[mishaj]

Are there any mamas here planning on practicing natural infant hygine/ elimination communication?

We found a great book before our daughter was born called Diaper Free by Ingrid Bauer. Because she was a cold, cold February baby, diaper free time was just not an option from day one, but around 3 months when the weather turned warm, we started. By six months, we were using maybe 6 cloth diapers a day, at 9 months, about 3 cloth diapers a day, and by 11 months she refused to wear diapers and was officially 'diaper free.'

Is anyone planning on trying this right from the start?? 3 months was a good time for us to begin E/C as new parenthood was overwhelming enough without trying to catch pees and poos. 3 months we were more familiar with her patterns. But with a warm weather baby, it is tempting to try right from the start.

Anyone else thinking of trying...?

Take care!

Mj

 

[mummy marja]

I'm seriously thinking about this! With my first two, life with a baby was just so overwhelming that the thought of having yet another thing to try to do would have been way too much, even if I'd known about it at the time.

I think it'll depend on my baby's temperament and how I'm feeling. I'd really love to do this but I'm not commiting myself yet!

 

[Lizzardbits]

We "lazy" e/c'd last time, mostly poos. We'll probably do the same with this little one, again, just depends on baby's temperment (and mine-this summer I'll be watching my kids plus 3-4 other kids, that would be 6-8 children 13, 11, 10, 9, 9, 8, 2, and newborn. Noisy house may mean I miss subtle cues.)

Yes, I would like to, but playing it by ear.

 

[*KaiMom*]

I tried to ec with my second but not until about 10 months and by then it seemed too late. We lived somewhere warm so we went diaper free a lot but nothing that I could catch. I think it helped with pling though because that took about 1 day. LOL
I'm going to start much earlier this time and hope to be diaper free much younger.

 

[mamakaikai]

We started EC with dd at 6months. She's been daytime diaper free for a long time now. By 16 months she was pretty much potty learned but we kept up with the dipes when we went out or when people came over since everyone was distracted and she hated potty business in the company of others....

This time, we're planning on ECing from much younger. But I am still planning on using diapers. We're really diligent about paying attention to our babies cues and to offering potty at the likely times / instinctual times but I much prefer the misses to go in a diaper than on the couch etc.

I'm planning on waiting for when the time feels right to start with EC. Depending on my recover, the health of the baby, what sleep and daily routine will be like, how dd age 26months will adapt like etc...well I just won't plan EC given that there are so many variables and I don't want to set myself up for failure.

It's a summertime babe, so I am hoping to start EC early and be outside lots and it will be warm enough to be diaper free...but we'll see how it goes!!

EC has been an awesome choice for us with dd. She's 22 months now and goes potty by herself, pulls pants up/down, empties the potty in the toilet on her own and is very proud of herself. We're averaging NO misses the last couple of months, and we're down to about 5-10 pee diapers per week, mostly all nightime/early morning pees. Awesome.

I encourage those who can to give it a try.

 

[somegirl99]

Planning to give it a try.

 

[craft_media_hero]

Not planning totally diaper free, but we will be intentionally using EC however it works out for our family. We are buying cloth diapers but will "potty the baby" and have lots of naked butt time. With my first I got tuned into her cues and we were pretty EC without knowing it or intentionally trying to. So I'm going to make a conscious effort this time and see how it works for us.

 

[LilLilly]

We started ECing my DD when she was 6 months old because that's when I learned about it. It has been a really great experience, but we will definitely be starting earlier with this little one. I will probably do a lot of fitted cloth diapers with no covers when we are at home. That way I will be able to learn my baby's cues and quickly respond with potty breaks or at least dry diapers. Since we EC'd, my 21 month old is pretty much potty learned with about 1 miss per day. I'm so glad we don't have potty learning still ahead of us with a new baby on the way.

 

[mamakaikai]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LilLilly We started ECing my DD when she was 6 months old ... It has been a really great experience, but we will definitely be starting earlier with this little one ... Since we EC'd, my 21 month old is pretty much potty learned with about 1 miss per day. I'm so glad we don't have potty learning still ahead of us with a new baby on the way.

Same here!

I am happy she's so close to completely potty learned! Plus it will be summer so I think there will be tons of bare bum time in the backyard. I hope that there is no majpr regression issue with the potty stuff but will obviously do my best to continue supporting her needs as they present.
But yeah, it's one less thing to think of needing to take care of potty learning a toddler with a newborn.

 

[Amynf1]

I'm going to EC at least part time. My 22 month old is learning to potty and only wets his night time diaper but he refuses to poop unless he has on a diaper. He has to wear something to be comfortable enough to do it. That's enough to make me want to EC!

 

[majazama]

I'm going to give it a good try.. What do you use for the NB poo and pee, ladies? I was going to get a baby bjorn potty or something like it, but it seems like it will be too big for the teeny bum..

 

[Sometime]

I mentioned this on another thread, but we EC'd with DD starting at about 6 weeks. She is now (at 26 months) at about a miss or two a week, I'd say. For some babies it happens sooner (11 months, mishaj! Wow!), but we will definitely be doing it again with this one. Once you realize babies don't have to pee (and poop!) in diapers and then sit in it, it seems pretty odd NOT to do it.

 

[mishaj]

Thanks- but we still had misses. Funny- we had less misses from 6-14 months. When the walking and talking really took off, we had more misses- lots more distractions, dd gave us a lot less notice with her signing and telling us. Now she goes herself and we are back to the odd one here or there.

I am so glad to see so many July mamas keen on finding workable ways to go diaper free with their new babies. I love the reaction when (mostly nurses or doctors- seeing I *still* have yet to annouce this pregnancy) say to me- Oh my-two in diapers, that is a lot to cope with and I very proudly tell them about E/C.

I remember when dd was a year and we went to the pool and she wasn't wearing a diaper under her swimsuit- this other mother made some comment about it. Later in the changing room, dd was sitting on her baby bjorn and the mother came up and apologized and told me how blown away she was by the idea of a one year old potty learning. (Her dd was 3- and in a diaper and she had never heard of E/C)

Thanks everyone for sharing and responding- so inspiring for planning similar sucess with this new baby!

Take care,

Mj

- Oh- and a little tupperware container, or directly into the potty (or sink for just pees) worked for us when dd was tiny, tiny- but the BB potty was awsome from three months onwards- she still uses it at 23mo- great value!

 

[shenanegans]

I started with my son when he was 2 months old because that is when I learned about it. We used that in conjunction with cloth diapers and that was great until he was one year old when he rebeled against the toilet/potty. It was strange but after a few months strike he went back to it. Due him being in a daycare the and daycare attendant not believing that he was old enough to be out of diapers even though he never wore diapers at home it was a slower transition than I would have liked. Eventually he was completely diaper free at home and at the daycare around 2 years old and a bit. I was living in Japan before where cloth diapers seem more common. Now we are in Canada and I am suprised how late some mom's wait before they even try to take a diaper off of their child.

 

[ScarletBegonias]

YES!

both my kids were born in the dead of winter (jan and feb, respectively), so a diaper-free summer baby sounds like a winning combination.

with ds, i knew about ec, but we had some ugly marital stuff going on, and i just did not have the mental energy to even try.

i am really excited to do ec though! we'll be living pretty much out of a tipi/travel trailer for the next couple years starting this spring, and ec seems like it will fit into that niche well. the less stuff i have to hand wash - the better!

 

[mummy marja]

What book(s) do you recommend for EC? The OP mentioned Diaper Free by Ingrid Bauer. Any others?

 

[majazama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mummy marja What book(s) do you recommend for EC? The OP mentioned Diaper Free by Ingrid Bauer. Any others?

I think it's the only one, that I know of.

 

[ledzepplon]

We've done EC, mostly for #2, with both boys and have loved it. Once they got the idea that poop happens in the potty, they pretty much never went back. We still use diapers, though, because in a house with soon-to-be four kids under the age of six, I just can't monitor for cues all the time.

 

[Sometime]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mummy marja What book(s) do you recommend for EC? The OP mentioned Diaper Free by Ingrid Bauer. Any others?

There are three that I know of. I have read Ingrid Bauer's book and also one by Laurie Boucke called Infant Potty Training. Of those two, I liked the Bauer book better; the only problem I have with it is that she makes it seem more all or nothing (in my opinion) when most people I know who EC actually do use at least some diapers. The third one is by Christine Gross-Loh and is called The Diaper-Free Baby: The Natural Toilet Training Alternative. I've heard good things about it, but haven't read it. I hear it covers more of the different ways of ECing (part time, full time, etc.).

You might also check if there is a diaper-free group in your area, because actual in person help can be great. We have one here, but didn't have one where we lived when DD was born and where we started EC. Check here:

http://www.diaperfreebaby.org/index....age&PAGE_id=90

 

[evjolin]

i'm planning on EC-ing but not going "diaper free"....doing cloth diapers and just gonna start ECing when it feels right, when i feel i know what the baby is communicating and once we have some semblance of a schedule, haha.