elimination communication advice

[Gardener11]

I have a 5 month old baby and want to try elimination communication. We just use disposable nappies at the moment and apart from one day when he was about 3 months old I have never tried it.

If anyone has any advice of what has worked for them and how they did it please share. I’m planning on only starting in the daytime as I feel like this would be easier.

I have no idea how to work out the signs that baby needs to go and if there ever is any I don’t think I could get him to the potty fast enough to be honest.

any advice appreciated!

[Idril]

I am also interested in this, I have started to put my daughter on the potty at 6 months. I usually put her after she has eaten and it seems to do the trick most of the time. Just a waiting game and keeping her busy with things.I don't know if that helps, curious to know what others did !

[Seb9]

If you have a look at the nappy lady website, they have a whole section on ec. We used cloth nappies and found the site very helpful. We used the potty from 6 months and my first baby was dry by 2 and I'm hoping her sister does the same 🤞

We found that as you get to know babies habits, you can almost predict when they're going to go. For my eldest age always pooped in the bath so we started putting her on the potty before her bath and could catch lots of poops like that, second child likes to hide so a soon as we see her go quiet we sit her on the loo or potty.

[Gardener11 in reply to Seb9]

thanks I will take a look at that site!

[triplecats]

Why can't you just let your babies be babies? What's the rush to be putting them on the potty? So much pressure on our kids these days from such a young age the last thing a baby needs is plonking on a potty when they are not ready. Don't be in such a hurry for your baby to stop being a baby, enjoy this time, you will not get it back.

[Gardener11 in reply to triplecats]

this forum is intended for supportive messages, before you reply to a post it even says to be kind etc.

I’ve asked for advice on a subject I am interested in trying with my child. I have no intention of putting my views onto others. How I choose to raise my child is my business and how you choose to raise yours is yours. Don’t like the subject of a post then don’t comment. Take your negativity elsewhere please. Mums have it hard enough without comments like yours.

[Seb9 in reply to Gardener11]

I love your response, totally agree with you x

[triplecats in reply to Gardener11]

Everybody is entitled to their own opinion. I don't agree with what you want to do but I'm still entitled to my opinion. If you don't want some negative answers don't post on the forum, it's simple.

[Seb9 in reply to triplecats]

Elimination communication is a perfectly valid option. It is all about reading the cues of your baby rather than potty training them. It's more common in cultures that don't rush mums back to work or expect them to be anything other than mums. It's more common in cultures that are less industrialised and that don't have access to nappies and water the way the we have. Imagine if you didn't have easy access to nappies or clean water what would you do? You'd sit baby on a toilet or potty whenever you could because it would be the most hygienic way of raising them. I didn't do EC, but I did start very early with both my children sitting on a potty at 6 months and reading their signals when they needed to go. All it's meant is that we used less nappies and they are comfortable using the potty or toilet, It's definitely not put any pressure on them and it's meant that the eldest started pre school at 2 years old dry and confident to use the toilet and make her needs known. Hopefully our 22 month old will be the same when she starts in September.

[Gardener11 in reply to Seb9]

perfectly said, thank you 🙂

[Idril in reply to triplecats]

What about the environmental impact of nappies?! The price as well ! It's a ridiculous comment, it's not being more grown up to go on a potty, neither putting pressure on them! They are not being forced... Also back then when the nappies had to be washed, babies were cleaner much earlier too ! In poorer countries they are for these reasons.

[Jogsandwalks]

I've never heard of EC and I'm really intrigued. I wonder if I can start with my 16 month old? Do you have any links for websites or books that you recommend that I can start reading up on it. And I need to by him a normal potty right?

[Seb9 in reply to Jogsandwalks]

You definitely can start anytime. At 16 months you're probably getting to know babies poo habits and when their nappies gets wettest. We do lots of nappy free time and reminding baby to sit on the toilet or potty regularly. We have a potty and some baby toilet seats. My little one has got pretty good most of the time and she's now 22 months and in pants round the house and only in nappies overnight and when we go out.

[Gardener11]

so far I’ve just watched YouTube videos on it. I have no idea if there is an age where it can’t be done, I imagine not. I’ve just got a bambino mío potty for my lo as it’s small enough for his size so whatever fits your child will work.

Seb9 mentioned the nappy lady website and the blog on there seems helpful.

Mayim Bialik (from big bang theory) did it with her kids ands talks a lot about it online if you Google it.

[Jogsandwalks in reply to Gardener11]

Thank you both. I'll give it a go