When I learned that in many countries babies were completely diaper free by age 1 and often babies were even using the potty on cue at birth I had to learn more. Well... by learn more, I mean I wanted to figure out how I could get my baby out of diapers ASAP. It didn't take long for me to stumble upon websites like DiaperFreeBaby.org and ECsimplifed.com. They all want you to know up front:
Elimination Communication is NOT Potty Training!
Yeah, Yeah, gentle communication, non-coersive, hippie talk. I'm down with that. BUT mostly, I was down with bragging to my friends that my baby was potty trained by month one and completely diaper free and potty independent by age 1 year.
Okay. I have a brilliant, wonderful, super smart, creative 2 year old now who is still working on being potty trained... or potty "learned" if I stick to my hippie terms. I'd say she is pretty advanced in it considering we've never done a potty training boot camp or anything of that nature. There is just a little confusion in certain areas, like remembering to pull down pants before sitting on the potty and what not.
But what I finally get now is that Elimination Communication is not potty training... and that's not just hippie talk.
I loved doing EC. As a cloth diaper person, it was nice to only wash about 20 diapers per week because she was using the potty almost every time, and for 6 months never went #2 in her diaper. Just the fact that we weren't changing diapers, cleaning crazy poop bottoms, or washing tons of diapers, and spending money on extra detergent, for that first year makes all the EC effort worth it to me. So I don't feel it was a waste of time, and will likely try it again for this next baby.
I just had this unrealistic expectation that when she started walking she'd naturally not need me any more and just walk to the potty and go. Hm. That's not what happened. Not only is that not what happened but she got so active I quit keeping up with her as much and was un able to sense when she needed to go and take her in time. Some of that was really just me being lazy and EC is not for the lazy. You really have to be completely in tune with your kid.
She was still not ready to just take herself to the potty even though she could walk. No where did I ever read that when kids start walking they start being potty independent. But that was in my head and so when it didn't happen I threw the baby out with the water... wait, the baby stayed, but the cloth diapers, the trying to do EC, all that got thrown to the curb.
So I get it now, EC is not potty training after all, it really just is a way to be a little more sanitary with your baby's potty needs and saves diapers and washes. Maybe it helps with potty "training" in the future. I'm not sure of that since I gave up just a little too early probably. But regardless, I loved doing EC that first year and would... will... do it agin!
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| She loved to bring her baby doll to the potty with her. |
Yeah, Yeah, gentle communication, non-coersive, hippie talk. I'm down with that. BUT mostly, I was down with bragging to my friends that my baby was potty trained by month one and completely diaper free and potty independent by age 1 year.
Okay. I have a brilliant, wonderful, super smart, creative 2 year old now who is still working on being potty trained... or potty "learned" if I stick to my hippie terms. I'd say she is pretty advanced in it considering we've never done a potty training boot camp or anything of that nature. There is just a little confusion in certain areas, like remembering to pull down pants before sitting on the potty and what not.
But what I finally get now is that Elimination Communication is not potty training... and that's not just hippie talk.
I loved doing EC. As a cloth diaper person, it was nice to only wash about 20 diapers per week because she was using the potty almost every time, and for 6 months never went #2 in her diaper. Just the fact that we weren't changing diapers, cleaning crazy poop bottoms, or washing tons of diapers, and spending money on extra detergent, for that first year makes all the EC effort worth it to me. So I don't feel it was a waste of time, and will likely try it again for this next baby.
I just had this unrealistic expectation that when she started walking she'd naturally not need me any more and just walk to the potty and go. Hm. That's not what happened. Not only is that not what happened but she got so active I quit keeping up with her as much and was un able to sense when she needed to go and take her in time. Some of that was really just me being lazy and EC is not for the lazy. You really have to be completely in tune with your kid.
She was still not ready to just take herself to the potty even though she could walk. No where did I ever read that when kids start walking they start being potty independent. But that was in my head and so when it didn't happen I threw the baby out with the water... wait, the baby stayed, but the cloth diapers, the trying to do EC, all that got thrown to the curb.
So I get it now, EC is not potty training after all, it really just is a way to be a little more sanitary with your baby's potty needs and saves diapers and washes. Maybe it helps with potty "training" in the future. I'm not sure of that since I gave up just a little too early probably. But regardless, I loved doing EC that first year and would... will... do it agin!
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