{6 easy tips to make potty training more successful}

       We are far from perfect or finished with potty training. Now that I had a baby girl in April, I will eventually get the pleasure of knowing first hand if one gender is easier than the other at potty training. For now, my focus is on potty training my almost 3 year old son {birthday in late October}. He’s been using the potty off and on since he turned 2. However, it seems his interest and willingness to train has just started within the past month. I’m one of those mothers that will read and read about other people’s experiences, and then I will form it to make it work for me. Potty training is one of those topics where I’m constantly look for suggestions on how to make it easier. Here is what’s worked and not worked thus far for us:

1.)    Pull-ups…

       Essentially, they are a bigger version of a diaper. More than likely, your child will associate the pull-up as a diaper and will believe it’s ok to go. I’ve learned that they have their specific place in potty training… My suggestion, ONLY use for the following 3 things:

 -traveling {mainly if you are going to be in the car or out of the house for longer than 20   

                     mins.}

             -nap time {I always try to get him to potty just before nap time, but to be on the safe
                                 side, I will put a pull-up on just to make sure we’re covered if he does go
                                 during his nap.}
            -bed time {Same concept for nap time as is for bed time. I get him to potty just before
                                bed time, and then put a pull-up on just in case we have an accident.}

Image from: www.southmountaincrossfit.com

 

 

2.)    Underwear…

       I have learned if we make something a big deal, my toddler will get super excited about it. So, we got him some super cool underwear. He loves wearing his undies. Plus, if he has an accident, he will know about it and want to change. A pull-up essentially just allows for accidents to keep happening. He doesn’t like to keep wearing wet undies. Keeping underwear on, actually keeps accidents to a minimum. He seems to recognize when he needs to potty quicker in actual underwear than in pull-ups.

Image from: www1.macys.com

3.) Get a great potty...

 

 When we were trying to decide on the best potty option for my little man, we chose to go with a potty that is somewhat realistic. The potty we chose has a handle that “flushes,” makes flushing sounds, lights up, and sings a potty song.  There were two main reasons we chose this particular potty for Braeden. 1) He loves to flush toilets, so we wanted one that he could “flush” and resembled a real toilet {Yes, we know real toilets do not usually sing to us. } 2) We wanted the potty to be “cool” enough to spark his interest and keep him coming back. Well, it was perfect… Little did I know, I would fall in love with the removable seat! It was not a factor I had considered at all. However, it has come in handy more than once. He now like to go between using both his potty and the “big” potty. We can remove the seat and place it on our toilet to ensure he won’t “fall” in. We can also take the seat with us when we visit people without a small potty at their house. I would even suggest you get a foldable seat cover, so they can go anywhere.

Image from: www.toysrus.com

 

 

4.)    Make a big deal about every success…

        It is so important to give them praise every time they even sit on the potty. Even if they do not end up going, tell them you are proud of them trying. This encouragement will keep them coming back. I’ve noticed now, when Braeden goes potty, he will announce it to everyone around to hear them tell him “Good Job.” We have even given him rewards when he remembers to go. {Example: 2 m&m’s for pee, and 3 or 4 for poo.} I even try to be encouraging when he had accidents. I will simply say, “It’s okay honey, just try to make it to the potty next time.”

Image from: www.repeatcrafterme.com

 

5.)   Be Patient!!

       I constantly have to remind myself of this. It’s easy for us to quickly potty, and be finished. Children are having to learn this. They are just figuring out how to understand what the urge to go feels like. So, they will have accidents. They may even sit on the potty for an excessively long time. Just remember, it’s ok. They are learning, and you are their first example. If you get frustrated, they will become frustrated and resent potty training. There are days where we are on our 5^th pair of underwear, and I have to catch myself before I get upset about having only one clean pair left. Which leads me to my next tip….

 

Image from: www.nasdaq.com

 

6.) Be Consistent!

 

This is probably the most important thing I have learned thus far. If I can keep reminding him to go potty, he’s less likely to forget. In turn, he is less likely to have accidents. I try to remind him every 10-15 minutes to go potty if he needs to. Approximately every 30 minutes, I will ask him to sit on the potty if he has not already gone. He is doing so much better now that I have become consistent in asking and reminding him about the potty.

Image from: comluv.com

 

 

As I said earlier, we are far from being finished with this whole potty training adventure. By following these few tips, potty training has become so much more successful.

Breastfeeding: Tips and Honest Truth

       This post is for those soon-to-be moms, new moms, or moms that may need a refresher and have some questions about breastfeeding. I'll try to touch on topics that I had a ton of questions about with my first born. I will also be brutally honest about things. I was lucky to have a friend that was honest with me and had experienced all the same stuff just a few months ahead of me. I'll be that friend for you right now...

Soreness:
     I went to a few breastfeeding classes through my health department prior to having Braeden. They would always say... When you start breastfeeding, if it hurts, then there is something wrong. Well, that's not the total truth. I did find out, 2 days after Braeden was born, that he did have a tongue tie. Luckily, his doctor specializes in tongue ties, and we got it taken care of that day. I did notice a significant difference when he fed from that point on. It was not as painful as it was in the very beginning. However, more than likely, you will experience some kind of tenderness or soreness within the first 2 weeks of breastfeeding. I remember, right around that 2 week mark, it didn't hurt any more. What you need to realize is that your body is not use to breastfeeding. When the baby latches on, it may, at first, feel like it's going to rip your nipple off, but don't stop feeding just because it hurts. I would definitely talk to your child's doctor or a lactation consultant to make sure there isn't any thing wrong. There are creams and home remedies you can try to help ease that pain a little bit, but all you need to do is persevere... and remember that you chose to breastfeed because it's one of the best things you can do for your baby.

Pumping:
        I know it sucks... literally, BUT when you first get home from the hospital, the best thing you can do is start pumping. Pumping does so many great things for you and the baby. Every time your baby latches on or you pump, it helps your cervix compress back to it's normal size. (In fact: you may notice when you feed or pump that you feel like you are gushing down there, that's because it makes your cervix compress.) Another benefit to pumping as soon as you can, is that it will help your milk supply come in faster. You will notice, the first day or two of pumping, you will only be getting colostrum in the bottles. That's all your baby needs for the first few days. Pumping will make your body think it needs to produce more and more for the baby, and it will cause your milk to come in faster. Pumping will also help with your milk supply. The more and more you pump, the more your body thinks it needs to produce. This way you can build up a supply in your fridge and freezer. This is important, especially, if you know you will be returning to work or needing to leave your baby for more than 2-3 hours at a time. So remember, even though it will become the worst task ever... pump, pump, pump! (Oh, and anything that can make it hands-free will be a PLUS.)

How will I know when my milk comes in?:
        Trust me, you'll know. :) It may hit you in the middle of the night while you're sleeping (or for that matter feeding). It could be when ever. All of a sudden, your breast will feel full. Your only hope will be that the baby is ready to feed as soon as it comes in, because feeling full can be a little bit painful. If your baby is sleeping, or doesn't want to feed, there's nothing wrong with pumping. Again, the more and more you pump, the more your supply will grow.

Postpartum Period:
         Right after you finish giving birth to your wonderful bundle of joy, you will begin that wonderful postpartum bleeding. This, however, is not a period. It is what most call "after birth." Your body needs to purge itself from everything that was inside of it for the past 9 months. This can take as little as three weeks or as long as eight weeks. Average time is usually 4-6 weeks. I was around 5 weeks postpartum when I finally was finished. The whole time, I was breastfeeding. When I went for my 6 week check-up at my OB, the nurse asked me if I had had my first postpartum period yet. I told her not yet, that it had only been about a week that I had stopped bleeding after-birth. She said, "well it will come soon enough." But it didn't. I started to freak out at little that I could be pregnant again, and so soon. I knew there hadn't been many chances for that to even happen, plus at the time, I was on the low dose pill. So, I text my friend (the honest one I had mentioned before) freaking out about not having a period. She reassured me that breastfeeding mothers tend to have a delayed period. I did a little research, on babycenter.com, and the reason is due to hormones and the frequency of feedings. The article I read, said a period could start at 11 weeks postpartum or could be delayed up to 24 months. Mine came about 7 months postpartum-mainly because my son quit breastfeeding at that time. So, don't necessarily stress that you could be pregnant if your period doesn't come by 11 weeks postpartum if you are exclusively breastfeeding. If you are worried that could be the case, then take a pregnancy test (I'd suggest just a dollar store test first).

Is my baby getting enough milk?:
       You must first remember this... their stomachs are small. It does not take much to fill them up. Normally, a baby will latch on and then let go when they are finished. If they are fussy immediately after letting go, I suggest, first trying to burp the baby. Then, if they have burped and still are fussy, try offering the breast again. If the baby is still hungry, then they will latch back on. Word of warning though, if the baby does eat too much, they will more than likely spit up... A LOT. That being said, just because they spit up after feeding, does not mean they are eating too much... it's just a normal baby thing. Excessive spit up is when you would want to be concerned. One benefit to breastfeeding, is that the baby learns when they are hungry or full. Eventually, even you, will pick up on their signs of hungry vs. full too. (With brand new parents, it can take a little while to pick up on that.) I have read that breastfed babies tend to not have obesity problems, even later in life, because they can tell when they are full quicker. One thing I do suggest, if you are pumping and bottle feeding. When the baby is 3mo or younger, start with only 2 oz of breast milk in the bottle. Then, burp and see if the baby seems like they need more. Once they reach about 3-4 mo you can increase it to 3-4 oz. With my son, it seemed like he would increase an ounce with each month he turned older. However, when they do start on solids (aka baby food), try no more than 4 oz immediately after, if they seem hungry still. (You don't want to over feed you baby, just as much as you don't want to under feed.)


I'm sure there are more topics I forgot to touch on. Please comment if there is something about breastfeeding you would like me to touch on. I may even get back on here and add to the post if I think of some things.