Fluke or Perhaps another Benefit to Cloth Diapering?

I always planned to potty train a boy around 3.  It seemed everyone I talked to with boys said its grueling and takes boys longer to be ready than girls?  Well, at least that's what Kate said (of John and Kate) about potty training the sixtuplets.  So it must be true?

I'm a bit reluctant to share this but here goes anyway... at 18 months I bought my boy his first set of big boy undies.  For about 2 months now he's been telling me/us when he needs to go poopy on the potty.  All in all, its drastically reduced the dirty diapers I've had to deal with (although dumping poo and wiping a bottomis still not as fun as I had hoped it would be... ha ha.)

He likes to potty but not have to go back and put a diaper on, so I thought I would try big boy undies so all I have to do is pull his pants back up.  Sounds easy enough if he's accident free, right?

The only reason I bought a potty a couple months ago was because he seemed to time his poos with naps, so we thought we'd just sit him on the potty to see if he wanted to go before a nap.  I still don't plan to be hyper strick with potty training.  I know it takes time so I plan to just help him know when he's going, and make it fun when he decides he wants to use the potty.  So far today and yesterday we've had all the poos in the toilet and not his diaper.  He loves to read books on the potty and loves to flush it.  Currently, those are our only motivators.  Oh... and of course lots of verbal praise!

Photo Source

I have recently read online that some moms potty train from day one or others potty train around 6 months when a baby can sit.  To each there own.  So far this plan is working for now and it's nice that he can say "mommy poopy" so I know when to take him.  I do think the cloth diapers have helped him be more aware of when he is going to the bathroom... at least that's my excuse.  : )

The first few times he sat on the potty took F.O.R.E.V.E.R.  We sat there about 30 minutes before he would go.  But now he goes right away, which is nice. 

What's your expereience in potty training?  I fully expect full potty training to take another year-- as in he doesn't have to wear diapers during naps... and maybe longer for night time?!  I've also had people tell me their kids do great for a while and then really bad again.  I guess we'll see how it turns out. 

Belly Support Review

Today I would like to talk about maternity support bands.  Fun topic, huh?  Before I dive in, let me first show my current "baby bump" as a reference for this review.  This is my belly last week taken at 25 weeks (and I'm in pjs, so don't look too closely).

I have written about my major urge to pee while running and some hip (I guess better medical term would be, pelvis) weirdness in the last few weeks as well.

My doc had suggested a belt, which I decided I would try even though I didn't feel like I really had enough "belly" to have a band support.

At first it made the urge to pee even worse, as the belts tend to push in and lift up.  BUT... after having run with it for a few weeks now, I can say, I think it has definitely helped.  If you can get use to the urge to pee while running, you can get used to the urge when putting this belt on... but once you get going, I really think it helps to relieve some of the pressure.  I bought my belt for about $20 directly from my doctor's office.  (( Side note-- I had to balance my frugal urge to comparison shop online first, with my other frugal side who knew that I would get reimbursed if I bought it through the doc... : )  Sigh.  ))

Anyway, who can argue with $20 either way, and especially when you notice a difference.

I am wearing a small, which you wrap around in a way that is above your butt and hips in the back, and down below your belly.  It is a little too big but I pull the Velcro as far as it will go and it stays well enough.

To the side is an image of the belt I am using...  It is the Medela Maternity Support band.

The only thing I really don't like about the support band is that it peaks out below my running shirt and considering I am caucasian  and my skin basically matches the color of the band, I can only imagine that from a distance, it looks like I may be bearing a little more skin than just a support band.

(See picture below from the half-marathon a couple weeks ago to see what I am talking about!)

One more tidbit to share in this lovely post on bellys-- my belly is really HARD!  I wonder if that's the baby, or something else?  Forgive me, I am an architect... hence the reason I do not make the big bucks and do not remember my anatomy.  Just an unusual feeling when you rub your stomach... which I never understood why pregnant people rub their belly's... that's a rant for another time. 

Anyone smarter than me on this is free to comment.  : )