As I have previously mentioned, Christian is NOT diaper-free, but very very slowly moving in that direction.
But when I walk into the room and see my baby laying in a puddle of his own poop – whew boy, I get doubly motivated. It looked like somebody had gone and spilled a bucket of mustard paint underneath his butt. Sorry to be so graphic – but that’s what happens when you become a mom: you start talking about poop all the time, because you’re dealing with it all the time. Then later I caught a poo in the potty. The difference in mess factor between scrubbing down a dirty diaper and baby bottom; and simply rinsing a potty into the toilet and wiping his bottom with toilet paper, is immeasurable. Not to speak of the difference in comfort for the baby!
I’ve joined a support group for diaper-free babies from www.diaperfreebaby.org, but I’ve yet to make contact with a real person. That will happen soon I think. They have mentors and support groups all over the world!
I also wanted to share the tips from Ingrid Bauer’s book. These tips helped me the most of anything I’ve read so far.
- Offer potty opportunity as soon as baby wakes up.
- Always offer potty opportunity before going out.
- Make regular pit stops en route.
- Try to potty when you arrive.
- Offer potty opp. whenever you undress baby (for bath, changing, or sleep).
- Choose clothes and diapers that are easy and quick to remove.
- If using diapers, try cloth diapers without covers. (This is what we’ve been doing.)
- Make a cuing sound anytime you notice your child going, even if it’s a miss.
- Act quickly on the slightest thought or intuition about pottying. (Very true!)
- If one thing isn’t working, try something different; stay flexible. (Christian didn’t like his pink potty, but I let him nurse while he’s sitting on it and now it’s no problem at all.)
- If you encounter challenges, continue offering regularly, and respect a “no.” (Christian’s “no’s” are loud and clear.)
- Avoid pressure; stay relaxed and patient.
- Connect with other like-minded parents. (Working on this…haven’t actually spoken to anybody who practices EC yet.)