First catches

Ingrid on EC from birth

Our beautiful (and still nameless) baby girl is now about 2.5 weeks old and doing great. I am still in seclusion and really enjoying falling in love with my family all over again.

ECing this time around feels really different. On the one hand, I hardly think about it or give it much energy (as opposed to the first time round!!). On the other hand, I am much more aware of my baby's elimination needs and signals without giving it any thought or really focussing on it. It's pretty neat.

I'm catching nearly all the poops, at least the bigger ones (as opposed to "skid marks") which seem to be about 5 a day. I'm catching some of the pees but not really concerned about catching them at this point--just want to tune in to her rhythms. Baby is totally naked and usually skin-to-skin, as she has been from birth.

I can often tell when she's going to pee---she squirms and breathes heavier for a while, then gets still and looks off into the distance while she pees. I'm amazed i notice this because it really isn't very obvious and would be hard to show someone else but i just know.

I prefer to just hold her and have a diaper or blanket to catch the pee rather than quickly moving her away from my warm body and over a pot. I have a stack of old towels or flat diapers beside me all the time. Sometmes i have one under her when i hold her. At night she's naked on soft cloths on top of a waterproof pad or she sleeps on my chest with a cloth.

DH is catching lots of poops too and this morning he caught three pees in a row! He seems much more tuned in this time round even though we are much busier and have an active 4 yo to care for.

So folks, it really does get easier! Imagine the advantage that moms who have been around this all their lives have!