Wordless Wednesday - EC Action

Sorry for the crappy pic, took it with the MacBook webcam.  For the record she is 5-months-old and on a Baby Bjorn Smart Potty.

Babies, Boobies, Mei Tais, Ring Slings and Wraps - OH MY!

So on Saturday, I had the privilege of attending the first meeting of the Triad Tot Toters.  I had a blast.  This was actually the third meeting for the group but the first as an official group.  So what is TTT?  It's a group of people, men and women, that wear their babies.  It is nice to meet up with a group of people who share my philosophy of baby raising.  Not everyone in the group believes in raising their children the same but we all agree that babywearing is where it's at!

One of the nice things about the group is that you can find someone that shares your issues, concerns, and or beliefs.  Many of us breastfeed and luckily being in a group makes me brave enough to just pull my boob out and feed Audrey in public.  Some cloth diaper and since I'm interested in moving to cloth, it gives me the chance to ask questions.  A couple EC so again I pick some brains.  One of the ladies even used the same midwife as me!  I love the Triad Tot Toters.  They give me support in all facets of child rearing not just babywearing.

I hate that now that I have 'mommy' friends I'm going to be moving.  Where will I ever find a group like this again.  I've already looked.  There is no such group in Lufkin.  The closest is a group in Houston, but I'm not sure I want to drive over 90 mins.  We'll see how it goes.  I know that I will miss them when I move.  I'll be able to keep up with them via Facebook and the webpage but I won't be able to see them in person and watch the babies grow. 

EC

Okay I admit it, the first time I ever heard about a 2-day-old baby using a potty instead of a diaper, I thought it was a load of crap (pardon the pun).  I had never heard of such a thing and had never known anyone who did elimination communication or was diaper-free.  I was intrigued so I looked it up and thought well I work so I'll never have time for that.  Once we decided for DH to become a SAHD, I knew he would never go for it.  Who potty trains a child that can't even walk?

Okay then I met 'T' at a babywearers meeting and she kinda explained it to me.  I also looked it up on TheBabyWearer.com and found some good advice.  I think the number one thing I found out is that it is not all or nothing.  I can part-time EC.  I can use a diaper as a safeguard and just take it off when I think Audrey needs to go to the bathroom.  In other words, you can EC as much as you can fit in.

So that bit of info made me brave.  I can do this.  Audrey is smart.  I'm smart.  Peeing is natural and keeping your pee on you is not.  Besides I hate using disposable diapers and again DH is not going for cloth.  One day I just decided to see what Audrey would do.  I took her diaper off and I put her on the potty.  I thought she needed to go but nothing.  So I went back to the changing table about to put on a diaper and feeling a little defeated and then I got a bright idea to hold her over the trashcan.  After all she has seen us put dirty diapers in the trashcan all of her life, maybe she thinks we peed in the trashcan.  So I held her over the trashcan and started saying 'PSSSSSSS' and she peed!  My first successful attempt to ED, not in the toilet but I got the trashcan.  I was able to have her do it once more and then last night was a break thur, she peed on the potty!  We sat there for a few minutes so she could get more comfortable and I was making my "PSSSS" sound and she peed.  I gave her lots of praise and kisses and announced it on Facebook, like a good mommy.

So I'm working on switching to cloth diapers for nighttime, DH is not convinced, and ECing when I'm with her, DH is not going to try.  I've been told Baby Bjorn makes a great baby potty and for only $20 or so from Amazon, I think it's worth the money.  Besides we'll need it once we do "potty train."  So that's my adventure into EC for now.