Elimination Communication Support Thread

[katrinalorien]

I'm fairly certain you can start all the way up to 18 months? I think there's a section on starting late in the book...

I started on week three so I don't know much about starting late, but I think you can find some information on this website

https://ecsimplified.com/

or at least in the book that the website promotes!

 

[annagrace]

Soo... i feel silly asking as it seems obvious, but to get an idea of my baby's cues through having a nappy free day, i just have to be prepared for a little mess? (or wear a rubber apron - haha!) And should i be introducing a 'cue sound' to her when she does pee/poop, right from the start?

 

[katrinalorien]

I would imagine so.. I didn't do one so I'm not completely sure.

I introduced a cue sound straight away, again not sure about starting late but that's what we did with Lily. I don't know if the cue influences her or if just reminds her why she's there! haha...

Let me know how the nappy free day goes if you decide to do it.. if it helps then maybe I will try one as well.

 

[xSin]

I am so glad I found this thread! I'm going to have to try it out when I'm back in cloth. (Right now our dryer is broken so inviting potentially more laundry is not something I'm ready to leap into right away lol)

ETA: An hour later I caught her first pee!! YAY!!!!!

 

[readyORnot]

annagrace & flake-y, I second what Kat said!

youngwife, sounds exactly like EC to me!! Glad you've found this thread!

As for me, I did use cue sounds to begin with and I think it helped with the associations but now I just talk to him about what's happening and just the action of sitting him on the little potty or big toilet seems to be enough of a cue now.

My LO is already very strong-willed so I'm braced for a possible rebellion at some point. Today was a strange day - caught all his poo, which is normal for the moment - but not a single pee. Up until yesterday afternoon he would always wee the second I put him on the potty, even if he had just done a wee already. In fact, yesterday evening after not weeing in the potty he proceeded to wee all over my lap, which has never happened before (and I frequently hold him without a nappy)...
He's also just started arching his back as if to lie down when he's on the potty. This is different to his "I want to get off the potty" signal, and is not a sign of distress. I did manage to distract him from doing that using a toy a couple of times but I'll see if that continues.

All the best to everyone, especialy if you're currently in a rough patch!

 

[katrinalorien]

How did you set up a done with the potty signal? I just keep saying all done and take her off when she gets frustrated...

 

[xSin]

I dunno, Aria starts arching her back as if she's trying to 'escape' the toilet when she's finished... although I've missed out a couple times today on poops because I took her off the toilet prematurely ...lol

 

[angiepie]

Can someone recommend good EC books that DF and I can read before having a LO? I'd like to find out as much info before being pregnant. Are there any EC DVDs or documentaries? TIA!

 

[morri]

I think all books by Laurie Bouke are a great read. There are longer versions, I have the shorter less dogmatic version "infant potty training"

 

[xSin]

I found the "diaperfreebaby.org" site particularly helpful, there's a LOT of information on there and while I am far from "knowledgeable" the information that I got from that site on the various cues to keep an eye for as well as positions for holding, allowed me to catch 3 pees and 2 poos today! I am STOKED!

The best part is that my LO has seemed genuinely happier today, as a result of not having a poopy wet squidgy bum and because it is going "out" and not being squished all around in a diaper, the 'cleanup' is a breeze really lol

 

[readyORnot]

Angelo literally puts his feet down on the floor and tries to 'stand up' off the potty when he's done! If he's just sitting there doing nothing for a while without signalling to get off, I ask him if he's finished and oddly that seems to get him to do one more push and then ask to get off.
I initially mistook his back arching as another sign he wanted to come off but quickly learned from that mistake...

angiepie, I read 'the diaper-free baby' by Christine Gross-Loh. But there's also loads of stuff online, too.

 

[greenpear]

^^^ already sitting on the potty?? wow! I usually just take diaper off and let Emi do her stuff (I help her poo by holding her legs to her tummy and make noises at her, same with peeing) while lying in her rubber change table and she does it on her back...are there potties for babies that young? I wanted to get potty for her when she's able to sit on her own but if you can advise how you did it then I can start earlier

 

[readyORnot]

i bought this one designed for 4 months+

some use the baby bjorn potty chair

 

[xSin]

I just take Aria's diaper off and hold her in the positions recommended on diaperfreebaby.org above a sink or toilet.

How do you ladies deal with it when you're out and about somewhere where there isn't a readily available toilet though? I went to my mom's group this morning and while there's a change table, there isn't a toilet "right there" and I felt like I betrayed Aria (she certainly looked at me like I was betraying her) because she was giving cues and because I was out I wasn't "ready" in that setting to get up and ask where the toilets were ....then the mom's would've offered to watch her, then I would've had to explain, then I would've had to deal with a gazillion questions (I'm not good with becoming the center of attention).... I did take her to the potty when OH and I went out for lunch though... in a restaurant, that was a setting it was simple enough to take her into the ladies room and into a stall and let her have a tinkle in the toilet there.

 

[angiepie]

I just take Aria's diaper off and hold her in the positions recommended on diaperfreebaby.org above a sink or toilet.

How do you ladies deal with it when you're out and about somewhere where there isn't a readily available toilet though? I went to my mom's group this morning and while there's a change table, there isn't a toilet "right there" and I felt like I betrayed Aria (she certainly looked at me like I was betraying her) because she was giving cues and because I was out I wasn't "ready" in that setting to get up and ask where the toilets were ....then the mom's would've offered to watch her, then I would've had to explain, then I would've had to deal with a gazillion questions (I'm not good with becoming the center of attention).... I did take her to the potty when OH and I went out for lunch though... in a restaurant, that was a setting it was simple enough to take her into the ladies room and into a stall and let her have a tinkle in the toilet there.

Maybe next time you could check where to loo is as soon as you arrive, so you can just get up and go when you need to without having the awkwardness.

 

[angiepie]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions!

 

[katrinalorien]

Hmm... some bring the potty with them, some try to offer the big potty, some EC outside... those are the things I have found online. I just don't EC as much out and about.

 

[greenpear]

That's a great looking potty

I actually bought a kiddie toilet seat today that goes over adult seat. She tinkled for me twice before boycotting it

Oh well, will try again tomorrow in the morning when she does her poop. Hopefully she'll be more rested and in better spirits to do it, otherwise we'll have to go back to pooping in the boat on her back

 

[xSin]

Aria's aim is nowhere near good enough for me to try to bring a potty with us... aiming her out into "nature" would be an option I suppose... depending on location LOL

 

[katrinalorien]

heehee I am mostly home anyway, but my plan is to offer a big toilet when she's a little bigger. Still not 100% sure how to do this though!! I think Ready's done it...