In a Nutshell, Elimination Communication is About The Communication With Your Baby

You strive to gain new understandings of your baby as you build a loving relationship of trust between you.

In time, you will use fewer diapers or nappies as you inevitably ‘catch’ their eliminations in a potty or special bowl. EC is something you begin at home, in the quiet times with your baby.

Baby Pottying has Many benefits For Families. Here Are 7 Important Things To Know About EC:

1. It is about helping your baby to go ‘to the toilet’ somewhere other than a diaper, some of the time, then more of the time as they grow!

2. It is about learning to observe baby’s bodily rhythms, body language and practicing responding in such a way that your connection is enhanced, benefiting your whole relationship.

3. It is about sometimes anticipating the needs of a pre-verbal human being and experiencing their joy that you understand them. You strive to improve your bond.

4. It is about gently supporting their instinctual awareness of their body and attempting to understand them, and helping them feel ‘relieved’.

5. It is about using diapers as a tool rather than a necessity, about reducing the ‘ecological footprint’ of waste generated by a brand new human. Why start a lifetime with 2 tonnes of waste when there can be much less as you have fun connecting with your baby?

6. It is about enhancing your connection and understanding of your baby’s needs – often into other areas of their care, and this is really empowering!

7. It is gentle and responsive, or it is not EC. YOU can do it with your baby’s help! Part Time EC has fun and free resources to aid your ‘Easing into EC’.

EC, or baby pottying is an ancient art, practiced for thousands of years all over the world, and is again emerging as a viable strategy in the face of the mounting pollution of disposable diapers and the cost of all diaper choices.

You can be part time diaper free, using diapers between potty visits just as your Granny may have done some years ago. When using Modern Cloth Diapers, you can significantly reduce your washing load, another way of having control over your environmental footprint.

Give EC a go!

Elimination Communication is a fun way to connect with your baby each day.

By offering potty breaks you can reduce the waste produced by your baby, or your washing load (or both), minimizing the environmental footprint of your baby.

Families all over the world and throughout time have used this gentle way of helping baby to stay clean and dry as much as they can (yes, not all the time), and more importantly, they enjoy the communication with their pre-verbal little baby, the insight into their world this window can open up – it is why people get hooked when they take the plunge and have a go!

3 Key Ideas About Infant Potty Training. These Tips Will Help You to Understand EC:

1. Being part time nappy or diaper free is about the communication with your baby, NOT about early toilet training. Again – it is NOT about early toilet training – that is something different. EC is about the bond between parents and baby / toddler, developing your relationship into new areas of understanding.

2. Yes, practicing EC can mean your toddler achieves earlier independence, but it is not a given, as EC is about their personal journey – and many things in life can ‘happen’ and fluff around with that journey. Around two is general average for when EC toddlers achieve good communication, though few diapers are used daily often long before then.

3. Meanwhile you will likely use far less nappies / diapers than their peers, which is great for your budget, the environment and your washing load. Think of it as about reducing any sort of waste or washing related to your baby, that’s a sensible thought, whether it is one less diaper or many, you can consider yourself ‘Part Time Diaper Free’.

Like any option, of course, if it doesn’t interest you – don’t do it! People practicing EC see it as a bond with their babies, not a competition to independence, not a way of being better – it is simply better for them.

Perhaps it will be a wonderful discovery for your family? It’s pretty easy to give it a go as your baby wears diapers between potty visits. There is no concern about ‘mess’ everywhere. Your baby will go in their diaper as usual when you miss their needs or are otherwise busy at the time.

EC is a flexible option, you need to have some daily consistency, a regular time you give your babe the ‘opportunity’ to use a baby potty to help them stay aware and familiar with a potty. Your ‘default’ is the diaper, so no loss when you are busy, like all Mamas are!

EC, or baby pottying is an ancient art, practiced for thousands of years all over the world.

This form of baby hygiene care is again emerging as a viable strategy in the face of the mounting pollution of disposable diapers and the cost of all diaper choices.

Give EC a go – You may skip a few diaper changes!

Visit my lovely Visual Diaper Directory – see the wide range of modern cloth diapers now available: truly beautiful, so many of them are!

Announcing My Green Nappy.org:

Do YOU Have one?

- That’s the simple idea behind this new environmental initiative being launched on March the 1st. Discover eco-friendly disposables and the modern cloth nappy. My Green Nappy is a site promoting ‘Green’ nappy options as a collaborative network featuring links to over 300 shops offering modern cloth nappies in Australia and New Zealand.

My Green Nappy has been created by Charndra Josling, a mum living in South Australia, who combines modern cloth nappies with eco-friendly disposables and baby pottying to reduce the environmental impact of her two young boys, aged one and four.

If you pop over there now you can join an Announcement List and be get a sneak peek of several of the unique resources of My Green Nappy, including the 100 Green Promise Nappies Initiative, Modern Cloth Mini Trends and the Welcome screen.

You’ll also be invited to an Early Bird previewing as soon as the site is ready, but before the official launch on the 1st of March. As MyGreenNappy.org is an extreme sponsor of the Cloth Nappy Hunt, you can enjoy following a mini-hunt during March to win great prizes; including two green nappies donated by My Green Nappy!

To check it out, visit: http://www.MyGreenNappy.org

Does Your Baby Already Have Nappy Free Time?

Daily Nappy Free Time is fun for baby, and good for their skin...

Babies love nappy free time. It is very important to their development to have the free wheeling experience of moving their bodies without clothing barriers, and it’s great fun!

Nappy Free Time is easy – simply consider warmth, surface protection and some relaxed time.

Using a waterproof mat to protect baby from cold or hard surfaces, and protect surfaces from wetness is a good idea.

You’ll be contributing less disposables to landfill straight away – and baby isn’t confined in a nappy!

What Does Regular Nappy Free Time Mean Overall?

• Less time in a nappy, meaning less chance of nappy rashes.
• More time for baby to be in tune with the rhythms of their body.
• Less time in a nappy means fewer nappies will be used, and less carbon dioxide and other waste by-products going into the atmosphere and natural environment. That means less waste and pollution.
• The simplest way to begin your elimination communication.

5 Reasons Why Nappy-Free Time is Important for Your Baby:

1. Airing Sensitive Little Bottoms.

Practicing EC is how lots of families help their baby avoid or recover from the painful condition of nappy rash.

2. Leg Kicking and Full Skin Sensation.

Babies love kicking their legs. Their skin is their largest sensory organ, and they learn volumes from touch every day.

3. Balancing Back and Belly Time.

Time on their bellies is very important to aid normal development of their back and abdominal muscles. Nappy Free time helps us to find a balance between back and belly time.

4. Elimination Awareness.

Because baby feels themselves weeing, sees the liquid emerging, notices the warmth, they are learning what it feels like AS they go, and begin recognising what it’s like before they go.

5. Noticing Baby’s Patterns of Elimination.

Nappy free time can help you to gain a clearer understanding of baby’s patterns of elimination. When they are on a waterproof surface that will quickly wick moisture away, you can RELAX and observe openly.

Here Are 3 Suggestions for A Spot of Nappy Freedom:

• As you run baby’s bath
• After taking off their sleeping clothes before dressing
• When baby is happy for some floor time by the window

A bit of nappy free time is probably something you do anyway – why not turn it into an easy learning experience for both you and your baby? Even a few minutes several times a day will help your baby in many areas of their development.

It is the simplest way to be start being part time nappy free, and meanwhile you help prevent pollution by using less nappies.

Imagine if every baby used just ONE less nappy each day…

Give EC a go!

Making toilet learning a natural part of their learning process just like anything else is key to not having to stress over ‘potty training’.

Our babies gradually and slowly learn to eat, crawl, play, talk, walk

- they can learn to use the toilet in much the same naturally evolving way. You may need to get a few paradigm shifts going to help them though, as our society currently favours doing nothing but cleaning up after them until they are 3 or more.

By starting as early as you like by giving your baby daily diaper free time you are helping them stay aware of the processes of their body, rather than ‘numbing them’ with a disposable diaper.

By offering your baby the opportunity to pee in a baby potty when they wake up with a dry diaper and as you wait for their bath to fill means the potty is a familiar bit of household furniture – there is no uncertainty around it, nothing to ‘learn’.

You’ll catch pees and poops this way; have a cheer! Sing a potty song! Your baby then toddler will feel happy and relaxed about using a toilet place. Potty Cheers are little ditties to sing when they do a wee in the potty, my sons love them! I’ve collected over 40 potty songs and cheers at http://www.PartTimeDiaperFree.com

You will feel calm and relaxed about a gradual path to toilet independence, and not stressing about having to suddenly ‘train’ your child that going in their pants is no longer an option now that they are ‘x’ in age.

Washable Training Pants are a great option for the transition to regular underwear, too. http://www.parttimeec.com has a huge visual directory of the wide variety now available.

Charndra

Making toilet learning a natural part of their learning process just like anything else is key to not having to stress over ‘potty training’.

Our babies gradually and slowly learn to eat, crawl, play, talk, walk

They can learn to use the toilet in much the same naturally evolving way. You may need to get a few paradigm shifts going to help them though, as our society currently favours doing nothing but cleaning up after them until they are 3 or more.

By starting as early as you like by giving your baby daily diaper free time you are helping them stay aware of the processes of their body, rather than ‘numbing them’ with a disposable diaper.

By offering your baby the opportunity to pee in a baby potty when they wake up with a dry diaper and as you wait for their bath to fill means the potty is a familiar bit of household furniture – there is no uncertainty around it, nothing to ‘learn’.

Using Modern Cloth Diapers is an aid to both practicing elimination communication and helping your baby to wean from diapers sooner – they know when they are going, as simple as that!

You’ll catch pees and poops this way; have a cheer! Sing a potty song! Your baby then toddler will feel happy and relaxed about using a toilet place.

Potty Cheers are little ditties to sing when they do a wee in the potty, my sons love them! I’ve collected over 40 potty songs and cheers.

You will feel calm and relaxed about a gradual path to toilet independence, and not stressing about having to suddenly ‘train’ your child that going in their pants is no longer an option now that they are ‘x’ in age.

Washable Training Pants are a great option for the transition to regular underwear, too. www.parttimeec.com has a huge visual directory of the wide variety now available.

- Charndra

 

Even Babies Under One Can Enthusiastically Recognise Simple Signs. This Enables Early Communication!

Baby Sign Language is an Excellent Tool for Communicating With Your Pre-Verbal Baby or Toddler.

A sign for potty time offers your baby a way to tell you they need your help to go to the potty or toilet.

Baby Sign Language and Elimination Communication are natural companions

Initially it will be recognition of the needs of their body, perhaps as they go, moments before or after. Baby sign language is a ‘bridge’ between our pre-verbal babies and our verbal culture. You are giving them a ‘tool’ they may use to communicate with you.

Our visual memories are older, so babies readily recognise signs as soon as they are able. Around 12 months is common for signing to really pick up, though earlier and later are just as possible. Keep practicing, look for recognition of signs before your baby will use them to ‘talk’ to you.

Choose an appropriate sign or natural gesture. It should be simple, so baby can crudely imitate it, and always be used with the spoken word and loving eye contact.

These 3 tips will make it easy for you to sign regularly in your day so that baby sign language and baby pottying are simply integrated and normal parts of your lifestyle.

3 Strategies to Remember When Combining Baby Pottying With Baby Sign Language:

1 Make your chosen sign each time you approach the potty

2 Make your sign whenever your baby is on the potty

3 Use the sign to ‘ask’ if your baby wants to use their potty- respond to their excitement, respect their reservations.

With these 3 simple strategies you’ll be adding baby sign language to your elimination communication (EC) moments with ease.

Sometimes your baby will display great awareness and control. They’ll sign clearly and in a timely way. Other times they won’t – being a baby is busy work!

Expect your practicing of baby sign language and of EC to ebb and flow.

Like any natural process there will be flashes of amazing communication, the reason families get hooked on elimination communication.

See this as a wonderful and fleeting sign of the future, not an expectation they’ll be toilet independent at a very early age. EC is something you *practice* with your baby, part of your lifestyle, rather than a ‘method’ or results based activity like conventional potty or toilet training.

Give it a go – Baby Sign Language and EC are great partners in helping your baby to communicate with you as soon as they are able.

You’ll gradually reduce your use of diapers or nappies, helping the environment, saving you money and best of all, enjoying a new dimension in the bond you share with your baby.

- Charndra

Pop over to Charndra’s website on part time Baby Pottying, eitherwww.PartTimeDiaperFree.com or www.PartTimeNappyFree.com.au – you can join to receive a free e-course introducing you to the Secrets of EC Confidence. Over 40 Potty Songs, plenty of tips, resources and helpful ideas to make your journey easing into EC very smooth indeed.

Give EC a go! It’s good for the Earth.

Copyright by Tribal Baby © 2009 Charndra Josling

Making toilet learning a natural part of your baby or young toddlers learning process is key to not having to stress over ‘potty training’

You can be part-time diaper free by practicing a little baby pottying from as early as you like – a fussing baby is often a signal that your baby needs your help to ‘go’!

Our babies gradually and slowly learn to eat, crawl, play, talk, walk – they can learn to use the toilet in much the same naturally evolving way. You may need to get a few paradigm shifts going to help them though, as our society currently favours doing nothing but cleaning up after them until they are 3 or more.

There is elimination communication – a cumbersome word that gives you the best of all worlds: using diapers and helping your baby use the potty at the same time. EC is a great way to reduce all forms of diaper waste and washing.

Elimination Communication: Here Are 3 Tips to Start This Natural Alternative to Potty Training:

1. Start With Regular Diaper Free Time

By starting as early as you like by giving your baby daily diaper free time you are helping them stay aware of the processes of their body, rather than ‘numbing them’ with a disposable diaper. Throwaway diapers are so absorbent some children become unaware of when they go, causing stress and potential problems later on. Other kids always retain a strong body awareness regardless; these are the ones who ‘toilet train themselves’. Using cloth diapers goes a long way to helping your baby retain their elimination awareness.

2. Offer an Opportunity When Your Baby Wakes Up

By offering your baby the opportunity to pee in a baby potty when they wake up with a dry diaper and as you wait for their bath to fill means the potty is a familiar bit of household furniture – there is no uncertainty around it, nothing to ‘learn’. You’ll catch pees and poops this way; have a cheer! Sing a potty song! Your baby then toddler will feel happy and relaxed about using a toilet place. Potty Cheers are little ditties to sing when they do a wee in the potty, my sons love them! I’ve collected over 40 potty songs and cheers at Part Time Diaper Free

3. Cultivate a Relaxed and Natural Attitude to Toilet Learning in Your Home

With a gradual, natural and integrated approach to toilet learning that is central to practicing EC, you will feel calm and relaxed about a gradual path to toilet independence, and not stressing about having to suddenly ‘train’ your child that going in their pants is no longer an option now that they are ‘x’ in age. You’ll *know* when they are up for each new stage of developing the skills of independent toilet use, rather than being overwhelmed with looking for ‘readiness signs’ which may never all appear at the same time!

Being part-time diaper free means… flexibility.

Helping your baby to use a baby potty or to ‘toilet’ is great fun! How and when to start varies with each family. It means different things when your baby is a tiny newborn to when they are crawling, to when they are toddlers. NOW is the best time to start – when you have learnt about this different form of natural toilet learning.

Give it a go!

- Charndra

Pop over to Charndra’s website on part time Baby Pottying, eitherwww.PartTimeDiaperFree.com or www.PartTimeNappyFree.com.au – you can join to receive a free e-course introducing you to the Secrets of EC Confidence. Over 40 Potty Songs, plenty of tips, resources and helpful ideas to make your journey easing into EC very smooth indeed.

Give EC a go! It’s good for the Earth.

Elimination Communication When Traveling on a Plane: 7 Tips.

I recently saw a question from a Mom about to travel on a plane and wanting some tips to continue practicing EC.

This was my reply!

- It is common for babies to ‘let go’ on ascent and descent – the pressure changes apparently.

Make your trip less stressful by taking backup:

Here are 7 Tips for EC when Traveling on a Plane:

1. Use a potty in a wetbag, if necessary, you can just ZIP it UP! Or pour pee into a jar, wipe up with a wet wipe in a zip-loc bag.
2. Use a sanitary pad in a wet bag (a wetbag as you can dip baby’s butt in it and easily cover things without too much bulk of a potty).
3. Put a sanitary pad, actually a disposable breastpad in a potty to catch wees so spills are not a stress. (and little waste)
4. Use a disposable as the potty. Open, pee baby into it, roll it up, pop away for later; put them back in dry pants.
5. Planes can be dehydrating, travel in general, (air con) so less wee needs overall most likely. Expect less needs, BUT planes can be very exciting – you may find MANY requests to check out that interesting toilet cubicle! Plus the pressure may play with their body awareness?
6. We’ve found travel EC easy – there are less distractions, baby is always right there, so signals / needs easier to spot or be aware of. relax and be openly aware, that’ll do.
7. Remember diaper free is the destination – it is not a rule of EC – your baby can wear a diaper for backup and your peace of mind (and those around you) even though you don’t intend they must use it…

Relax, go with the flow, it won’t be so bad! Ec when traveling on a plane is just another activity.

If you’d like to read the tips of other Moms, check out the original thread at the Mothering Dot Com EC forum…

- Charndra

P.S. What have some of your experiences been when practicing EC on a plane?

Practicing Elimination Communication (EC) is a Great Way to Reduce All Forms of Diaper Waste and Washing

This means a smaller carbon footprint for your baby!

The Earth will benefit from less waste generated by those notoriously huge creators of waste – brand new babies! Consider EC, or Baby Pottying, as a way to begin gradually reducing the amount of diapers your baby wears each day. Aim to use one less diaper daily. Your baby will help…

‘EC’ is a traditional, ancient way of caring for the hygiene needs of your baby.

Good News! Yes, you can ease into these ideas gradually – perhaps the easiest way of doing anything… By easing into EC it will seem as if it is just a natural extension of your parenting abilities – because it IS a natural thing, yet a learned skill as well.

Elimination Communication is a cumbersome word that gives you the best of all worlds: using diapers and helping your baby use the potty at the same time. You will help reduce the amount of washing you need to do when using cloth diapers. (which use at least 40% less natural resources than disposable diapers)

You will need to change literally thousands of diapers until your child weans to underwear. What is one diaper less each day? It’s an easy goal to strive for!

What Does One Less Diaper Each Day Mean?

1. 1 less diaper a day over 2.5 years is over 912 fewer diapers – that’s a lot of experience for your baby too, and a lot of moments connecting with your baby in a positive, fun way…

2. 1 less diaper a day over 3 years is 1095 fewer diapers – that’s over $492 saved if you consider an average disposable diaper costs .45c…

3. Even 1 less pooey diaper each week is 156 diapers you can avoid having to wash – I’m not actually sure how many washing loads that would be… but I’m the thought of that many LESS messy diapers to manage has your attention!

The average family spends $300-$400 on disposable wipes – 7 less diapers each week will mean a reduction in this waste too, as well as plastic diaper disposal bags.

By now you are thinking: “1 Less Diaper – but that’s not intimidating at all! I can do that!”

Yes, you can.

In cooperation with your baby, as a team. Your baby will wear diapers between potty visits as you build your confidence and learn what you need to know to reduce your reliance on full-time diapers.

By picking up some skills in baby pottying, you will be reducing your use of diapers by ‘tweaking’ the skills you already have, by adding in some new skills, to help you have a ‘greener’ baby, save money – and have FUN in the process as you connect with your baby in a slightly different way than is currently common.

Part Time Diaper Free is dedicated to helping you reduce your diaper use as you gently, naturally and gradually practice Elimination Communication with your baby, and discover the joys of doing so.

- Charndra

 

Pop over to Charndra’s website on part time Baby Pottying, eitherwww.PartTimeDiaperFree.com or www.PartTimeNappyFree.com.au – you can join to receive a free e-course introducing you to the Secrets of EC Confidence. Over 40 Potty Songs, plenty of tips, resources and helpful ideas to make your journey easing into EC very smooth indeed.

Give EC a go! It’s good for the Earth.

You can gradually reduce the carbon footprint of your baby with Baby Pottying or Elimination Communication.

(Did you see the word ‘gradually’ in that sentence?) Gradually is there because you can ease into EC slowly, taking baby steps to gain your confidence and discover some EC tools with your baby to reduce your use of diapers in time…

Imagine if every baby wore just one less diaper each day because Mom and Dad are dabbling in baby pottying? That means millions less disposable diapers will be tossed in the bin.

EC, or Elimination Communication, is an ancient approach to baby hygiene that involves getting to know your baby’s patterns and rhythms of elimination so that, together as a cooperative team, you can ‘catch’ some of their business in a potty, potty bowl or other suitable place. Yes, you will still use diapers, despite what some dreadful articles and T.V shows love to sensationalize!

Being ‘Part-Time Diaper Free’ is perhaps a more accurate term, as you use nappies some of the time, or training pants, sometimes diaper-free time. You can certainly use diapers or other reusable cloth options as backup between potty visits. I do, and I have practiced EC since birth with both my children.

Let’s have a look at the benefits that just one less diaper means:

1 less throwaway diaper means – fewer diapers in landfill.
1 less cloth diaper means – a smaller washing load to do.
1 less disposable diaper each day over 2.5 years will save you over $410.

Each time you ‘save’ a diaper, you are reducing your use of throwaway wipes, plastic diaper bags, or the overall amount of washing you’ll need to do.

What can you do to use 1 less diaper? Here are 3 Simple Ideas:

Buy Your First Reusable Modern Cloth Nappy

You’ll save the cost of a disposable each time your baby wears it while discovering how easy and effective cloth is to use, leading you to more savings! By starting with 1 cloth diaper you’ll be introduced to the reusable cloth versions of all diaper accessories. By starting with one, you’ll save money so that you can invest the savings in more environmentally friendly options, the eco disposables that are compostable or flushable.

Visit my Visual Cloth Diaper Directory…

Visit My Visual Modern Cloth Nappy Directory…

Start Baby Pottying!

Discovering how to practice some EC skills with your baby will help you to use fewer diapers in a gradual, natural way. Begin by offering your baby the potty when they wake up – often the need to pee wakes them, as it does us! If you’d popped a clean diaper on your baby before their nap and they woke up dry then did a tinkle in the potty, you’ve ‘saved’ 1 diaper, just like that! Tomorrow, aim to save one more…

Using Washable Training Pants is helpful when practising Elimination Communication…

Have Daily Diaper Free Time

Air your baby’s ‘cheeks’ daily – it’s good for their skin and it’s good for the Earth! Simply grab a washable, waterproof mat for your baby to roll about on. Or use a towel that will be going into the wash soon. Experience diaper-less will help your baby to stay aware of their body and for you to become more accustomed to their body language when they ‘go’.

Start with one. One less diaper used today, whatever sort it may be!

Strive with your baby to christen that potty! It is quite addictive. You’ll save money as you develop new ways to share this excitement with your baby, and be working together to protect the environment. It is something high in our consciousness these days because we are thinking about the Earth that we will leave our babies, after all…

Keep in mind: the most environmentally friendly diaper is the one you don’t use today!

- Charndra

Pop over to Charndra’s website on part time Baby Pottying, eitherwww.PartTimeDiaperFree.com or www.PartTimeNappyFree.com.au – you can join to receive a free e-course introducing you to the Secrets of EC Confidence. Over 40 Potty Songs, plenty of tips, resources and helpful ideas to make your journey easing into EC very smooth indeed.

Give EC a go! It’s good for the Earth.

Copyright by Tribal Baby © 2009 Charndra Josling