Just starting out

[jesuslovingchik]

Hey! My daughter is almost 6 months old and we are wanting to start EC. Well we kinda started today. Twice we held her on the toilet after nursing and she went! It was kinda exciting lol. Anyways, I guess my biggest question is, how do you do it when you're alone? She's too tiny to sit on the toilet, so my husband was holding her with both hands, and then I wiped her. But how would you do it when you're by yourself? Do we need to get a baby potty? What if that's still too big? She can sit up by herself, but she's still not super steady. I guess I just want to know the logistics of it all. Thanks

[I_am_Blessed]

We recently started, too, but at 8 months. I do use a little potty, so can't comment on using a toilet seat, but to wipe, I either stand DS up by my leg and wipe him, or hold him kind of bent over my arm and wipe his bottom as I am putting him down.

Good luck and hope that helps a bit.

[Reagansmama]

While I started part-time with my DD when she was a few weeeks old, I wasn't real serious about it til she was 6 months, same as age as your DD is now. I had a baby bjorn potty that by that age she could sit on pretty much on her own, and it was great. I think she loved being like her big sister (who she has adored pretty much since she was born!). I typically when she was real young would either just lay her down and wipe her afterward (since I was usually already sitting with her on the little potty) or hold her in sort of a cradle hold with one hand under one thigh and use the other hand to wipe, if that makes sense. Good luck, and have fun with it! I'm proud to say my DD is now 21 months old and has been in big-girl undies for over a month with minimal accidents, as well as dry at naptime (bedtime is another story!), without having to use any treats, which I did have to do with my older DD who was not ECed.

[leilamarie79]

I have a 5.5 mo little boy and I'm wanting to start EC, but I can't figure out the logistics of pointing his winkie in the right direction with only two hands. I've got a potty coming from Amazon today, so we'll see if that helps (it has a splash guard). Any advice out there for little boys?

[lyia81]

I have a 5 month old who's been EC'ing since about 2 weeks. We always take her to the potty alone. I put her prefold on the back of the toilet. I then sit backwards on the toilet (I prefer our oval shaped toilet to the round one) and hold DD under her thighs. After she's gone, I kinda lean her on my leg, with her dirty/wet bum still over the hole, and grab a bit of toilet paper and wipe her off. I then use the prefold to take her back to the nursery where I wipe her with a wet wipe and put her diaper back on.

I have a baby bjorn potty that I will use when she gets big enough. For now, it's nice not having to clean out any potty bowls.

[Aubrey2007]

We have successfully ECed both our boys and our little girl. They are now 7yrs, 5yrs and 3yrs. Personally I think boys are easier because you can aim. Girls have a sprinkler like effect. Also I should say that for me, it was a bigger mess if I tried to use a real toilet. I would purchase a new, large, plastic microwave container and set it by our sink. Then, you just hold them like you're cradling them. Put hands on the inside of thighs to open legs. This is going to sound tricky, but it is so easy..then use pinkie to push down "wee wee" and it aims right into the bucket. For girls, still cradle, but just sink bum a little lower in arms. It helps contain the spray. Also, we had a master bath with two sinks, so I had the baby change pad between the two sinks. So baby would go potty, then I would set them on changing pad, holding little ankles in the air, grab a wipie that was right next to us and wipe! Ta da! No mess!. Yeah, it stinks () having to rinse out the potty, but it saves your back from trying to hover over the toilet.

Also I love the Baby Bjorn potties (for when they can sit up on their own) and the adjustable toilet seat you can snap on for later. Super handy products. Anyone can PM me if you have more questions. I love talking EC.
Aubrey

[leadmare]

PP had a lot of great suggestions. Also, check out the book by Andrea Olsen (or Olson) called EC Simplified. Her website is godiaperfree.com Her book has a lot of pictures of her EC'ing her baby in a lot of positions and I found that quite helpful.