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It’s really easy to practice EC part-time. Once you open your mind to the idea that your baby is communicating with you about elimination, it’s very easy to pick up his messages. It’s obvious that it’s on his mind and that he’s telling you about it. And once you acknowledge that your baby prefers diaperless hygiene, you can’t in good conscience ignore his cues.

—EMILY, MOM TO OSCAR, 6 MONTHS

Although I’ve EC’ed my own child, I do have experience with conventional potty training. I used to be an early childhood special education teacher and worked in several programs that had three-to five-year-olds with and without special needs. Many of the children, whether or not they had special needs, were yet to be potty trained. I remember feeling so sad for kids who were so attached to their diapers and so stressed by relearning where to go to the bathroom that I vowed to introduce my future children to the potty as early as possible.

—GIGI, MOM TO BEN, 18 MONTHS

3.

Getting Ready to EC: Gear and Other Fun Stuff

Just as a diaper genie, wipes warmer, diaper bag, and changing table can make conventional diapering easier, EC-friendly objects make EC a smoother experience overall. And with interest in EC so high, there is such a variety of helpful gear available that a newcomer could feel quite overwhelmed without a little introduction to what’s out there. Read on to learn what EC’ers find useful, including potties, cloth training pants, cloth diapers, fleece pads for nighttime, and special clothes for EC’ed babies.

SLINGS AND BABY CARRIERS

You may be wondering what a discussion of slings and other baby carriers is doing in a book about elimination communication. The fact is, a lot of EC’ers also practice babywearing. I’ve been to many gatherings where I wasn’t sure if I was at an EC or baby-wearing meeting! This is no mere coincidence. Many EC’ers like to keep their babies in a loving adult’s arms much of the time, especially when they are so young and not yet mobile. You definitely don’t have to do things this way—EC is perfectly doable even if your baby isn’t constantly in your arms—but lots of new parents are thrilled to learn about anything that makes it easier for babies to stay snuggled close for the brief period they are so small. Let me explain further why you might want to consider looking into the wonderful variety of baby carriers out there and how they aid EC in particular.

EC, especially during the newborn and middle-infancy stages, is much easier when you have a baby that is in close proximity to you. In most of the cultures where EC is still commonly practiced society-wide, babies are almost constantly in-arms. Because of this, their parents are so attuned to every little squirm that they can quickly tell when their baby has to go to the bathroom.

It is also important to note that babies generally prefer to be off your body and out of a sling when eliminating. When you do take your baby out of a sling, you have a natural opportunity to potty him because he’s likely not to go while he is in your arms. You and baby will get used to each other’s rhythms—it’s not as if keeping him in a sling is going to force him to hold it in. He’s probably going to be in a nice state of “quiet alertness” or sleep while in the sling, which indicates that he’s comfortable and doesn’t need to go to the bathroom. If he starts to squirm or fuss or show other signs of needing to go, you’ll be right there to take him out of the carrier, put him in the right position, and help him. Also, depending on the kind of carrier you use, your small baby can be diaper-free while he is on your body. You can just pad the carrier with a light layer of cloth, like a flat cloth diaper, and let baby be skin-to-skin with you, enhancing this special bonding time with your baby while remaining aware of his elimination patterns.

Parents Speak about Babywearing and EC:

Using a sling allowed us to carry Felix with our hands free and kept us physically in touch with him, which made his signals far easier to pick up. We also quickly discovered