Elimination Communication: The Scoop on Poop (& Pees)

By Leslie Ashton, RN, Bsc, Childbirth Educator, Labour Support Doula, FullCircle Bilingual Birth Services

Imagine life with a new baby *without* diapers (or only using diapers sparingly)!!! Sound too good to be true? While there are many cultures throughout the world that do not in fact use diapers, as unthinkable as that may seem, in our culture, there is an insidious belief that diapers are easier and diapering is a cultural norm.

As far fetched as it may seem, 'Elimination Communication' (or simply 'EC' as it is often referred to), is a term coined by Ingrid Bauer used to describe this very option; other names you may encounter that refer to this are: Natural Infant Hygiene (NIH), Infant Potty Training (IPT), Trickle Treat (TT), Elimination Timing (ET), Potty whispering, mother training or even potty untraining, among others.

From birth, infants can control their elimination (peeing and pooping) to some degree, even if they can't physically get to an appropriate place to relieve themselves. Babies will instinctively avoid soiling themselves when they're offered an opportunity to pee or poop in an appropriate place often enough. A baby who always wears diapers and who is never offered the chance to pee or poop elsewhere will go in them, if that is what they are inadvertently being taught to do. Later, they then have to re-learn to go potty, when potty training as we normally think of it, more typically begins in our culture.

Amazingly, babies are able to 'communicate' their elimination needs to us, by 'signalling' in various ways (a particular expression, or cry, squirming, fussiness, unusual behaviour at the breast such as unlatching and re-latching repeatedly, among others). Older babies can even communicate by signing before they are verbal.

Being aware of this innate ability to communicate in this regard, tuning in to this communication and 'listening' to it, as well as responding to it by providing the baby with an appropriate place to pee or poop is what elimination communication is all about.

Ideally, the younger the baby, the better the results - you can begin doing this from birth! Starting within the first four months is optimal. While babies stop 'communicating' if they haven't been 'heard' before around the 4 month mark, it can still be successfully used with older babies, although it may require more effort to begin with an older baby.

Every baby is unique and, depending on the baby's disposition, some are easier to do this with than others. There is absolutely no pressure or coercion involved; essentially the parent, older sibling or caregiver learns to watch for signs or subtle cues (such as fussing) that the baby needs to pee or poop and then responds to this need as quickly as possible, whenever possible.

Elimination communication incorporates aspects of timing (newborns pee as often as every 20 min, or less even, for example), signals from the infant/baby, cues from the parent or caregiver that encourage peeing or pooping in an appropriate place by creating an association with a particular sound (such as 'psssss'), or even non-auditory signs that create this association, as well as inner intuition. Elimination communication can be incorporated as little or as much as you are comfortable with, from complete avoidance of diapers to just a partial avoidance.

Elimination Communication is not an exact science. There will be plenty of misses! However, you are being respectful of the child by becoming aware of their elimination needs and not training them to use their pants as a toilet. Although EC may be more intensive time-wise at first, in the long run it's actually easier, and less time consuming, with babies often no longer needing diapers at all, much, much earlier than their diapered counterparts (a full year, or even more, earlier).

Links to additional info, resources, discussion boards, web-based support groups, personal stories/photos, etc., can be found at the following web ring site: http://timl.com/tt/

For local support from families who EC, you can join the following Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DFBottawa/

In addition, the following books are available for more in depth information:

• 'DIAPER FREE! The Gentle Wisdom of Natural Infant Hygiene' (2001) by Ingrid Bauer
• 'Infant Potty Training' (2000), by Laurie Boucke
• 'Trickle Treat' (1991), by Laurie Boucke, a short 85 page introductory book