EC aka Potty Talk

No, not that kind of potty talk. That's another topic
altogether! I'm talking about Elimination Communication (EC), a
new word given to an ancient practice: raising baby without
diapers. E.C. is also referred to as Natural Infant Hygiene.

When I first heard about Elimination Communication, my second
child was about 8 months old. The concept intrigued me. I knew
that women around the world did not use diapers, and though they
wore their babies on their bodies, they didn't get wet on. They
simply tuned in to their baby's cues and at the right time, held
baby out over a bush and let nature take its course. I decided
to try it with my son. I was tickled pink when I sat him on a
little potty and he went, right on cue. It's like he knew
exactly what to do.

The party line of modern child rearing experts is that baby has
no control over his sphincter muscles until around 18 months,
but I didn't believe that. I noticed with my kids that they
would wake up dry every morning from the time they were around 7
months old or so (and I use cloth diapers so I knew the diaper
was dry). Besides, babies all over the world don't read books by
American parenting experts!

My "EC babies", at 9 months of age, used the potty for almost
all of their eliminations. They rarely wore diapers (only when
we went out, sometimes not even then) and instead wore either
training pants or little underwear. Early potty training (as
young as 15- 24 months) is a side effect of EC but it's not
really the goal. The goal is communication. If you put diapers
on the baby from the time he is newborn, he's effectively being
trained to "go" in a diaper. He's being "diaper trained."

EC babies do have accidents. Sometimes, during a developmental
leap (crawling, walking), babies take a break from cueing their
parents when they need to go. They're just too busy to be
bothered.

But since they don't become accustomed to the feel of waste on
their skin, finishing to potty independence is easy. They don't
really have to be trained as toddlers because they already
prefer the potty. It's not scary, neither do they have to be
coerced, bribed, etc as often happens with conventionally
trained toddlers.

Elimination Communication is just another option for parents.
The thing I love about it is that it proves that babies are so
much smarter than we give them credit for. Just as it was
fascinating and almost unbelievable the first time you saw a
baby signing to its parents (whether that baby was yours or
someone else's), it's also really cool to see a baby clearly
communicating their elimination needs. For example, when my
youngest baby is playing happily on the floor, then crawls up to
me quickly and starts fussing, I sit her on the potty and she
poops. Instead of struggling with an unhappy, squirmy baby
during diaper changes, her needs are met in a more hygienic way,
quickly and easily, with respect for her dignity.

For those who are interested in learning more, a non profit
organization called DiaperFreeBaby.org has appeared on the scene
to give information and support. There is also a wonderful book
called Diaper Free! by Ingrid Bauer that tells you how to get
started with the practice, stories from parents and practical
tips.

Now regarding potty talk, if anyone knows the secret to getting
your 5 year old son to stop communicating about eliminating, I'm
all ears.

About the author:
Carrie Lauth is a mom of 4 who enjoys helping other Moms raise
their babies the natural way. Come listen and learn with her at
http://www.naturalmomstalkradio.com and for more information on
EC, visit http://www.naturalbabyworld.com