Elimination Communication...natural parenting?

alaskagrown · Feb 5th, 2013, 18:19 PM

It seems like the opposite of natural parenting, as in waiting till your toddler is ready, but maybe some one can enlighten me?? I mean, they seem like polar opposites. Is it really "natural parenting" to do elimination communication?

NaturalMomma · Feb 5th, 2013, 19:31 PM

The science behind elimmination communication is that babies are born knowing they need to pee/poop and don't want to do that in a diaper. They send you cues so you can catch what they elimminate (since obviously they can't walk to the toilet). It is said that by using diapers you're actually "training" a baby to elimminate in a diaper rather than send cues that they need to go.

qpaulina42 · Feb 5th, 2013, 19:46 PM

WSS^

To me, natural parenting isn't about letting your baby make all the decisions, more about giving them the opportunity to practice skills at age appropriate times with ample support and encouragement but with the assumption that they are capable little beings.

alaskagrown · Feb 5th, 2013, 19:52 PM

Thanks! I guess natural parenting means different things to different people.

qpaulina42 · Feb 5th, 2013, 19:59 PM

That's probably true! I try to aim for what makes the most sense biologically (evolutionarily speaking, for example), draw on the practices of cultures who are less westernized, and go with my own gut. This ends up looking mostly like a rejection of the most recent (100 years or so) western parenting practices like early weaning, scheduled feeds, sleeping in cribs, late potty training (due to diaper use, I feel), etc etc. But now that LO is older I find myself focusing on her needs beyond the basics (food, sleep, poop), like how she'll handle conflicts and frustrations, and I find that allowing her to take control of certain aspects of her being, such as using the bathroom, is something that is a positive and empowering thing.

aliss · Feb 5th, 2013, 20:00 PM

I don't do EC but EC is (to me, at least) one of the basics of natural parenting, which is just the method that would have been used by women for so many thousands of years (just like breastfeeding, bedsharing, babywearing). Diapers are recent. If you watch the film Babies on Netflix, you'll see the African & Mongolian mothers still doing it.

Part of me wishes I did EC because my almost 3 year old just has zero potty signs and it's impossible to even fit diapers on him anymore!

alaskagrown · Feb 5th, 2013, 20:32 PM

Lol...does that mean cloth diapering isn't natural? ;P

qpaulina42 · Feb 5th, 2013, 21:34 PM

technically the most natural thing would be to go without diapers. I think cloth is nice because it's friendlier to the environment, but other than that, diapers are diapers.

jcg0506 · Feb 5th, 2013, 22:02 PM

Others have said it well. EC is certainly more "natural" than complete diaper dependence as it is the method that has been used in the most cultures over the millennia. Of course, the practice is adapted to fit modern, Western homes and lifestyles since we don't live in huts or small tribes but houses with carpets and toilets, so most ECing parents (ourselves included) do use diapers at least part of the time. It is also consistent with attachment parenting because it requires you to be in tune with your baby in order to respond to their cues and timing regarding elimination, helping them to hygienically relieve themselves until they are able to do it on their own. In that regard, it is not that different from breastfeeding on cue, learning to sensitively respond to your babies needs as they express them. It is quite time intensive in the first year or two so understandably not for everyone.

Rachel_C · Feb 6th, 2013, 03:23 AM

I wouldn't say that cloth nappies are actually 'natural parenting' or baby led in themselves. They are the more natural choice for people who are going to use nappies though.

Feb 5th, 2013, 18:19 PM	#1
alaskagrown Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Some island in the middle of nowhere, Alaska Posts: 1,605	Elimination Communication...natural parenting? It seems like the opposite of natural parenting, as in waiting till your toddler is ready, but maybe some one can enlighten me?? I mean, they seem like polar opposites. Is it really "natural parenting" to do elimination communication?

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Feb 5th, 2013, 19:31 PM	#2
NaturalMomma Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 2,591	The science behind elimmination communication is that babies are born knowing they need to pee/poop and don't want to do that in a diaper. They send you cues so you can catch what they elimminate (since obviously they can't walk to the toilet). It is said that by using diapers you're actually "training" a baby to elimminate in a diaper rather than send cues that they need to go.

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Feb 5th, 2013, 19:46 PM	#3
qpaulina42 Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: upstate NY, USA Posts: 1,674	WSS^ To me, natural parenting isn't about letting your baby make all the decisions, more about giving them the opportunity to practice skills at age appropriate times with ample support and encouragement but with the assumption that they are capable little beings.

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Feb 5th, 2013, 19:52 PM	#4
alaskagrown Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Some island in the middle of nowhere, Alaska Posts: 1,605	Thanks! I guess natural parenting means different things to different people.

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Feb 5th, 2013, 19:59 PM	#5
qpaulina42 Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: upstate NY, USA Posts: 1,674	That's probably true! I try to aim for what makes the most sense biologically (evolutionarily speaking, for example), draw on the practices of cultures who are less westernized, and go with my own gut. This ends up looking mostly like a rejection of the most recent (100 years or so) western parenting practices like early weaning, scheduled feeds, sleeping in cribs, late potty training (due to diaper use, I feel), etc etc. But now that LO is older I find myself focusing on her needs beyond the basics (food, sleep, poop), like how she'll handle conflicts and frustrations, and I find that allowing her to take control of certain aspects of her being, such as using the bathroom, is something that is a positive and empowering thing.

Status: Offline

Feb 5th, 2013, 20:00 PM	#6
aliss AutoSignup (SAAB) BnB Spammer Elite Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Québec Posts: 24,331	I don't do EC but EC is (to me, at least) one of the basics of natural parenting, which is just the method that would have been used by women for so many thousands of years (just like breastfeeding, bedsharing, babywearing). Diapers are recent. If you watch the film Babies on Netflix, you'll see the African & Mongolian mothers still doing it. Part of me wishes I did EC because my almost 3 year old just has zero potty signs and it's impossible to even fit diapers on him anymore!

Status: Offline

Feb 5th, 2013, 20:32 PM	#7
alaskagrown Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Some island in the middle of nowhere, Alaska Posts: 1,605	Lol...does that mean cloth diapering isn't natural? ;P

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Feb 5th, 2013, 21:34 PM	#8
qpaulina42 Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: upstate NY, USA Posts: 1,674	technically the most natural thing would be to go without diapers. I think cloth is nice because it's friendlier to the environment, but other than that, diapers are diapers.

Status: Offline

Feb 5th, 2013, 22:02 PM	#9
jcg0506 Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 667	Others have said it well. EC is certainly more "natural" than complete diaper dependence as it is the method that has been used in the most cultures over the millennia. Of course, the practice is adapted to fit modern, Western homes and lifestyles since we don't live in huts or small tribes but houses with carpets and toilets, so most ECing parents (ourselves included) do use diapers at least part of the time. It is also consistent with attachment parenting because it requires you to be in tune with your baby in order to respond to their cues and timing regarding elimination, helping them to hygienically relieve themselves until they are able to do it on their own. In that regard, it is not that different from breastfeeding on cue, learning to sensitively respond to your babies needs as they express them. It is quite time intensive in the first year or two so understandably not for everyone.

Status: Offline

Feb 6th, 2013, 03:23 AM	#10
Rachel_C Mum (Mom) BnB Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 11,604	I wouldn't say that cloth nappies are actually 'natural parenting' or baby led in themselves. They are the more natural choice for people who are going to use nappies though.

Status: Online

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