16th Dec 08 Tue (The Day I found  out about EC)

I read a blog post about how a mother wanted to let her baby go diaperless. She even went to borrow book to read up on it. Alas, it was difficult to find her remaining posts on whether it was successful. I then searched for this and found the method termed as ‘Elimination Communication‘, meaning a baby communicates with the caregiver to eliminate his wastes.

Reading on, I became more and more interested in this method. If it means less washing of cloth diapers, I’m all for it! And I like how it gives the power to the baby, to let baby be more independent and aware of his own body. Diapers, even cloth ones restrict his movements and I notice how Darius always start whining when I put the diaper on for him during a change. He’s most happy when there’s nothing underneath him.

I decided to start tomorrow to see whether it will work. I’m not afraid of him peeing over the floor because ‘Urine is an aqueous solution of metabolic wastes such as urea, dissolved salts, and organic compounds. Except in cases of kidney or urinary tract infection (UTI), urine is virtually sterile and nearly odorless.‘ Just try not to get them on fabric because it will still smell.

At this stage, Dar has just passed his fifth month birthday on the 15th Dec08. Hope it’s not too late as the window of opportunity is between birth and four months.

Day 1 – 17th Dec08 Wed (Dar @ 5 Months 2 days old)

We will be going out mid-afternoon but I decide to observe him in the morning to see how he eliminates. I’m so excited about this method and can’t wait to try it on him.

He woke up at 7.30am, and couldn’t get back to sleep. I changed him out of the disposable diaper and tried getting him to urinate over the toilet bowl with my hands holding his legs and his head&back leaning against my chest. I gave the cue sound of ‘’ssshing’. He didn’t understand what I wanted and kept glancing into the mirror to smile.  After a while, I gave up.

Then, I placed him on the cloth diaper and he immediately peeed. Argh… after being diapered for so long, he’s conditioned to think he should urinate on a cloth. No wonder he no longer shoots out when we change him and leave him bare.

I fed him and during the feed, I noticed him doing his usual pushing and then, the nappy cloth was wet. Hmm, so that’s his cue? It’s not obvious however as he pushes to fart or burp too.

Some common signals that indicate a need to pee in a young infant are: squirming, “fussing”, tensing the face, frowning or having a look of “inner concentration”, becoming quiet or pausing in activity, a sudden increase in activity, looking intently at or reaching for mother, and waking from sleep.

I bought him out to the playmat then and let him lie on it with a nappy cloth underneath. I then observe and waited for his cues to urinate.

I played with him for a while and suddenly, he started a little wailing. I quickly carried him to the nathroom and did the ’sssh’ sound again with him still crying. He peeed into the bowl… I caught his first pee with EC!

Wow! I was pretty encouraged but then I look at the time. Huh? Only 20 mins since the last urine? That means it’s too frequent and I’ll have to keep carrying him to the bowl? That confused me as I read that babies can hold their urine and most don’t urinate when they are napping for hours and usually only urinates 30mins to one hour after a feed, when changing positions or after a ride. Hmm, found this passage below however,

Study your baby’s elimination timing and patterns in relation to meals and awaking from sleep. For example, most babies need to go immediately upon waking in the morning and after naps. Thereafter, they might need to pee every 30 minutes two or three more times; then the timing may increase to an hour before she needs to go again. On the other hand, some still pee at 15- to 20-minute intervals for a while.

Is is because I changed his position?

I waited again for his cue and this time, he just squirm a bit and then urinated on the nappy cloth. There’s no obvious signs at all! Thinking that he’s conditioned on the cloth, I removed the nappy and just let him lie on the playmat since it’s waterproof.

Kept waiting and waiting for his signs til he was also bored with me and complains about lying down. At around 20minutes after,  I went to get his pacifier and when I came back, he has urinated yet again! This time, they puddle around his buttocks and wetted his shirt a little.

Why is it so frequent? Feeling discouraged, I put him back into the BW cloth diaper and took him to nap. Then, we had to go out and I called it a day.

Pees caught – 1 Shortest Stay Dry – 20mins               Longest Stay Dry- 20mins

Day 2 – 18th Dec08 Thu

He pooed early morning at about 8 plus in his disposable. Not sure how to handle poop for EC because I don’t have the potty with me yet. Will have to get from my mother since she has one passed down from my nephew.

After his bath, he was sleepy so I didn’t let him try diaperless and put on the cloth diaper for him. He was so tired that he napped from 1200hrs to 1400hrs.

After his nap, the cloth diaper was already wet. I think he calls me only after peeing. I fed him at about 1400hr and then let him go diaperless.

He peeed at 1420, 1440 and 1500, 1530 on the playmat while I was playing with him. Almost every 20-30mins! I put the nappy cloth underneath him and wipe the spills away as I still couldn’t make him come on cue despite bringing him to the bathroom many times to cue him. Maybe it’s still too early for him. I cloth diapered him to prevent him from dirtying the exersaucer and at every wetness, I changed him.

I try noticing his signs. He gives little jerky squirm on one occasion. But the rest, there was not much signs at all.

Then it’s time for his afternoon nap and he was really tired already so I cloth-diapered him and he slept til 1630hrs for a feed. Tried to bring him to the toilet again but he still couldn’t pass on cue.

Feeling tired about this. Got to perservere, I tell myself.

He was cloth diapered again after his bath as I was really too tired to handle anymore.

Pees caught – 0   Average Stay Dry – 20mins               Longest Stay Dry- 30mins

Day 3 – 19th Dec08 Fri (making some progress)

Today, I started the day feeling very motivated. Told myself, I’ll not be discouraged or angry with Darius today if he doesn’t respond to me.

Morning at around 9 plus, I change him and put him on the mat naked. Then, I bathe him and left his bottom bare on a nappy cloth which is on a changing mat on the bed. I started feeding him. While he ate, he suddenly did his pushing motion at 1050hrs and I gave a little shout which made him jump and stopped. Oopss. Read that we are not supposed to do that or he’ll be afraid to poop next time. I quickly grabbed a liner nearby and held the poop which fortunately was just a large mass and not watery. His poop are quite solid due to the cereals feeding.

After that, I let him lie down on the playmat again with his bare bottom. This time, I really wanted to observe his cues properly so I didn’t put any nappy cloth underneath. 10 minutes after the poop, I bought him into the bathroom to pee with the ’sssh’ sound but still nothing.

I came back, put him on the playmat, and brought him to the bathroom every 10 mins til he got quite upset and whiny. Then at 25 mins after the poop at 1115hrs, he pass a puddle without much signs again which surprised me and made me disappointed. Despite so many attempts to bring him to pee, he just did it then and there. I use a nappy cloth to wipe it off easily.

Then it was time for his morning nap at 1140hrs  and I use a cloth diaper on him. He woke up at 12 plus instead of sleeping a full hour. I checked his diaper and it was dry. Hmm, good progress here. I immediately took him to the bathroom to try to urinate over the bowl again but he didn’t and protested a lot.

Hence, I left it and carried him around the house bare-bottomed. Being paranoid, I kept looking at him and with every little squirm or complain cry, I brought him to the bathroom’s wash basin to pee on cue. However, he only looked at the mirror at our reflections and didn’t want to pass. Finally, it was close to 1pm. He had stayed dry since 1115hrs for 1 hr and 45 mins! Was it because he was bare-bottomed and he daren’t pee without a cloth covering? That’s how conditioned he was.

At 1305hr, the time when I usually change him to a fresh diaper, I noticed that he was standing with my support rather awkwardly with his legs close together, a bit squirmish and his hand touching his thigh. I quickly brought him to the bathroom again and asked him to ’ssh ssh’ over the wash basin.  He cried and was rather agitated but finally let out a huge stream of pee. It was so satisfying to see that! But he wasn’t really aware still as he quickly looked away after that.

Time for feeding again. I put him in the rocker to eat and put on his short for him. Barely 15 mins into the feed, he suddenly pass in his shorts but not dirtying the rocker. It was a small amount. Hmm… not sure how to catch when he’s eating.

Naptime again and I put him into cloth diaper at 1400hrs.  He slept for 2 hours with a cry in the middle. I need to do stuff however so I didn’t carry him to the bathroom.

He woke up at 16oohrs. His cloth diaper was wet. I removed them and left his butt naked again. Tried to get him to pee in the bathroom because they said that babies pee upon waking but was unsuccessful. Probably, he had already peed in the diaper, that’s why he was awake and called for me.

I fed him at 1630hrs this time on my lap while sitting on the playmat. He finished his feed at 1640hrs and he didn’t pee for the whole time. Again, it must be because he was bare-bottomed. I waited ten minutes, and when I noticed him squirming a bit, I took him to the bathroom.

He was complaining crying again and this time, I switch on the tap to let the water flow. The sound of the water trickling, sounds like peeing and as if on cue, he immediately peed! I quickly added the ’ssh ssssh’ sound to let him associate with the peeing. Then, I kissed him on the forehead and told him he’s a good boy. I felt really happy to catch a pee. ^_^ Put on the short for him since I know he will not pee so soon.

I thought to bring him to the bathroom again at every 30mins.  I kept watching the clock, my mind was really focused on him the whole time, watching his signs and he seemed very happy that I was giving him full attention the whole day. Babbled excitedly everytime he was held in standing position.

Alas, as I was carrying him near to 30mins, he peed a small amount on me! I was shocked and that made him stopped. I thought I must have missed it this time so I put him on the dining table standing to look at him and tell him not to pee on me. Then, suddenly, he looked down and peed on the table standing up and then when I said him in shocked, he did it again! He was in good spirits probably thinking it was fun to do. Regretted that I did not bring him to the bathroom during the first peeing. *knock head. MUST remember to bring him next time regardless of whether he has peeed and tell him to “sssh” there.

At 1740, he was tired already and I wanted to give him a bath before he naps. I left him on the changing mat butt naked and while preparing the water and coming back, he had already peeed on the nappy cloth he was lying on. Missed that one. But only 20 mins after the previous? Hmm…seemed that his intervals are rather irregular.

Changed him into cloth diaper at 1800 with him protesting and he napped. He is probably disliking being cloth diapered since he had his butt aired the whole day.

Woke him up at 1915 because he slept too long. He was tired still and cried a bit. Then, I removed his diaper and found it still dry! For 1 and a quarter hour! He didn’t peed into it while napping. A good start.

Hubby was around by this time and he tried to carry Darius to go pee in the basin but he was still sleepy and wondered who is carrying him.

Then, I tried too but nothing from him. Maybe it’s due to the ‘bottom bare’ factor again.

We then put on shorts for him as it was time for feeding. He stayed dry at 1930 all the way til he suddenly peeed 10mins later when hubby was making him laugh. I then continued feeding him on the rocker when he sudddenly did the pushing motion again and I yelped loudly (at a loss to poop) which startled him and he stopped. (I must be careful about that yelling). Luckily, I placed an extra nappy cloth underneath the first soiled one and that his poop was just one lumpy mass like the morning one. Easy to clean off by wrapping with a wet wipe. He also peeed a little with the poop.

Seemed like he enjoys pooping during feeding in a lying down position. He doesn’t poo when he’s upright. Will correct that when I get the potty.

Told hubby to watch out for his signs 30mins after the feed which would be around 2035hrs. We changed a new pair of shorts for him and hubby played with him.

He showed signs of turning without the bulky diaper obstructing him and I think he was generally happier with the clean feeling.

Finally, hubby said near to the time that Dar wants to pee. I told him how he know. He said, Dar was making sound and he just felt like Dar told him he needed to pee. (Hubby was holding him upright, a bit worried that he might get pee on him but being very brave. ^_~)

Okay, I brought him into the bathroom over the basin again.Tried switching on the tap but nothing. Dar was getting used to this strange place and this time, he looked into the mirror fully at himself and me. I just kept holding him in a semi-squat position and shake him back and forth a bit. He was smiling at me making ’sssh sssh’ sounds to him and looking intently at my reflection. This time, hubby use his fingers to trickle some water into the wash basin. Darius looked curiously at his actions. I was surprised that hubby did that as I had read that it’s another tip for inducing urine to come beside switching on the tap. Finally, he trickled some water onto Dar’s p and then, we saw him jiggled and a stream came out! I quickly made the “sssh ssssss” sounds and he pee again….and again…for a total of three times!

We were both so happy at our results and laughed/ talked so much. I noticed that Dar was looking at his own peeing this time and didn’t look away. Good for him! I keep praising hubby for knowing the trick and he said, he just did it by instinct, thinking it might work. I washed Dar, wiped his bottom dry, gave him a kiss and told him he’s a good boy. Hope he gets the message this time.

For me, it was another cloth diaper saved!

Alas, time for bed and he was put into disposable again. Hopefully, we will make better progress again since Dar is getting more aware.

Pees caught – 2 Number of times he peed from 1000hr-2030hr – 11 Number of poops – 2

Average Stay Dry – 20mins               Longest Stay Dry- 1 hr 45 mins

Day 4 – 20th Dec08 Sat

Today, hubby is around and we will be going out in the afternoon.

He didn’t poop in the morning and peeed in the nappy at 30mins after his bath. Then, he stayed dry for 40mins til he peeed on the playmat. I wanted to observe more but then it was time for his nap. I put on the cloth diaper for him in case he peeed during sleep.

Then, we went out for the whole afternoon and he was diapered all the way til night. It’s still difficult to leave him in anything else other than disposables when we go out.

Pees caught – 0    Average Stay Dry -    Longest Stay Dry- 40mins

Day 5 – 21st Dec08 Sun

Today we will not be going out during the day so I’m committed to EC again.

Morning, I did not change him to cloth nappy because I was too tired.

After his bath at 1030hrs, he peeed 20mins later at 1050hrs.

I let him wear short with a nappy liner because he haven’t pooped since yesterday and the morning.

After I walked away and came back, we discovered that he has pooped at 1110hrs into the shorts with most of them caught in the liner and the nappy he was lying on was wet too.

I quickly changed him into another pair of shorts.He stayed dry til for 1hr 10mins at 1220hrs, he had to sleep and I put him in a cloth diaper.

At 1330hr, he ate. 10mins later, he peeed into the cloth diaper and I changed him.

He stayed dry til 1430hr for 1 hr 10mins til he peeed in his pants on absorbent mattress pad which I laid under him on top of the mattress cover. I put on a nappy for him and fasten a little. 15mins later, he peeed into the nappy. I wondered if he’s really thinking that he can only pee when there’s cloth around.

At 1500 hrs, I put in a cloth nappy with the absorbent mattress underneath him on the bed mattress. He woke up at 1600hrs with wet nappy. I thought he has already peeed since he woke up so I let him wear a pair of shorts while we played with him. Alas, 5 mins later, he peed in his pants…

He stayed dry for 25mins to 1630hrs where he peeed in the walker on top of the nappy cloth backup.

Fed Darius at 1630hrs. We gave him plain water to drink and he may pass out more. True enough,he peed at 15mins later at 1645hr.

He then did it again at 1700 (15mins), 1705 (5mins). Pees has suddenly became very frequent. As we wanted to bring him for a stroll, he was cloth diapered.

From 1710hrs, he wore diaper and because we are always so tired at night that we just bath him and change him in huggies all the way. So for the whole day, despites attempts to pee him in the bathroom at 20 to 30mins intervals, he did not follow and always peeed into his cloths.

Pees caught – 0  Average Stay Dry – 20 mins  Longest Stay Dry- 1 hr 10 mins

Day 6 – 22nd Dec08 Mon (First Pee into Potty)

We went out for the entire day so he was in disposables all the way.

Finally, I got the potty from my mum but was disappointed that it was the seat kind which is quite bulky. Think that may be better used for poops. So today, we went to get another potty which has a handle in front so that baby  can face it and hold onto the handle. Darius can’t sit yet so he will still need my support.

When I finish feeding him at 1740hrs, I left him butt naked. As he usually pees 10-20mins after his feed for the past few days since I started EC,  I put him on the puku potty to seat with his back to me and me going “sssh…sssh” in his ears. As usual, he’s more curious about the product and does not know what he has to do. He kept moving his head down to bite the handle instead. I let him sit there for a while, hoping to wait til he pees so that I can make the “sssh…” and then let it associate with his action and the potty. Alas, waited and waited til he became fussy for sitting too long.

I took him out of the potty and onto the floor in front of me and he suddenly peeed onto the floor right in front of the potty! Arggh… It was 25mins after. Not sure how to teach him to pee inside instead of outside.

He took his bath 5mins after and I let him lie on the mattress in the living room again with the absorbent pad and a cloth nappy underneath his butt. I asked Hubby to try to put him on the potty at about 1825 or 1830hrs.  Hubby tried at 1830hrs but he did it with Dar facing him by moving to the other side of the potty. Dar didn’t want to pee into the potty.

So five mins later, he took him up again using the facing him position. I took Dar from behind using the  ‘cue position’ (each hand holding underneath each of his thighs with his legs a bit spread) while Hubby encourage him and made funny faces at him. Suddenly, as we kept sssshing, Hubby noticed Dar smile at him and suddenly there was a puddle of yellow in the puku potty. He had stayed dry for25 mins til 1835hrs.

At 1840, I tried putting him to sleep with a nappy around him secured with fasteners but he was upset about sleeping and wetted the nappy.

Thus, at 1850, I put him in cloth diaper to make him sleep. In the end, he was not sleepy and  at 2030hr, we diapered him again til next morning.

Pees caught – 1       Average  Stay Dry – 25 mins    Longest Stay Dry- 25 mins

Day 7 – 23rd Dec08 Tue

We started the day late today. Fed him only at 1130hr because he was sleeping.  I told hubby to help me do up a chart so I can chart his progress and timings to see if there are any patterns.

So far, I noticed he pees about 10mins after the feed starts, so he might still be drinking milk while he’s peeing unless he finishes it up fast. I can only let him pee into the nappy cloth as I do not want to disrupt his drinking or he wouldn’t drink finish.

Finally, I caught one pee into the potty 40mins after the feed and 20 mins after the previous pee.

For naps, I still cloth diapered him and it was wet when he woke up. He usually pees and call for me after that. Strangely, he peeed again when he started feeding. Probably, the woke up pee was only a little amount? Maybe I should still bring him to the potty to pee first upon waking  as suggested by the articles on EC, regardless of the wet nappy.

When he finished his feed, he peeed again into the nappy cloth and I missed that. So, he could also pee 20mins after feed  started if he had peeed at 0-5mins when feed started.

I put him in cloth diaper again for naps and he pooped into his diaper just before we were preparing to go out.

Interestingly, after a feed in the late afternoon, he was able to stay dry til 1 hr later. He then stayed dry for 25mins before peeing on a nappy.

He remained dry for 45mins before I fed him and he peeed 10mins after the feed and 40mins after. I missed them again.

Thus, today he seemed to be making good progress of staying dry for longer periods.

Pees caught – 1       Average  Stay Dry – 25mins    Longest Stay Dry- 1 hr