Re-starting EC with a resistant mobile baby?

[arwen_tiw]

When Morgan started crawling she also stopped EC, she just refused to use the potty or toilet when I knew she needed to go and then peed on the floor (or on me) when I moved her away from it. For a month or so I stopped taking her and since then (three months) she has been nappied but still taken to the potty several times a day when I KNOW she is going. She still either pees as soon as I move her away, or as soon as I put the nappy back on.

Pleeease say you can help me fix this? I really want this to work for her, she loved EC so much when she was small and I hate choosing her need to refuse my help over her need to be clean and dry!

[waterbaby]

Some have found that making pottying really interesting or fun helps. For instance, potty outside or put the potty near a window or give her an interesting toy while pottying. What about peeing in the sink? Has she experienced getting to see herself while going potty? Or the bathtub? What worked best for us during resistant times was outside pottying. My dd LOVED going potty outside (and still does, lol).
I recommend still making the cue sound when you see her pottying, even if it's on the floor or anywhere else. Or if you can tell she's doing it in the nappy.

Don't worry, they all go through phases! :hug2 :heart

[me]

Sure it can be fixed!.......................................
......................'cause it isnt broken :wink
:grin ............................
My little ec'er started that quite a while back. Remember, its elimination communication :giggle. She is communicationg to you that for some reason beknownst to only her that she would rather not go on the potty. Like what was said, you could offer alternatives to what is being offered currently. Kind of mix things up a bit and see.
But don't be discouraged if she just wants to see what happens with what she is doing. I think what you are doing right now is great. It's showing her that you prefer for to go the potty and its not something that will just go away but it isnt a control issue for you. Ec isnt about getting it in the potty each time anyway :shrug I know its kind of a bummer when they do this but its really not about how we see things. Its about how she sees what is going on. You could try a few more things:
-If your comfortable with this you could let her start going over to a towel to potty (if outside time isnt private for her because this kind of goes on the same premise)
-When you know she needs to go ask her if she wants the potty or nappie. Point to both and let her choose. The one she picks you take her towards. If she resists then dont take her to either one. Its up to you and where she is in ec'ing if you want her to be nakey bum when you do this.
-Then after she has gone in her nappie, tell her she "tee-teed" or whatever word you use and take it off in front of the potty. Sit her on the potty and change her nappie or wipe her up or whatever. As long as she has a brief time on the pot to see that which ever she chooses she will be on the pot after anyways. So even if she wants to use the nappie for a while eventually she will be old enough to see that its just faster to wet the potty instead and avoid all the changing, sitting, wiping. Kwim?
-I know after a while dd and I knew without signs and cues what was going on so we just stopped using them. You could revert back to when she was first learning and whenever she wets the nappie or floor say "Ooops! then sign or cue" Then make sure to provide times when she is playing or eating for things to fall out or spill and say "oops!" and clean it up then move it out of reach. I say move so she can see that oops is kind of inconvenient . Im not saying to take somethign away that will make her upset with you saying oops, you did bad its gone :no, something that wont matter, like playing outside with water cups, the one that spills, gets moved where she has to get up or reach out and you act like you clean up and set it aside.
-Another thing you could do is take her everytime you go. If she uses the big potty you can take turns or if she has her own she can sit while you sit. If she pops right off no biggie, its just the act of sitting and being in there.
Again, eventually she will see that if she goes when taken then she doesnt have to stop doing other things for accidents. While im going I talk to her in very few words and hand signs that mommy doesnt wear nappies she wets the potty.
-Watch what she eats and drinks. Now that she is older and consuming larger amounts of things it can be effecting her urge to potty and how many times during the day. For my dd got frustrated with her food allergies and that is a big part of her sometimes using the potty and sometimes not. But she without a doubt knows what is going on with her body and if she knows she will have to constantly go she gets frustrated. And solids effects the feel of bowel movements too. I know sometimes the squatting feels better for dd that sitting. Different muscles are used and the body is at a different angle.
-Take her into the public restrooms with you when you go. Even if its just to watch. Ask if she would like to try and if she protests no big deal. My dd hates the loud flush for some reason and wont use the potty but she does ask to go with us just for the novelty of it. (I think its sensory but all three of my kids cover their ears when I flush the comode in a public bath or I have to block the sensor so it wont flush without them being ready)
Dd has been doing what you described for quite some time too. Its funny to see my taking her to all the bathrooms in the house when she says "potty"
me-"this one?"
her-no response so I sit her, she says "don" she doesnt go
me- "this one?"
her-"no no"
me-"this one?"
her"no I don like dat one"
me-"you wanna wet your pull up?"
her-no response :shrug
I give it a little and check to see if she's wet. If she wets I say "oops you wet your pull up, lets go take it off" then I sit her on her little potty and change her.
SOmetimes during the day I let her go nakey but if she is having allergies she never makes it. She gets close but never actually sits and gets it in. Those days I just leave her in a nappie or pullup.
That's us if it helps any. Dd is 20 months now, she knows how to use a potty and for a good while was only using the potty. I think she was around 8 months when she would stay clean all day. Then we started solids and all the food sensitivities, the crawling, all that started. When the season changed she started using the potty again but once allergies returned she is off and on now.
If its just an attention thing they will quickly get over it once you find what works. If its a comfort issue, the best you can do is keep a routine and try and figure out why. I guess its kind of like introducing solids. You know how some kinds go through food phases where they dont want to eat as much or they want to play. Some kids get over the phase with a little creativity from mom/dad and others its a different reason and takes a little detective work.
:heart

[arwen_tiw]

Thanks for your wisdom, I was feeling really rubbish about having stopped. But I guess we haven't, she has, and she'll start again when she wants and if she wants. I should listen to her a bit better. :giggle