Trickle Treat

No, it's not October and, no, it's not a typo. That is the title to the book I recently read:

(Kind of a bad picture, sorry.)

That's right, Diaperless Toilet Training. I know, I know, it sounds crazy and I thought it was when I first heard about it almost 6 years ago when Evie was an infant. However, as we've had more children the idea has grown on me. You know, even buying the off brand diapers gets expensive!

My idea was to start with Cade from birth but I have to confess that I was afraid of failure and didn't do it. As he got older, I kept going back to the idea over and over again. After borrowing the book above from a family friend who has used this method with some of their children I decided to give it a whirl. If we succeeded, great! If not, nothing lost.

What struck me when I read "Trickle Treat" is how we in the "Western culture" are actually in the minority in how we keep a child in diapers for the first few years of life and then "potty train" them. Most of the world does teach infants to eliminate in appropriate places based on their (the baby's) own habits in that area.

I also have to agree with the thought of how it can be rather frustrating for both parents and children to train our children to wet and soil their britches for 2-3 years and then at a certain time it is no longer acceptable. We have met with some of that with Mary Fran and Ward in particular. If I could try to avoid some (if not all) of that with Cade, I thought it would be worth it.

The idea is to pay attention to when your baby seems to need to go (grunting with #2) and then take them to the potty at that time. While they are doing whatever business needs doing, you use a verbal cue (I'm using "hmmm" for #2 and "ssss" for #1) that they will eventually associate with that function. After a while it will happen that you (usually) know when they need to go and will take them. Using the verbal cues, they will go and be satisfied, not to mention dry and clean! :) There is never any reprimand or chastisement if the baby "goes" in the diaper, only encouragement and praise when they do. It does take time but only about as much as changing a diaper would.

Well, we've been at it for about 2 1/2 weeks and in that time I've changed about 4 dirty diapers. It's even gotten to the point that if he needs to empty his bowels and I'm not clued in, he'll fuss until I take him. I've been able to "catch" him going #1 often but he still does have wet diapers. And that's OK. The goal is not perfection, but just learning his rhythms and going with that. I'm really excited about it and, thankfully, over any fear I may have had!

Please know that I am not saying that diapers are the enemy and/or that using them or those who do are wrong. I am simply reporting on something I happened to find out about and thought others might be interested. Also, I am not trying to make Cade "grow up quicker" but am hopefully making his life (and mine) easier in the long run. If we succeed, GREAT! If not, that's just fine, all is not lost.

So, here's to trying something new...and less dirty diapers! ;)