How to potty train your BABY: What is Elimination Communication?

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If you were excited to see the words potty training and baby in the same sentence then you have come to the right place!  I want to share with you my experience with Elimination Communication (EC) or Early potty training. 

I first learned about EC while I was pregnant with my daughter Madelyn.  I was researching tips for my 1 ½ year old so he would be out of diapers by the time his little sister was born.  At this time his older brother was still not fully potty trained at 3 ½ and I was sick of smelly and expensive diapers! 

So what is Elimination Communication?

"Elimination communication (EC) is a practice in which a caregiver uses timing, signals, cues, and intuition to address an infant's need to eliminate waste. Caregivers try to recognize and respond to babies' bodily needs and enable them to urinate and defecate in an appropriate place (e.g. a toilet). Caregivers may use diapers (nappies) as a back-up in case of "misses" some or all of the time, or not at all. EC emphasizes communication between the caregiver and child, helping them both become more attuned to the child's innate rhythms and control of urination and defecation. The term "elimination communication" was inspired by traditional practices of diaper-less baby care in less industrialized countries and hunter-gatherer cultures. Some practitioners of EC begin soon after birth, the optimum window being zero to four months in terms of helping the baby get in tune with their elimination needs, although it can be started with babies of any age. The practice can be done full time, part time, or just occasionally." ~ Wikepedia

Elimination communication sounds complicated right?  I'm going to surprise you here by telling you that it is Absolutely not!  Imagine you could avoid, or at least reduce the need and use of diapers, imagine being in-tune with your baby and creating a communication with this tiny person so that their need for elimination is heard and heeded.  Imagine a toddler who has learned to hold his bladder and is willing to use the potty without the struggle of un-diaper training.
I have promised that this is not complicated but I will warn you, it is not an overnight process. 
But lets face it, neither is potty training an older child!

Before Madelyn was born I bought a movie on Amazon called Potty Whispering: The Gentle Art of Infant Potty Training.  It is a documentary about the use and benefits of infant potty training.  In this movie I got to see what EC would be like in real life, not just on paper.  I learned techniques for making the process easier and more successful.  I also learned that their are wonderful benefits, not just to mother and child but also to the environment. 

According to Ingrid Bauer, author of Diaper Free- Gentle Natural Hygiene by Ingrid Bauer "It’s possible—even practical—to raise your kids without diapers."  Based on research, case studies, and her own experience she shows how you can:

• Save thousands of dollars
• Reduce landfill waste (single-use disposable diapers are responsible for one third of the non- biodegradable waste in landfills)
• Avoid diaper rash
• Use the “Four Tools for Diaper Freedom” to enhance your relationship with your baby and deepen communication. 



If you are sitting there thinking that this could not possibly work, I want you to think about mothers in other countries who do not have access to disposable diapers. 

In China they still use little crotchless pants that allow babies to squat pretty much anywhere when they are potty training and children who learn this way are potty trained at a much younger age than those who use diapers.  In fact, according to Pediatrics Magazine Half of the babies around the world are potty trained by 12 months old" 



For the first 6 months I used a combination of cloth diapers and EC with Madelyn. During the day I left her without a diaper and used little leg warmers to keep her covered and comfy, at night and when I went out of the house I used cloth diapers. By watching her little body signals and listening to the noises she would make, I learned what her own bodily rhythm was.  When she was really tiny, she always needed to eliminate while she was nursing so I would just hold the little potty bowl under her bum and make a "psssst pssst pssst" sound, this is the technique of cueing which consists of making a particular sound when the baby is eliminating.   This helped her associate the noise with the action and when she got older I could make the sound and she would know it was time to go potty. When she got a little older I stopped using the cloth diapers and transitioned her to tiny underwear.   At around 6 months Madelyn was able to sleep without wetting herself for almost the entire night and she was completely potty trained by two years old.  The process of early potty training Madelyn was no more challenging than it was with my older boys.  She suffered less diaper rashes and we never had the bed wetting that her brothers went through.  I am a true believer that with a little patience and dedication EC can be fit into any lifestyle.

As with regular potty training it is important to remember that there is no rush for baby to get it, they will learn and develop at their own pace.  EC is not about unrealistic goals, it is about working with your baby to help them be aware of their body and develop healthy bathroom habits. Their success will rely on your ability to read their cues, so remember to stay relaxed, be patient, and have fun!

If you would like to learn more about Elimination Communication or Early potty training you can check out these resources:

• http://diaperfreebaby.org/
• http://ecsimplified.com/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elimination_communication

First weeks home: Lessons learned

  

Sleeping and nursing seemed to be what my life consisted of after I had my babies.  I was aware of the clock only because every two hours it was time to feed them again.  I was in a dream like state of exhaustion and awe.  Everything was new; new routine, new body, new person in my life. 

I remember looking in the mirror after Jacob was born and realizing that my body was changed forever.  I went from looking like a young lady to looking like a woman with wide hips and cleavage.  My nipples even looked different! 

During the first week I struggled with breast feeding.  I could not figure out how to relieve my engourged breasts, and every time he would latch on it felt like sharp needles were coming out instead of milk.  I remember laying in my bed with my toes curled and my teeth clenched saying over and over in my head , "You can do this, You can do this, You can do this".   I tried warm showers and massage which seemed to help, and eventually it all subsided.  We continued to learn together how the whole thing was suppose to work.

Lesson learned: Relax

I bought a bassinet before he was born and planned to use it full time.  That was until I brought my sweet tiny baby home and realized it was much easier to roll over and nurse half asleep than to wake up, turn on the light, climb out of bed, try and stay awake until he was done and then get him back to sleep...

Lesson learned: Co-sleeping is GREAT

Then came the day when I decided I was ready to have intercourse again...

Surprise!  Oxytocin stimulates the milk let-down reflex and is also the hormone produced during orgasm!  It was hilarious and embarrassing at the same time.  These are the times when I am thankful I have such an understanding husband who didn't mind a little harmless milk getting on him. (Okay it was a lot...)

Lesson learned: Wear a t-shirt

I sit here now reflecting on a time that feels like a yesterday.  My son is now 11 and we are still learning together how this whole thing works.  He may not remember the sleepless nights or nipple torture I went through for him,  but I am sure he appreciates it. 

Lesson learned: You can make it through any challenge with a sense of humor and a willingness to be patient with yourself.