Attachment Parenting

Elimination Communication: Diaper Free Baby

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According to those who use the technique, Elimination Communication is the practice of being responsive to a child’s need to eliminate wastes, and giving him the means to express this need clearly to his caregiver, regardless of his age. It also includes some training, called “cueing” through which the child associates a sound, place, object or position with the act of relieving himself.

Elimination Communication is often called other names besides the acronym “EC,” which was coined by author Ingrid Bauer, such as Infant Potty Training (IPT) and Natural Infant Hygiene (NIH). The term getting the most press, and causing some confusion among those not yet familiar with the idea, is IPT. The label IPT seems to be unpopular with ECers on the grounds that “Potty Training” brings to mind methods harsh and inappropriate for infants, which, they assert, EC is not. For a more thorough explanation, click over to Wikipedia’s article on the subject.

While it may be difficult to believe that it is possible to practice EC from the time of birth, according to Laurie Boucke, the author of two books on Infant Pottying and the most oft-quoted author on the topic, the best time to start is before the beginning of the sixth month. If we can take increasing traffic on EC-related Internet forums as evidence, more and more parents are choosing to do it to some degree or another. Some personal experiences written by parents and other caregivers who’ve practiced EC are available here.

There have been articles about EC in the NY Times and other city newspapers, in addition to alternative online magazines for additional perspective on this new trend. There are books and articles for those who are simply curious, and others for more instructional purposes. From these sources and input from caregivers on various EC message boards, a brief guide has been compiled.

To learn more, get answers to frequently asked questions and read about some families’ personal experiences with EC, visit http://www.ec-information.com and http://www.ec-information.co

Author: Adrienne Makita
About the author: Adrienne is the owner and operator of MountaintopPublications

Image Source: Daily dirty diapers >= size of baby

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