Infant Potty Training, Day 5

Yep, we're potty training our 9 month old. And it's going well.

I stumbled across mention of infant potty training (also known as elimination communication and various other names) on the Kellymom website on a page about attachment parenting. I was admittedly confused at first because I've never heard these terms before and had no idea that anyone outside of a third world country potty trained children under the age of one. So I did what I do best, used my obsessive-compulsive tendencies for research purposes.  

I began researching elimination communication on Tuesday along with the current methods of potty training. I checked out some books from the library, read numerous websites, decided elimination communication was the way to go and promptly started. My general outlook was - 'heh, we have a potty, I have the time and the energy, let's give this a try.'

And it worked. I probably nearly wet myself when Hannah promptly 'went' in her little pink potty after I followed the advice given by Laurie Boucke. No fighting, no bribing, no coercion of any kind. (I did hold her there long enough to distract her with song/toy/book but that's it.) I put her on her potty, gave her the signals, and away she went. Who knew putting a child (who needs to go to the bathroom) on a potty would result in the child actually 'going' in the potty?! And she's only 9 months old. I almost tear up at the thought of years of diapers I might not have to buy.

Anyways, we purchased a little potty and a potty seat for traveling. I began to closely watch Hannah's behavior and I discovered that she already uses clapping as her signal. I have now begun trying to teach her to use the American Sign Language sign for toilet to hopefully replace clapping. She has now used the toilet sign a couple of times, but she still uses clapping as her standard cue. I would guesstimate that we have reduced our diaper usage by maybe 3 diapers a day. I can honestly say that Ray and I both have really enjoyed embarking on this new phase in Hannah's life. It's incredible, our level of communication with Hannah has really improved.

In starting this post, I realized that there's way too much information to share in one post, so I plan to do a little series on the information I found. The next installment will likely be a brief history of potty training.
To close I will include my favorite song that we sing to Hannah in the restroom. Ray came up with the lyrics and it's sung to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

Tinkle tinkle on the pot

Going wee-wee where we ought.

Up upon your chair so high

Like a princess in the sky

Tinkle tinkle on the pot

Going wee-wee where we ought