Posts by Andrea Olson
How to hold a newborn baby over the potty
Many parents want to start Elimination Communication with their babies as early as possible. When they find out that EC can be started at birth, the first question is: How do you hold a newborn baby over the potty? My first response is (as the image above illustrates): well…it doesn’t necessarily have to be done…
Read MorePottying in the car line…with no top hat potty, no diapers, no wipes.
This week in the elementary school car line (which is the loooong line of cars I wait in while my 2nd grader is released from school), I was quite unprepared for a sudden pottytunity request from my 11 month old, Branson. If you’ve ever been stuck in the car when your baby needs to go…
Read MoreWhy I’m only catching the morning pee (or poo) lately.
We are going through an elimination communication potty pause. Yes, yours truly, Andrea Olson, queen of infant potty training, also has potty pauses. But. I am catching the morning pee (and poo if I’m lucky). This is what Branson, 10 months, looks like on the toilet right after he wakes up: Happy. Willing. Engaged. Pottying! Then, he gives a…
Read MorePotty Training: The 3 things you should NOT do
There are 3 specific things you should NOT do when potty training your toddler. How do I know? Well, truth be told, I have never personally potty trained any of my 4 children. I did elimination communication with each one and started them at birth, and I never had to actually potty train any of…
Read MoreHow long should potty training take?
Usually parents in the midst of potty training their toddler are the ones asking this question: how long should potty training take? And, usually these parents are asking it because they feel like it might be taking them a bit too long (um, like, having been at it for over 6 months now). Today I…
Read MoreWhy we don’t potty baby every 15 minutes
Once upon a time, I met a new mama at a playground in Berkeley, California, and we started to chat about EC. She told me: “Oh, I tried that. I just got so sick of taking my baby to the potty every 15 minutes!” Being a tad bit confused, I asked her to tell me more…
Read MoreWhen you can expect to be done with elimination communication
Last vid we spoke about when you can stop using diapers. That video is here if you missed it. Today we’re going to talk about when you can expect to be done with EC. This is called completion, graduation, and being finished, already. Elimination Communication does *not* have to drag on. It should be completed, at some point, because…
Read MoreWhen can you stop using diapers with your baby?
You have a baby. Your baby wears diapers. You might want to know WHEN you can STOP using DIAPERS already. If you hate changing diapers, the cost, the waste, or you feel like your baby probably doesn’t want to sit in them, there is a way OUT. Hint: It’s YOUNGER than you think. WAY YOUNGER.…
Read MoreYes, you can start EC at 12-18 months of age. And finish.
You can start potty training at 12 months old with elimination communication. Okay, okay. I just did that for Google. So people can find this post. You are not actually starting potty training at 12 months old…with EC, you are starting to tune in to your baby’s needs, learn his or her patterns, and beginning to potty…
Read MoreWhy starting EC with a mobile baby can be super fun, and challenging.
Starting Elimination Communication with a 6 month baby, up to 12 months old, is absolutely recommended. And common! Most of you found out about EC (or had the guts or wherewithall to start doing it) when your baby was around 6-12 months old. I’d say about 63% of you are in this boat. This can…
Read More