Also known as, Elimination Communication, or infant potty training or going diaper less or "I don't have to change poopy diapers!"
Why do it?
Because, it helps baby know his or her body. It makes cleaning up diapers easier, much less waste, and poop goes in the toilet instead of the trash can (or washing machine). And it helps foster communication between caregivers and baby from an early age.
Where can you E.C.?
Anywhere. We do it at home, but also when running errands. I take her at the grocery store and restaurants, although, recently she's noticed the auto flush toilets and they're very loud and scary so she cries. To not scare her, I just hold her over the sink. Yeah, I get weird looks but it's a conversation started and it's just baby pee who cares? I also take her outside, in the dirt at various establishments when it's easier... not sure if I should tell people that though :)
Who can do E.C.?
Any caregiver, Cupcake's aunts and uncles have taken her potty and she usually goes. Now that she is older though, she doesn't like taking breaks from what she is doing to go potty. So, sometimes she'll fuss for them. If it's daddy or me though, she'll usually just go.
When can you E.C.?
Anytime. You can start as early as birth or maybe wait a bit, until baby has more neck or back support. It's really up to the parents. I wish we had started from birth.
And as far as actually going, I've found after meals and naps are a for sure opportunity to go.
Hope that answers some E.C. questions if you have anymore please post them in the comments.
And this is what it looks like.
What is it?
It is the process of holding the baby over a toilet (normal or little-like the one in the photo) and letting the baby "Eliminate" over the toilet. Thus eliminating diapers or in our case minimalizing use.
Some people choose to not use diapers at all, but for me, I like to be able to go to the store or in the car and KNOW there is not going to be pee anywhere. But when we're at home, I do let Cupcake go around naked so she can communicate with me her needs and we can get her over a toilet quicker. Sometimes, I'm not paying 100% attention to her and that's what the towel is for, it's a back up for me so I don't have pee on my rug.
How does it work?
It works because babies don't naturally want to defecate on themselves. When given the opportunity newborns will pee when the diaper is off, but many people train the babies to go in the diaper and then have to untrain them once they're a bit older.
Simple steps to success (that's a mouthful!)
1. When baby wakes up from a nap, hold over the toilet immediately!
2. Make "sssss" sound as soon as you get them over the toilet to help make them pee or grunt for poop.
3. Start Early! we started at 2 or 3 months and it worked fine, but many people have mentioned challenges when starting later.
4. Take baby to toilet after a meal, Cupcake goes right away but some parents said their baby was 5 minutes after meals or 15.
5. Go naked for a full day, it might be messy but you can really learn their ques and timing if you give them a chance to show you when they go. (also, towels and a non crawling baby is actually not that messy, another reason to start young)
6. Use cloth, as much as I rep cloth diapering it actually does matter here. Disposable diapers absorb pee quicker leaving the baby feeling dry. Which doesn't help them to know their body and they actually don't realize they've peed, causing complication LATER when conventionally potty training.
I'm sure there is a lot more I left out, but those few tricks helped me a lot! about 50-75% of Sonja's pees are in the toilet (or more on a good day) and about 85%-90% of her poops are in the toilet. Clean up is so easy since she hasn't been mushing the poop into her diaper. I don't have to use baby wipes, just toilet paper.
Why do it?
Because, it helps baby know his or her body. It makes cleaning up diapers easier, much less waste, and poop goes in the toilet instead of the trash can (or washing machine). And it helps foster communication between caregivers and baby from an early age.
Where can you E.C.?
Anywhere. We do it at home, but also when running errands. I take her at the grocery store and restaurants, although, recently she's noticed the auto flush toilets and they're very loud and scary so she cries. To not scare her, I just hold her over the sink. Yeah, I get weird looks but it's a conversation started and it's just baby pee who cares? I also take her outside, in the dirt at various establishments when it's easier... not sure if I should tell people that though :)
Who can do E.C.?
Any caregiver, Cupcake's aunts and uncles have taken her potty and she usually goes. Now that she is older though, she doesn't like taking breaks from what she is doing to go potty. So, sometimes she'll fuss for them. If it's daddy or me though, she'll usually just go.
When can you E.C.?
Anytime. You can start as early as birth or maybe wait a bit, until baby has more neck or back support. It's really up to the parents. I wish we had started from birth.
And as far as actually going, I've found after meals and naps are a for sure opportunity to go.
Hope that answers some E.C. questions if you have anymore please post them in the comments.
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