It's two weeks on again, and I can't imagine life without toilet training. I think it is really contributing to the success that we're using the toilet and not a potty. Yes, it is a step backwards for independence in that he needs help getting up and down, but it also means that we hang out with him there, sitting opposite him on the edge of the bath, at eye-level. We have fun, and sometimes he does a wee or a poo or both.
I'd be lying if I said he never balks at going on the loo. Sometimes he just doesn't need to go and doesn't want to sit on the loo and he'll contort himself and sometimes you can force his bum down and sometimes you can't. Usually in those situations I just let him run off (cackling), but sometimes I need to change his undies and it's easier if he's sitting still so I make him sit long enough to swap 'em and there's no harm done. I have to say, though, as the temper tantrums become more frequent, that we got a distractable baby. He likes to throw a good strop, but a few beeps of the horn on his little car and he's off and playing again.
Daycare started putting him on the toilet more often last week after a decree from the director that they should all be in undies all day long. One day he peed on the toilet four times! I pointed out that it would not be fun for them fishing poo out of undies every day (he poos around 10am) so they're keeping him in a pull-up until that's out of the way. It was probably a silly move - a few days and they'd start watching out for the Very Obvious Signs of Imminent Poo, but I had the misfortune to fish a rather sticky one out of some undies on Saturday and it was not as easy as the rolling log variety, I must confess.
I haven't bought nappies in three weeks - partly thanks to using cloth inside my gDiapers and partly because we're going through on average 2 nappies a day now. I bought pull-ups two weekends ago and took them in to daycare last Monday to be told he still has half a bag left. I'm loving his tightie whities and so's my bank balance.
Monday 23 June 2008
Wednesday 11 June 2008
Early Results
For a couple of days now Johnny has been running to the bathroom and trying to climb onto the toilet if he needs to wee when he's asked. We're still only catching the morning wee and maybe one more per day, but that's two nappies saved.
On Saturday after his nap I tried to rush him onto the toilet but he did not produce. We then went back to the bed to snuggle and nurse and after a few minutes he popped up, pointed to the bathroom and said "da." We ran off and popped him on the toilet and he made a wee! Very proud mommy indeed.
Later when he started to poo Kurt grabbed him midway and popped him onto the toilet to finish the job. Very proud wife!
Sunday I sat him on the toilet when I noticed the first signs of poo and after more than five minutes of happy playing atop the throne he got a look of utter terror (many smiles and "good jobs" and "it's okays" from me) and then produced. He brightened up so I thought he was done, got him off, wiped his bum and let him run naked to the kitchen for his bath. Unfortunately while it was running he started to squat again and in the dash to the loo we had a few logs on the floor.
This morning after a wee on the toilet Johnny had a rather shifty look (knock-knees, etc.) and while I was having a wee he asked to come up. I thought he wanted cuddles, but the wet undies we discovered soon after revealed another missed cue. At least now I know what to look for and the small boy is giving notice of the need to go. Good boy!
Daycare were surprisingly cool about his y-fronts with soaker, so once they start to catch the poos hopefully they'll be okay with moving to undies. I don't think they're putting him on the toilet very often, but I'm not going to press the issue until we're having more success at home. I put him on every time I visit at lunchtime and he's more than happy to sit there now.
On Saturday after his nap I tried to rush him onto the toilet but he did not produce. We then went back to the bed to snuggle and nurse and after a few minutes he popped up, pointed to the bathroom and said "da." We ran off and popped him on the toilet and he made a wee! Very proud mommy indeed.
Later when he started to poo Kurt grabbed him midway and popped him onto the toilet to finish the job. Very proud wife!
Sunday I sat him on the toilet when I noticed the first signs of poo and after more than five minutes of happy playing atop the throne he got a look of utter terror (many smiles and "good jobs" and "it's okays" from me) and then produced. He brightened up so I thought he was done, got him off, wiped his bum and let him run naked to the kitchen for his bath. Unfortunately while it was running he started to squat again and in the dash to the loo we had a few logs on the floor.
This morning after a wee on the toilet Johnny had a rather shifty look (knock-knees, etc.) and while I was having a wee he asked to come up. I thought he wanted cuddles, but the wet undies we discovered soon after revealed another missed cue. At least now I know what to look for and the small boy is giving notice of the need to go. Good boy!
Daycare were surprisingly cool about his y-fronts with soaker, so once they start to catch the poos hopefully they'll be okay with moving to undies. I don't think they're putting him on the toilet very often, but I'm not going to press the issue until we're having more success at home. I put him on every time I visit at lunchtime and he's more than happy to sit there now.
Tuesday 3 June 2008
Baby-led potty training
We've started with a very laid-back approach and no expectation that he'll be out of nappies anytime soon. I'm looking to the potty training version of BLW - doing things appropriate to his stage of development, no pushing, backing off if he gets upset or has had enough, etc. The general things we're doing are:
1. Routine. He is able to process sequences and will perform a series of actions in order. We sit on the toilet first thing in the morning, first thing when we get in in the evening, straight after naps (well, after a cuddle and a breastfeed and suggesting it to him, which is usually enough to have him getting up and heading for the lav).
2. Mimicking. He gets to watch mommy pee and daddy has said, but not yet followed through, that he'll keep his drawers on and sit on the toilet for the little boy to see. He never was interested in sitting on a potty, but sitting on the toilet and brushing his teeth with mom is a treat.
3. Room association. Nappy changes are done in the bathroom now. His poo is dropped into the toilet and we have flushable wipes and he gets to see it wash away.
4. Verbal suggestion. If I see him making a poo I say "let's go and make your poo in the bathroom" or "you can make a poo in the toilet if you want." Usually by the time we get to the bathroom he's done, but it's early days still.
5. Books. He has a special toilet book which is about a dog who makes a wee and a poo. We may add to the stash if he gets bored of that one.
6. Tightie whities. I got a dozen pairs of tightie whities with a little pocket to stuff to catch accidents. The comfort of thin cotton on his bum and the discomfort of cold, wet cotton are hopefully incentives. He is showing signs of knowing when he's about to make a wee, so we're getting there.
I don't expect dry nights anytime soon as he reverse cycles, but he has lately been going dry from midnight to waking and two mornings recently we've caught all of the first pee in the toilet whereas in the past he'd fill two nappies!
1. Routine. He is able to process sequences and will perform a series of actions in order. We sit on the toilet first thing in the morning, first thing when we get in in the evening, straight after naps (well, after a cuddle and a breastfeed and suggesting it to him, which is usually enough to have him getting up and heading for the lav).
2. Mimicking. He gets to watch mommy pee and daddy has said, but not yet followed through, that he'll keep his drawers on and sit on the toilet for the little boy to see. He never was interested in sitting on a potty, but sitting on the toilet and brushing his teeth with mom is a treat.
3. Room association. Nappy changes are done in the bathroom now. His poo is dropped into the toilet and we have flushable wipes and he gets to see it wash away.
4. Verbal suggestion. If I see him making a poo I say "let's go and make your poo in the bathroom" or "you can make a poo in the toilet if you want." Usually by the time we get to the bathroom he's done, but it's early days still.
5. Books. He has a special toilet book which is about a dog who makes a wee and a poo. We may add to the stash if he gets bored of that one.
6. Tightie whities. I got a dozen pairs of tightie whities with a little pocket to stuff to catch accidents. The comfort of thin cotton on his bum and the discomfort of cold, wet cotton are hopefully incentives. He is showing signs of knowing when he's about to make a wee, so we're getting there.
I don't expect dry nights anytime soon as he reverse cycles, but he has lately been going dry from midnight to waking and two mornings recently we've caught all of the first pee in the toilet whereas in the past he'd fill two nappies!
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