Taylor-LeighToday I share with you the reasons why I started elimination communication (baby potty training), why it really is not that weird, and how easy it is to start!
What is Elimination Communication?
Before we jump in, for those that don’t know, elimination communication refers to the communication between parent/caregiver and baby about when baby needs to eliminate (poop or pee). I know what you’re thinking, and rest assured it is not some woo woo secret language. Yes, I saw that Jane the Virgin episode where they poked fun at it. Just like babies have distinguishable cries for gas, sleepiness, and hunger, they have certain cues to let us know when they need to go. As parents, just like we soothe them or ask them questions even though they can’t directly answer, we can also communicate back to them about their elimination. The process of responding to our baby’s cues by bringing them to a mini potty or an actual toilet is what we refer to as elimination communication.
When I first found E.C. on an Instagram page (@godiaperfree) I was repulsed. I’m crunchy, but I’m not that crunchy. Not using diapers?! It sounded extreme. But as someone who often goes against the grain, I had to look more into it before making a judgment. And when I learned more about it, I was SOLD. In fact, I’m SO glad I found it before giving birth to my own baby!
Here is what sold me:
Point A – Would you want to sit in poo?
First of all, while it is essentially potty training, elimination communication refers to the cues babies make when they have to pee or poo. As a parent, we start to learn and read these cues so that we know when our baby has to go, and then we can put them on the potty.
Why don’t we just let them go in their diaper?! Let them be a baby!
The truth is, babies don’t actually want to eliminate in their diaper and then sit or play in their own excrement until their parent recognizes and changes them. You know when a baby cries because they need their diaper changed? This is exactly why – babies do not like to soil themselves. As do none of us mere humans.
Point B – Less diapers to change!
From searching around on the internet about E.C. I have found that it can be a task to get the other parent on board with it. After all, if I think E.C. is crunchy as the crunchy parent, imagine what my partner thinks of it!
But think of it this way; the sooner you can potty train your child, the sooner they are out of diapers, and the less diapers you have to change. That usually sells the other parent. I was a bit worried about this at first too, but once my husband saw my baby going on the potty at only 2 months old, he was sold too!
After seeing so many parents who started E.C. with their second (or third, or fourth) child, they almost always say they wish they would have started with their first. That gave me all the more reason just to start.
Point C – The WASTE!
I heard this fact when listening to the Go Diaper Free Podcast and it held yet another reason on me to get out of diapers ASAP.
Every diaper that has ever been made is still in circulation today. Every. Single. One. Of course we are talking about disposable diapers here, which were invented in 1947. Therefore, every single diaper made and used since 1947 is STILL rotting away in a landfill because they take roughly 500 years to decompose. Our poor earth. Again I say, the sooner we can ditch the diapers, the better.
E.C. parents will often refer to diapers as “back ups” because it is nearly impossible to catch every pee and poo in the potty. At least we can try to decrease disposable diapers in circulation by using cloth diapers, by which there are SO many kinds these days.
Point D – The history.
A final major point that sold me on elimination communication is the history behind it.
As most of you reading this live in a modern society full of advantages, one of those privileges is access to diapers. But what would cultures do if they didn’t have diapers?
Yes, they could have, and did use cloth diapering. For my husband who grew up in El Salvador, a lesser privileged country, his mom literally pinned a layered cloth on him. But what would have been even easier than that?
You guessed it, elimination communication! And while people back then, and still today, surely didn’t use that fancy term, they were intuitive and intelligent enough to understand what their baby was trying to tell them when they had to go. Sure enough, they put them on the pot. (Sometimes quite literally).
Additionally, I learned the fact that babies are potty training LATER in life today. In 1950, MOST babies were potty trained by 18 months. Today, that age is 2 to 3 years old! There are a number of factors for this, namely being that we are just so dang busy in today’s world, and sometimes changing a diaper and throwing it away is just quicker and easier than taking the time to potty train a toddler.
BONUS POINT – Personal Agency
A huge reason why anyone might want to learn elimination with their baby is because it gives them a sense of respect, dignity, and personal agency. For those familiar with the Montessori method, showing respect to baby through various ways, such as talking to them and asking them permission, is a pillar of raising a baby. We can show our baby this respect by allowing them to feel their innate power on the potty.
Just START
I have elaborated on how I started E.C. with my newborn, & for anyone who is interested at all in starting themselves, my advice is just to do it. At any age, whether you think it is too late or too early, just hold them over the toilet, the sink, or a little pot if you have one. Don’t be discouraged if your baby doesn’t like it at first. My baby hated it until I bought a top hat potty with a cloth liner, and then she went instantly! Now at 4 months old, she knows exactly what to do when she’s on the potty.
If you don’t know your baby’s cues yet, there are a few things you can do:
- Observation Time – Undress and un-diaper your baby and let them play on a changing pad, a Chux pad (maybe from your birth like I had), or simply a towel, and observe them for a period of time. I recommend doing this during a transition time, such as after a feeding. My baby hated being cold, so I put a space heater on nearby. If the weather is nice, do it outside!
Then, observe! When your baby pees or poos, pay attention to any signs they gave beforehand. If you didn’t see any cues, that’s okay! It will come with time. Don’t be too hard on yourself. - Give “pottytunities” or potty opportunities. This can be done about 10 minutes after a feeding, or during a particular time of day you notice your baby lets one out. We all know the sound of that milk poo. It can also be right after waking, or during a transition out of a car seat or a carrier.
- Listen to your intuition as a mom! This may sound airy fairy, but if you have a feeling your baby might go soon, give them an opportunity!
Education
If you are looking for some serious in-depth guidance on Elimination Communication, I recommend Andrea’s guides on her website, Go Diaper Free.
Because I love the products compiled and recommended by Andrea at Go Diaper Free, I am an affiliate! Please consider using this link if you purchase any educational guides.
Products Made Simple
I personally purchased the 0-6 month bundle at tinyundies.com. It came with the top hat potty, a waterproof pad we use underneath the potty/ for changing, a wet bag, tiny padded undies, and a board book about using the potty. Use the code lopez5 for $5 off any purchases made at tinyundies.com!
If your baby is a little older and too big for a top hat potty, you can also purchase one of those potty seats so they can eventually crawl and sit themselves on it independently, or a toilet seat reducer. These can be found also on Tiny Undies (link above). It can be started at ANY age.
Give the power back to yourself and to your baby. Happy pottying!
I’m Taylor-Leigh, a multi-passionate creative person. I love to write about my experiences as a young caregiver, an unconventional mom, a dancer, and much more. Thank you for being here.