Potty Training Update!

I think the last time I blogged about our adventures in potty training, C wasn't too thrilled with the idea. Last summer, she was well on her way to being potty trained - I could take her out of the house in big girl panties and she'd do really well. Then suddenly, she decided the potty was terrifying. For months she wouldn't go near it. Nothing happened to her on the potty, so I'm not sure where the fear came from, but you know how kids are, especially toddlers! Kind of like the weather in NC - if you don't like what you're getting, wait 5 minutes!! (Speaking of that, we had sleet/freezing rain/snow on Friday, today its 39 degrees, and in a few days its supposed to be in the 70s!)

Thankfully, about a month ago C decided she does, in fact, like the potty, and doing her business in it. My mother-in-law had her in big girl panties for a large portion of every day, though not all day, and she was having 2-3 accidents a day. But she was trying! At home, however, she just wasn't into the potty. I could get her to pee in the potty right before her bath, but that's about it. We kept trying, though, since she was interested during the day.

About 2 weeks ago, a rash popped up on her hiney (not in the typical diaper rash area, on her butt cheek). It looked like a bug bite, so I didn't think much of it until it started itching her a few days later. Well, the area got bigger, redder, and started to look raised up. I finally realized it was probably yeast and started treating her with Lomitrin (athlete's foot/fungal cream). She had a rash similar to this when she was younger and the Lomitrin cleared it right up. Unfortunately, that didn't happen this time. I've had my mother-in-law keep C out of diapers as much as possible since letting the rash get air seems to really help more than anything.

Thankfully, C has really taken to potty training now. Some days she doesn't have any accidents! She only had 2 all weekend with me, and one was completely my fault (she told me she had to pee, but I thought I could wash her hands first - we were eating lunch. She tried to hold it but couldn't!). I even took her to church in panties yesterday! We were there 2 hours and used the potty 3 times, but that's okay. Her bladder is small. ( : At a wedding shower yesterday, she used the potty I think 4 times in 2 hours. Whatever it takes!

I think she's a ways from being able to go without a diaper at naptime and definitely overnight, but this is a really good start! Yesterday she was even telling me when she had to go potty, as opposed to me having to ask her every 10 minutes. Progress!!

As for her rash....we're going to the doctor tomorrow for her 2 year checkup, so I'll definitely have him look at it. Yesterday I bought some Monistat and started putting that on it. I also started her on probiotics. 2 hours after using Monistat on the rash, it looked a LOT better and wasn't itching her anymore. Last night, though, she obviously slept in a diaper, and this morning it looked terrible again. :( Tonight this mama might just have to be brave and let that baby sleep in panties! I'm sure if its not better by tomorrow the doctor will give her a prescription.

I did try home remedies, too, in case anyone is interested. Apple cider vinegar seemed to irritate the rash more (which is odd because everything I read said ACV was very soothing to a yeast rash). Soaking her in baking soda didn't do a thing except relieve the itching while she was in the bath. I've cut out her bubble bath, and only use soap on her when its absolutely necessary (its winter, she's not gettin that dirty every day), and have stopped washing her hair every day (so she's not always getting shampoo on her skin). I don't know how long probiotics take to work on yeast, but we just started those yesterday and I didn't expect an improvement overnight.

The diapers will have to be treated for yeast, too, or it will keep coming back. *sigh* Friday I got some soap nuts and washed the diapers in that on Saturday, but they need more than that. The health store in town was out of grape seed extract, which is what is supposed to help kill yeast in diapers. I found out this weekend, though, that tea tree oil does the same thing. And I found out today that Walgreen's carries TTO (its in the ethnic hair section for some reason), so I'm heading over there this afternoon. TTO + Oxiclean + soap nuts = hopefully bye-bye yeasties! Let us pray.

I hate that my baby has had to suffer through this terrible rash, but at the same time I'm tickled that she's really potty training!! :D