An Age old Tradition
Want your baby to be Diaper Free? Plan to sharpen his communication to inform the urge to liberate? Wish him to have Toilet and Potty Training before 1st birthday?
We’ll thats what we will turn around in this post. Moms and dads don’t feel worried of it being some technical – EC post, as its just a name given to the years old method which our nani’s and dadi’s used to follow.
Yes, much of the world has seen this glorious phase, when there existed “No diapers” and still parents were very happy. They used to travel as we do & even had the same life. India and Indians still prefer having “Diaper free life”. Despite being a modern women I’ve preferred Cloth nappies over Diapers , I am myself an adjudicator of Cloth nappies & EC.
Check out my Diaper guide for parents here.
Thoughts may vary, concepts may get delayed but will remain the same as they were being followed in the old times. One day moms and dads you will have to bring kid out of those diapers and the sooner, the easier for both babies and parents.
What the need of today is to be more communicative with the baby. We need to respond more and make him aware of his routine. It’s we who need to help baby relate the place to pee or do potty. And don’t think off as this should be the routine of more than a 2-year old baby who can easily control his bladder.No, moms and dads this can even help you build in baby who’s turned one, just the requisite is if baby has been related to the external environment to pee? And that’s where our onus lies in.
So What exactly is “Elimination Communication”?
I believe that almost all the moms have in certain form tried practising EC with very young babies. It is as simple as making babies and moms realise together to do potty on a place other than nappy or diapers. It involves using some signals, cues, understanding baby’s gestures and yes practising it at time intervals which can rather fix timings for a baby. There are millions of people in the world and specially in not much industrialised countries who do not depend on “Diapers”. They rather believe in identifying & understanding the child’s needs and catering to it.
Practising Elimination Communication:
1. Timings : This is an important factor for a mom practising EC or even going for Potty Training on an older child. We have to observe the baby’s desires to pee , which may vary with the age of the child. Like in new born babies, they wish to pee every 20-30minutes, usually after taking feed, or waking up from a nap or even when exposed to stimuli. Try to observe it for over a week and then practise EC when baby is close to those events.
2. Signal : Some babies are quite receptive when they do their potty. They either cry or squirm or even give some weird facial expressions. Sometimes babies can release the gas and even apply pressure just before they do their potty.These signals can be observed for a week(if left without diapers) , which can make mom practise them potty in pot tub or potty bowl once signalled. Signals and their intensity vary from baby to baby. Some babies don’t give any signs, but observing their pattern can help you liberate them in a designated place and eventually they start giving signals or gestures.
3. Cueing Baby : As I mentioned earlier, EC is a communicative mode for mom and baby both. Try making a specific sound as “SSSSS” or “PSSSS” or something which a baby relates to only when he has to go for potty or has to pee. Gradually baby will associate this sound or cue only when he has to go. Sometimes even babies try to get out those specific sounds from their vocals and indicate parents their desire. Won’t that be great if your 8month old does it? Well yes, that’s what happened with my little one and I was on cloud nine. It made me feel my efforts from 2months had paid off;)
Lot of patience & effort goes for first few days for a mom to observe the desires and arrive at a conclusion wrt the time and pattern. But once it gets established, more hygienic & cleaner will the growth phase go.
Its almost certain for phases as :
Post feeding
Waking up from a nap
During bathing
After massage
Before going out
Exposure to some stimuli’s , that a baby will certainly pee/poo. Initiate EC from those certain moments.
EC needs lot of effort from mom, since babies cannot control their bladder from birth. Moms can set those cues at different time intervals and observe if a baby is reacting to them. Babies try to associate their desires with the set cues. If a baby starts reacting he/she can then be held closely in a “Potty or squat position” in moms arms comfortably to perform the routine.
Advantages of Potty training and EC:
- Child will be clean and Dry always, forget any moisture laden diapers/Rashes/Urinary tract infections.
- It will always result in a happy baby
- It gets mom and babies more closer and more communicative to each other which makes baby more expressive. Also the bond will get more stronger for sure mommies:)
- Helps baby develop confidence and parents believe in them from young stage, when most people say, “hey that’s a baby, don’t believe him.his intuitions”:). To your ecstasy, You will see yourself defending it moms and dads.
And the rest may seem not that important to some..
5. You’ll be free of those stinky potty dustbins
6. Liberate timely and Don’t worry if you are in a mid of party
7. You’ll be free of changing smelly diapers
8. And yes you will contribute your bit to save the environment
Just try practising it, I’m damn sure you’ll be hooked to it just like what happened with me.
It took my baby to achieve complete potty and toilet trained at an age of 1.6years and he used to hold my hands and take me to washroom. There were completely no hassles of Nappies and Diapers. It was all so much of benefit even while we travelled (no extra dozens of diapers to carry)
You might think that I am a bizarre or out of mind mom. But once you are through with EC for a baby as young as 3months, you’ll certainly be pleased to see him free and engrossed in the positive environment around.
Bye Mommies, Happy Training!
