considering EC, but unsure

[houswife]

I am 2 months pregnant with baby number 2.  After my son was born, I learned that I actually enjoy cloth diapering and, after much research, firmly believe that I should start potty training well before 18 months (which I have).  I heard about EC when I was pregnant with Wyatt, but I thought it sounded a little nuts, lol.  Of course I also thought cloth diapering was nuts and discusting (love it now).  I am considering doing EC with this baby once he/she hits like 3 months or so.  I'm still not sure.  One of my concerns is if I'll really be able to keep up with it when I also have a toddler running around.  Does anyone have any advice or can you share your personal experience using EC?

[XComsGirl]

I completely understand where you're coming from. I, too, thought that cloth diapering and ECing were crazy. About a month after switching to cloth diapers, I decided to give ECing a try. I'm so glad I did!

The first thing I would suggest is to read a book called The Diaper Free Baby by Christine Gross-Loh. It's a great resource for ECing because it breaks the process down into age groups. So for someone like me who started at 6 months, it was really helpful.

The great thing about ECing is that it doesn't really require you to buy a whole bunch of equipment, so starting and stopping at any time doesn't feel like you wasted time and money. And any time you put into it will pay off down the road, even if you decide after a week or so that it's not for you. 

Another suggestion is to use a lot of cloth diapers that allow the baby to feel his/her wetness. You want him/her to be uncomfortable sitting in a wet diaper. This really helps speed up the process.

And finally, if you are unsure, just start slow. I started really slow at first, only focusing on ECing in the morning. After about a month, I took the plunge and started doing it all day (I still don't EC at night because we have so many sleep issues with her). I let my daughter be diaper free pretty much all day so I could know when she had to go for about 3 weeks. If the carpet didn't cause a bad rash, I would have continued with the diaper free time. I still give her some every day, but for the most part, I have little underwear, thin fitteds, or prefolds without covers on so I can know when she's wet.

At first, she only felt comfortable with ECing if I held her over the toilet. Once we bought the large baby bjorn potty chair, though, she started using that sometimes (she hated the Ikea one, so I wouldn't suggest taking the cheap route like I did). We also bought a baby bjorn potty insert for her. At first she didn't like it, but it's the only way she'll go now. She's little miss independence! If I hold her, she squirms, even if she has to go.

Hopefully this hodgepodge of information has given you something to think about. I really do hope that you give ECing a try. It's just as easy as changing a diaper. Even easier. There is a few weeks where it takes A LOT of time, but after that, it doesn't really interfere with your life any more than changing diapers.

[tyrelsmom]

Well, she pretty much said it all, lol.  I got into EC because my daughter has super sensitive skin, really.  She couldn't wear disposables.  Cloth she can wear, but it either needs to have a stay-dry layer, or she needs to be changed within about 5 minutes of going.  So I was having to check her CONSTANTLY, and I was changing her at least 15 times every day.  I had heard of EC before, but, like you, thought it was nuts.  But with how much time I was spending on diapering, it was sounding less and less nutty. 

I started it when Cheyanne was 5 months old, and she actually didn't really take to it that quickly, but I didn't do diaper free time.  I would just take her diaper off and take her to the potty when she'd been dry for quite a while and I was expecting her to pee soon.  So it took about 5 months before we had a lot of success. Right from the beginning, we'd get a few here and there, and after a couple of weeks, we were getting 2-4 per day, but it took until she was 10 months for it to be most times on the toilet.

As for doing it with a toddler running around?  My boys were 4 and 2, and I had no problem.

[amileegirl]

It is logical when you think about all the time spent cleaning poop out of bits and creases!   EC is the most sanitary.   It is only weird because we didn't grow up with it and have been raised to use diapers as portable toilets rather than as accident insurance.

[go_romanovs]

I dunno why people think it's gross or weird... as opposed to what - having the baby go in his pants?? And sitting in and on it until the care giver notices?? EWW.

I also saw a tv program where it was portrayed in the way that it's non- stop all day long peeing.. Yes, you have to do it a lot in the beginning - but again, as opposed to what? We are supposed to change the diaper after every pee and poo - that fact that we don't change them as often as we ec means that they SIT IN THEIR EXCREMENTS. EWW again! Add disgusting chemicals to it if not using cloth and man, I don't see how ecing is disgusting.

 

I highly recommend reading Diaper Free by Ingrid Bauer - she really puts you in the right state of mind so to speak, because our understanding is all perverted by years and years of observing diapered babies.

 

[Lisa009]

Is there somewhere else other than Amazon to get it? It is $33.00 there!  :-0

Quoting go_romanovs:

I dunno why people think it's gross or weird... as opposed to what - having the baby go in his pants?? And sitting in and on it until the care giver notices?? EWW.

I also saw a tv program where it was portrayed in the way that it's non- stop all day long peeing.. Yes, you have to do it a lot in the beginning - but again, as opposed to what? We are supposed to change the diaper after every pee and poo - that fact that we don't change them as often as we ec means that they SIT IN THEIR EXCREMENTS. EWW again! Add disgusting chemicals to it if not using cloth and man, I don't see how ecing is disgusting.

 

I highly recommend reading Diaper Free by Ingrid Bauer - she really puts you in the right state of mind so to speak, because our understanding is all perverted by years and years of observing diapered babies.

 

 

[XComsGirl]

I bought the Ingrid Bauer book as an ebook for $14.00. It was the cheapest option I could find, and I had to download Adobe Digital Editions (but at least the Adobe download is free). I don't remember which site I used, though, but you should be able to find it if you google "Diaper Free Ingrid Bauer online book" or something like that.

[JasonsMom2007]

I'm interested too!  Is there any way to do this without buying a book?  My daughter is 3 months old and I'd like to try it but I'm not willing to put a lot into just trying if you KWIM.

[XComsGirl]

Well ECing is mostly instinct, so there's definitely no need for a book. The only reason I recommend reading a book (not necessarily buying it) is because it helps put things into focus if you're unclear of where to start or if you've reached any bumps in the road.

The main steps in ECing are as follows:

1. Choose a "cue-ing" sound that you wish to be associated with the act of eliminating. You may want to choose separate sounds for peeing and pooping, or just use the same sound. I also suggest teaching your baby the asl sign for "potty". It comes in very handy once your baby is old enough to use it (6+ months, usually).

2. Any time you notice your baby eliminating, use your "cue". Soon, your LO will associate the sound with the act of eliminating. Once that happens, you can cue your LO to go before he/she tells you he/she has to go. It definitely helps if you give your baby some diaper free time. Also, if you notice a wet diaper and are pretty sure that it happened recently, use your cue. You also want your baby to associate wetness with elimination, and you want them to be uncomfortable with the wetness and WANT to use the potty.

3. Give your baby as many opportunities to use the potty as you can. The best times are after feeding, after waking up, right before going to sleep. Whenever your baby goes in the potty, praise praise praise!! It also helps to model using the potty. I generally keep the door open when I use the bathroom (if no one is home) and cue and clap for myself so my daughter sees how much fun I'm having...lol

I've probably left tons of useful information out...Check the other posts on this board. I know I've probably described the process somewhere else, so you can put 2 and 2 together to get a coherent description. Like I said before, the most important part is the instinct. By practicing EC, you become more in tune with your baby. If at any time you feel overwhelmed, just cut back the ECing or stop. For me, if my daughter has 3 misses in a row or just doesn't seem interested in using the potty, I just let her pee in her diaper and go back to it the next day. And if at any point you have any questions, concerns, comments, etc., that's what we're here for! 

[tyrelsmom]

I agree with Jackie that there's no need for a book.  I never used one.  Another option would be to see if you can find it at the library. 

I also do the forget about it and try again another day method when she doesn't seem interested. No need to get stressed about misses.  After all, misses are just a baby peeing in their diaper.  Who's going to get all worked up about that?

[go_romanovs]

I only highly recommend the book because we don't live in a natural society, so our instincts have been denied all these years and it's hard for some to start listening to that inner voice all of a sudden. She also says that you can start anytime, but that starting from the very beginning is easier. Makes sense not to teach the baby to go in the diaper first only then to require him to abandon this practice. Sends mixed messages.

I would request this in your library or may be see if anybody has it on here or on diaperswappers (they have a whole EC section on there too :)) or thebabywearer to loan it to you, or sell for less. I know I would totally loan it out, but my copy is in Russian :))

There's a lot of good info on tribalbaby.org

My personal advise would be to just take the diaper off :) Keep the baby ON a diaper instead of in it. and you'll learn :) If not the cues then timing for sure.