I have had two very different little boys… Xavier was a baby that didn’t care at all if he sat in a dirty diaper all day (not like that ever happened!) As he grew he cared even less! Cloth or disposable, nothing mattered…

Colin however hated having a dirty diaper since the day he was born, he cried if he wet his diaper and cried harder if he soiled it. Then he would cry afterwards because we had to change it and he was still mad… I had heard about EC (Elimination Communication) when Xavier was young but I thought it was a little too weird for me… However, At about 2 months I was sick of changing about 15 diapers a day just for Colin alone, tired of blowouts and tired of the crying that came with it all. Colin was just so unhappy. We thought it was Colic, or gas or something but nothing helped.. so on day he got the face, the one that you just know he was going to have a blowout and I brought him to the bathroom, took his diaper off and put him over the sink and he went! From that day on we have been pottying him. He still wears a diaper but goes on the potty more often then not. The most amazing thing though was that day he became another baby completely. He became the smiley, happy baby that I knew was underneath the discomfort…

EC is amazing for us. It just makes sense like so many of the other things in Attachment Parenting and Natural Parenting. Babies have the knowledge of control and know when they need to go but are taught to use their diapers as a potty and therefore learn to suppress the feelings that come naturally from birth. Then, later on we expect them to unlearn what we taught them and to learn to listen to their bodies again. It is so confusing.

I predict that Colin will be potty trained early. He uses the potty every day and many days he doesn’t at all use the diaper that is on him.

Back to Xavier now… He is just getting interested in Potty Training.. and finally it is starting to work… Not long ago he would refuse to wear underwear and on Monday I not only got him to wear them he has been mainy in underwear since. We still have accidents and he still refuses to use the potty when he has to poo but it is a great step in the right direction.. Finally!!!
As for the next time, next child… We are starting EC at birth!

Colin – around 5 months old