EC-ing at a friend's house?

[PDXMom]

I've been EC-ing with my 1 mo DD since her birth, and it's been awesome so far! I love it. We use coverless, pinned prefolds as backup, and I throw on a cover when I wear her around or when we go out. Most of the time when we check her diaper it's dry. Once in a while it's wet... and once in a GREAT while there's poop. (Maybe 3 times since she was born). Wet farts are more common though. Anyway, so far, we've only been at home or taken short walks around the neighborhood, or we've been at doctor's appts. But we're about to go to our first party, where we will probably spend several hours, and I'm wondering what the best way to handle her elimination needs will be.

We will definitely use backup (maybe even my one AIO that we've been holding off on using for a special occasion), but I'm wondering if it would be appropriate to give DD a potty-tunity at someone else's house. Here, we use the bathroom sink and rinse it out real good afterwards. I could see someone who didn't have kids thinking that was kind of gross though. We haven't tried holding her over the toilet or sitting on the toilet with her, but I would be willing to practice those here at home if I thought that would work better at our friend's house. But I don't know-- maybe even that would disturb them. This has become so normal to me, I can't remember back to before I had heard of EC. I don't want to make my hosts uncomfortable or draw too much attention to ourselves at the party.

Thing is, of course I could just not EC for the duration of the party, but then wouldn't I be potentially changing a poopy diaper there anyway, and then have to worry about where to do it? And I know I'd want to rinse it before putting it in the wetbag, so once again, wouldn't I be getting some poop in their bathroom sink? I have a few sposies from the hospital, but I really don't want to use them. On top of all my other inhibitions about this party, everyone's really environmentally conscious and I am too so I'd hate to show up with DD in a sposie when normally she's in cloth.

It's not so much just about this one party-- I think coming up with a way to carry this out in public will make us so much more comfortable going places and get us on our way to being the mobile mommy-daughter couple that I want us to be. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

[Carlyle]

You're so considerate! I'd just talk to the host about it (but only since you mentioned that it was a group of eco-groovy folks). Most of the time, I would just hold dd over the potty if we were at someone else's house, or I would bring our little potty over and let her use that one. I wouldn't use the sink unless you ask (and I never asked anyone 'cause I was too embarrassed and worried that people would think I was weird for letting a baby pee in the sink, but you know your friends better than me!). But I wouldn't feel like you need to ask if it's okay to hold your baby over their toilet--it's no different from an adult using it, you know? Have fun!!

(and I think you should tell your eco-groovy friends what you're doing...I wish I had heard about this earlier than I did! Most folks have just never heard of it)

[Bekka]

Well, my friend who EC'd (I did a bit, failed, decided I could cloth diaper conscientiously and that was good enough, esp. with multiple kids. Can't always get to the baby immediately) really well traveled with a potty chair everywhere--the little baby Bjorn kind. She just took it wherever, and used it in the corner with her baby, and then cleaned it out in the bathroom. She had a little spray bottle of vinegar and water to clean it out with some tissue and flush it.

[jldumm]

ok i might be the weird one, but who would know if your babe pees in the sink? I do try over the potty first, but also resort to the sink if necessary.

i usually just take off the diaper and pee him outside. if we are in a very closed in backyard, i will sometimes ask if it is ok.

On the other hand. he is terrible at giving me signals... and could go the whole party without telling me. So it is a good chance that he could be in a diaper for an hour or two if i get busy and forget to take him.

You guys have started this communication and it sounds like it is going really well and that you will know how to handle this party.

[theboysmama]

my first thought was who would know if baby pees in the sink? You will be going into the bathroom, everyone will be assuming that you are going to the bathroom, you close the door for privacy and pee baby in the sink or over the toilet and no one will have any idea that your baby just went to the bathroom.
If you are uncomfortable peeing baby over someone elses sink (in case they find out) practice holding over the toilet at home. It is really good to have several ways, places, etc. that your baby will eliminate.
I was really nervous about ec at first and didn't discuss it w/ many people and only peed my baby in a potty or toilet. Then I realized that there was nothing to be embarrased about and that people just don't notice what you are doing bcs it isn't on their radar.
Have fun, getting out is a lot easier than it seems at first.

[hrsmom]

In our early days of EC I just plain didn't mention it to anyone expect for my parents. (And I mentioned it to them because they were around.) I would just go to the bathroom for "diaper checks" and offer my babe a potty tunity there. It's worked out. When questioned, I would say I prefer to change diapers where there's a sink so I can wash my hands, or whatever.

I have held her over toilets and over sinks. If I knew the person would freak out if they knew I was using their sink, then I wouldn't do it. As it turns out, my babe has never been a big fan of foreign bathrooms, so she learned to hold it when we're out at a pretty young age.

Have fun!!

[babywearer_anon]

EC-ing at a friend's house

I carry a plastic container with a lid in my bag when I go out. I call it my 'porta-potty'. I put an elastic band around it to help with grip (got that tip from this forum!)
I think your friends will understand what you are doing... in fact I think they'll be interested and inspired! At least that's the responses I've been getting from friends and family. Most people are quite amazed. I have a 3 month old and we've been doing it pretty consistently for about 2 months.

happy pottying.