Potty Practice

For those of you who don't know, Benjamin has begun Potty Practice.  He is not Potty Training.  There is no pressure on him to perform, no treats if he tinkles or things withheld if he soils his diaper.  I'm just calling it an introductory phase.  So far So good.  Usually he tinkles 1-4 times a day in his froggy potty, and has gone stinky once.

I would tell you the story of how I got interested in infant "potty training", beginning to end, but I dont remember.  I know that a year ago I heard a story of a couple potty training from birth, and I laughed very hard. Then sometime in the past few months a combination of many thoughts called me to action: the disgust of the cost of diapers, being tired of changing them, and somehow hearing of children in most other countries are out of diapers much earlier...somehow in the midst of all those thoughts I decided, "Benjamin, you can sit by yourself...If I'm going to take the time to change your pants, I guess I can take the time to sit you on the potty." 

Here was the other thought:  If we're going to sit you on the potty, I want this eventually (and quickly) lead to you telling me you have to go potty.  That means, you have to dislike being in your diaper...and that means I should have you in cloth.  So as my hesitant research of cloth diapers began, and off I went to target to buy a Benjamin size potty.  (I reassured myself I wasn't wasting any money, because even if I quit after a week, we would eventually try again!)

So, after more than a week of potty sitting, the froggy is still out!  He tinkles frequently and has loved reading his "Wild Animals" book while sitting.  As for the diapers...

I practiced one day and took long wash cloths and pins, and made two make shift diapers...they were very stone age looking, and I even laughed at myself when pinning them on my 2009 born baby.  But they served their purpose in showing me that cloth didn't take a lot more time, and weren't that messy.  To make a long story short, I found a great deal, and my Econobum pack of diapers (3 covers and 12 inserts) should arrive this afternoon.  After my mail in re-bate, it will have cost me $25, so even if I write again in 3 weeks to say that I'm quitting Potty Practice, or hate Econobum cloth diapers, I will have not wasted money...Just maybe a little time.

Here's hoping for a success!