pants. He looks so grown up in his little boxer-briefs, laying next to daddy on the bed. I don't want to fall asleep every night - I just want to look at them both. They are so precious to me. I can't believe how much my little boy is like his daddy! I'm so blessed to have them both, and I don't thank God nearly enough.