Bumbo Toilet Seat

Just a quick follow up from my Toilet Training post in May, I have had many questions about where to find the toilet seat that Ewan is using.  The only place that I have found that still carries the Bumbo Toilet Trainer is a shop called Sweet Peach in Perth - www.sweetpeach.ca. I purchased mine at the Baby Boom Show, however cannot remember what the shop was called. Sweet Peach will deliver if you are not able to make the trip out, but it does look like a cute baby shop and could make for a nice day trip.

Ewan is now awake from his nap... I will post again soon, lot's of fun events coming up at A Gym Tale!

Toilet Training!

Toilet training - always a hot topic at the centre, especially since all children must be toilet trained as per our licence for the Nursery School program. For most children that is not a problem by 2.5 years, although it does take a considerable amount of 'training' on the parents part. I have taken part in trying to facilitate many children's transition to the toilet - some using a rewards system, some by cheering like a maniac when they pee, and others by simply telling them that they cannot come to school until they are wearing big boy/girl underwear.

I began an experiment with Ewan to try and avoid this training ordeal all together. Since Ewan has been about 3 months - more or less able to sit up with support, I have been sitting him on the toilet for a couple minutes, with a bumbo toilet seat cover, at many of his diaper changes. I say many, because sometimes I am at work, out in a public washroom, or simply do not have the time. At first he would just sit on the toilet and smile as I would sing songs or read stories. Then one day, when he was about 4 months he actually peed while he was on the toilet. From 4 months to about 8 months it was just a hit or miss. At 8 months, Ewan knew when he heard a noise that he was doing a good thing and he would clap his hands and cheer. But now, as of this week, Ewan is able to 'make' himself pee or have a bowel movement when I put him on the toilet. We both go quiet and I say 'listen' and he reliably goes within a few seconds and makes a really funny face when trying!

So, my goal was to have him toilet trained by one year. I know he is not actually toilet 'trained', but I can get by with only 3 cloth diapers a day, if I keep bringing him to the toilet every hour or so and I am pretty happy with that progress. My hope is that as his understanding and recognition of his needs improves it will be a smooth transition from this point.

By the way, I cannot take credit for this approach, it is called Elimination Communication, although I have followed a much less 'strict' approach to it and I think it worked very well!

Does anyone else have any experience with early toilet training? Will it be a smooth transition or will I hit a phase of refusing the toilet?