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Elimination Communication: Potty Training Type
Filed under: Babies, Toddlers Preschoolers, Activities: Babies, Health & Safety: Babies, Development/Milestones: Babies, Day Care & Education, Feeding & Sleeping, Potty Training, Baby-sitting, Research Reveals: Babies, Expert Advice: Babies, Development: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Gear Guides: Babies, Gear Guides: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Research Reveals: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Expert Advice: Toddlers & Preschoolers
There are alternatives to classic potty training methods. Credit: Getty Images
Elimination communication (EC) is a type of potty training that goes back to time immemorial because one of its goals is to forgo diapers altogether. Here's how it works: When a parent or caregiver knows or feels that the baby needs to go, he or she removes the diaper or clothing and holds the infant over a toilet or other appropriate receptacle. Because the baby is pre-verbal --i.e., parents are starting this early after their child's birth -- way before most parents think about potty training -- caregivers need to be on the alert for body language cues, patterns (e.g., after a feeding or a waking), intuition or simply by the clock.
EC training can begin as early as birth but can also start in later infancy or during the toddler years. Although the American Academy of Pediatrics believes there is no set age at which toilet training should begin, they do say that children younger than 12 months have no control over bladder or bowel movements.
EC's rising popularity is certainly influences by the economy (diapers are expensive) and environmental concerns (diapers are not biodegradable), but it's also a natural extension of a common practice called attachment parenting.
ParentDish answers all of your potty training and diaper questions.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
2-18-2010 @ 4:48AM
Layla said...Now that you mention it, I remember over sixty years ago, this is how kids were trained. I have always believed that this three year extension is a lot of baloney, promoted by diaper makers and the money they pay pediatricians to say it.
Reply
3-09-2010 @ 1:44PM
Mcdume said...Potty training seems such a psychological minefield for infants when their parents apply 'tricks and tips'. They end up with resistant, and often resentful kids. I'm not a doc, but the best, most practical advice I've read is here: Http://bit.ly/a7GBmk. The article is called "In The Toilet"... Basically, 'follow the child'.
Good luck to us all!
Reply
3-30-2010 @ 8:41AM
joyce said...My daughter, her husband, and the caregiver used this method with their son. He is now three and has been in underwear since he was 18 months old. He seldom ever soiled his diaper even at 6 or 7 months old and now at almost three is learning how to get to the toilet on his own. The caregiver has another little girl that she always cares for and she used this method with her also and advanced in the same level. IT WORKS AND IS SO MUCH EASIER THAN THAT POTTY TRAINING THING. It is not a free ride..it is time consuming but for the child it is just a natural happening. What we do with diapers is train them to go in their underwear.
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4-01-2010 @ 1:50AM
Jeanne said...If the child is old enough to understand the concept of "all gone" and wakes up dry then you can train this way:
When you have the need to change the child, show the child the bag of disposable diapers. Say, something to the effect of, "Gosh, we don't have many diapers left, do we? How many are here? Help me count them..." Then you pull them out one by one and count. You say something like, " Wow, you really count well! And pretty soon there will be no more diapers left, but that is such a great thing because when they are gone that means you get to wear underwear and use the potty just like all the big kids who do all the fun things!" And then you count down the diapers to the last one, each time reminding the child that they are a diaper closer to being able to move on to do some of the fun things that older kids do. Begin with a bag that has about a three day supply. This is long enough for some anticipation to build and for some gradual acceptance on the part of the toddler. If you start with too many diapers it might become tedious and they could get bored with the idea.
When you start with the potty chair, you need to be aware of their habits so you can suggest that it would be a good time to go at an appropriate time when they will really be able to go but you can't wait too long and let them forget. You sort of have to "train yourself" to focus on the task at hand for a couple weeks. Give a small treat after they tell you they need to go. Don't ever punish a child for messing up. Just reassure them that they are capable and you have confidence in them. Even little kids have some pride.
My first child was just barely two when I told her I would buy her a Barbie if she went on the potty. She went on it, and then told me she wanted a "Water Baby" doll instead. I called her dad and he picked one up at Toys R Us on his way home from work. Training that one was a piece of cake. The next one, a boy, was harder. My first attempt failed miserably, bribery didn't work, but when he was almost two and a half I came up with the counting down the diapers method. It worked so well I used it with my third and it worked with her as well.
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5-24-2010 @ 12:35PM
Carlene said...When I trained my children, the first time I caught them and made it to the potty I bragged on them and put fancy undies them. I proclaimed now that they were big and got to wear big girls clothes. After about a week, they refused the diaper at night with very few if any accidents. We are starting with twin boys this week, I hope it works as well with Spiderman shorts. By the way, my kids were 20-24 months when I trained them. They are anxious to learn at this age, will mimic anything to grow up a little.
Good luck.
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6-13-2010 @ 10:03AM
Pat S said...My son is three years old. I am a working parent. My son has a baby sitter who also has a son that is 6 months older than my son and he is not potty trained. I take him to the sitter at 7:30 am and pick him up at 4:45pm. How do I train him when I only spend about 4hrs a day with him. I have some success over the weekend, but Monday comes around quickly, and I'm not their to keep up with him. I want to send him to day care, but unless he is trained, they won't except him. I don't have anyone else that can sit for him.
Any suggestions,
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