A mum from Australia has shared a blog post on her decision to embrace elimination communication (EC), where parents forgo nappies for their kids, and instead take cues from them to determine when they need to pass waste.
Cindy Lever writes for Kidspot that in many places in the world, EC is a natural choice for parents. But in the west, she explains, we’re too quick to slap on a nappy.
“Babies are no different from adults and naturally don’t want to soil themselves. Using a nappy is something they get used to when their cues to go the toilet are not heard or understood. This instinct is then lost altogether at about six months old if it has been ignored.”
Explaining that she uses a combination of common sense, instinct and timing when it comes to guessing her child’s toilet needs, Cindy says her baby will squirm and cry when she needs to pass waste.
“Often if I get it wrong and we have an accident it is because I haven’t listened,” she adds.
Cindy suggests that any parents looking to start elimination communication should try taking their baby to the bathroom after a sleep. Cindy likes to hold her baby in the sink, she explains, and encourages her child to wee or poop.
“Using these cues means that I can communicate with her as she gets older and she will know that it is okay to go to the toilet, rather than just eliminate anywhere,” she writes.
Likening the practice to toilet-training a puppy, Cindy says that while she does plenty of washing as a result of EC, she doesn’t have to deal with a dirty nappy several times a day.
“As I remind my husband, I’d rather be doing this than changing a two or three year old’s pooey nappy and the closeness that you develop with your baby is even more intense and rewarding.”
More information on going nappy free can be found here.
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