Potty training our newborn was the best decision we made!
Okay, so we didn’t actually potty train, but we did something called Elimination Communication. When I was pregnant, my friend and I had due dates that were one day apart. We both saw videos on Elimination Communication or EC. We talked about it and thought it was so interesting, and we both decided we should try it when our newborns arrived!
What is Elimination Communication?
Elimination Communication is a natural, non-coercive way of responding to babies’ cues and aiding them in a gentle way to eliminate waste. It is a practice that is used more commonly in other counties or in areas where diapers are not easily accessed.
» » » » » » » » » » RELATED READ: 10 Potty Training Tips from Real ABQ Moms « « « « « « « «
How did we start?
While I was pregnant, I did a lot of research on Elimination Communication. When my daughter was about two weeks old, I read the book Go Diaper Free by Andrea Olson. After reading the book, we started when my daughter was three weeks old. We started with looking for her signals and the “four easy catches.”
The four easy catches are: at every diaper change, upon waking, every poop, and after taking the baby out of the baby carrier, car seat, high chair, etc. When she was a newborn, we used a Top Hat Potty or held her on the normal toilet with a seat reducer. We then transitioned to the Mini Potty when she was a little older, and from about 6 months on, we just used a seat reducer and the normal toilet unless we were on the go.
We also bought this Tiny Potty board book, and we would read that every time my daughter would sit on the potty, and it became a cue for her to go potty. I could still say that book from memory, but it is really cute! From about six months on, she never had poop accidents. She occasionally would have pee accidents once she started walking because she would get too distracted. She was completely diaper-free around 17 months!
What were the pros of this method?
The biggest pro was we never had the stress of potty training. After a few weeks, it just became part of her routine and was honestly faster than changing a diaper. The other huge pro was that she never had a diaper rash. She would rarely have an accident, and if she did, it was usually our fault, not hers, because she hated going in her diaper. We would change her right away. And lastly, we had a gigantic financial savings. More often than not, she would be in the same dry diaper all day, so I’m sure we saved hundreds if not thousands on diapers. Fun fact: the average cost of diapers per year is $840.
What were the cons of this method?
The only con (that I quickly got over) was the weirdness factor or feeling judged by people. I felt like people had one of two reactions when I explained EC. They either thought EC was amazing or thought we were crazy. It is a bit of a learning curve and commitment but once you get the hang of it, it is a game changer and 100% worth it!
Would I do it again? What would I change?
I absolutely would! And I plan on doing it again if we have another child! It was so amazing doing this. It felt like we were able to be really in touch with my daughter’s needs and know what was going on with her.
The only thing I would change is to start sooner. I would definitely take a top hat potty with me to the hospital and start immediately! Feel free to reach out with any questions to me. Andrea Olson with Go Diaper Free is also an incredible resource, and she is super responsive on her Instagram!
The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of ABQ Mom, its executive team, other contributors to the site, its sponsors or partners, or any organizations the aforementioned might be affiliated with.
