Natural Birth and Baby Care.com

EC - Daytime

Hello! My daughter is 5 weeks old. EC at night goes very well, but I often can't seem to catch things in time during the day. Have you any suggestions?

Notes: She has bare bottom time about 3 hours in the morning while my older child is at school, and the rest of the daytime she wears cloth nappies without a cover.

At night and out she wears wool leggings on top. The poops I'll catch in time because her stomach starts to move; the post-sleep pees I can catch; but is there any way I can figure out the other pees?

If I walk away from her she sometimes calls me with a cry when she needs the bathroom, but if I'm holding her she'll just go ahead without warning.

Not a big deal, since I'm holding her with a nappy under her bottom, but any suggestions would be welcome. My sense is that we do much better on warm days.

Many thanks!

Answer:

I've always found that newborn pees are easiest to catch by timing and by my own sense that my little one needs to go. Sleepy newborns don't seem to cue as much.

You have the right idea with catching the after-sleep pees. Feeling the movement in her belly is also a good way to determine that she needs to poop.

You'll often feel their bellies move, or feel gas "bubbles" moving under the skin to know that they need to poop.

Newborn babies will sometimes fuss when they need to pee or poop - this fussing tends to be interpreted as wanting to nurse, but many times it is an indication of needing to potty.

I tried to offer to potty Brennan and Galen before each nursing session, and again after each nursing session (when they woke if they'd fallen asleep). Any time either one of them fussed I offered the potty before offering to nurse.

Sometimes babies will also cue with a little "shiver." If you feel a sudden need to pee that can also be a good cue that your baby needs to go. Mothers seem to sense need to pee, hunger, etc. in their babies almost internally.

I would suggest going with a sense of timing (how long has it been since she's gone last) and around events - as you've been doing with the waking.

You can also hold her over the potty even if she's just peed on the diaper. Just hold her over for a moment and give her the cue sound. Give the cue sound even if she goes over the diaper, too. These help reinforce for her what the sound is to be associated with.

Good luck with your EC adventures!