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Welcome to Go Diaper Free

LET'S EXPLORE
WHAT ELIMINATION
COMMUNICATION
IS ALL ABOUT

Hi. I'm Andrea Olson of Go Diaper Free. If you want to begin helping your baby use the toilet instead of diapering full-time, and you want to learn how to do elimination communication but don't know where to begin, this page is for you.

I believe learning EC should be simple and straight-forward, and that pottying your baby should work well even if done part time, even with a diaper back-up. I am all about co-creating a successful, good-smelling baby-raising experience with you!

What is Elimination Communication?

The GDF Definition

The best way I can define EC is this:

Elimination Communication is a gentle, non-coercive way to respond to a baby’s natural hygiene needs, from as early as birth. Like all mammals, human babies instinctually resist soiling themselves, their sleep space, and their caregivers, and they clearly communicate about it from birth. With EC, we learn baby's signals and natural rhythms and assist them with this process until they naturally gain independence (usually by 9-18 months of age).

Another way to think about it: What did humans do before diapers? And what do humans do in regions where diapers are not commercially available?

An example: If you've ever cared for a baby who just won't stop crying, you probably tried feeding her, holding her, rocking her, shushing her, singing, etc, and then, last, checked her diaper...and find it was wet or soiled! However, if you had only known what that cry meant from the beginning, you'd have offered baby the potty. 9 times out of 10 she was crying for you to get that diaper off of her so she wouldn't have to pee on herself or her bed...or you.

With EC, we tune into what our babies are born asking for, team up to help them use the toilet while they develop motor skills and long-term memory, and eventually teach them how to do it themselves. It's a very natural transition to toilet independence.

EC works because this is how NATURE created us. Babies are extremely instinctual, and when we parents zoom out, we can see that they are trying to tell us what they want - beyond eating, sleeping, and staying warm!

Pottying your baby can make baby-raising cleaner, easier, and MUCH more connected. Plus, it protects the environment while your baby's dignity remains intact.

Now let's look at the various ways Elimination Communication can be practiced with your 0-18 month old baby....

(18 months and up? Check out my gentle potty training 101 page.)

Get Started the Right Way

My Free Easy Start Guide

Before you start to feel overwhelmed - like, yeah, Andrea, how can I actually DO this EC thing? - I'd love to share with you a one page resource that gives a great overview of the four most important aspects of elimination communication.

This handout is exclusive to the over 50,000 parents on my list. You won't find any of it on my blog or in my book. With it, I'll send you nuggets of wisdom and tips and will generally aim to keep in touch over your journey. I do this because I want a personal connection with you where I can offer you guidance in nurturing your new potty practice with your baby.

(And sometimes I throw out some questions and just LOVE getting replies from our community.)

Get immediate access to the Easy Start Guide by clicking the button below and entering your info at the top of the page this button will bring you to. I can't wait to help you get started!

Click here to get started

Types of Elimination Communication

And what to expect

Parents who EC use the diaper as a "back-up" instead of a permanent, wearable toilet. We invest our time up-front (not as much as you'd guess) so we don't have to potty train and reteach our children to go in the toilet later.

Most parents use a diaper back-up til baby is 9-16 months old, and the vast majority do EC part-time (in other words, it's super-convenient to blend EC into any busy schedule).

Now I'm gonna walk you through 4 different types of Elimination Communication and what to expect from each. Please click on the title or the "+" button below to read each section!

Potty from Birth

I have to be completely honest with you: it is easiest to stick with EC if you start at birth, even in some small, microscopic way.

Newborn babies signal more strongly in that "4th trimester," fetal state, and it is more likely that you will feel immediate success with the practice.

What does it mean when you have instant success? Well, it means that you will stick with EC and integrate it into your family lifestyle just as your new family is beginning (or expanding if this is your 2nd or subsequent child)!

I offer a few free resources on this topic including a podcast on preparing to EC a newborn and my Free Easy Start Guide. I also have a new video Program "Baby Meets Potty" where I outline exactly how to start from birth. Sign up for that class here.

And note: Get my book, too, if you're serious about starting from birth! IF you buy the newborn Program first, which is simply a deep dive into starting at birth, you will get a coupon for the book inside the course. Then grab the book with that coupon - it will set you up with all the tools for the whole 12-18 month journey. The program will get you started TODAY. They go hand-in-hand. :)

What to expect? That you'll be dedicated to EC as an inextricable part of your parenting style, your lifestyle. You'll never go back to "diapers = potty" in the conventional sense. You'll probably be all wrapped up (with less tears and stress) by 18 months, which was the average age of potty training in the US in 1957.

Part-time Elimination Communication

This is the #1, most common method of practicing EC with your baby. It can look like many different things.

For example, catching the morning pee, skipping the next, and getting that post-breakfast pee? That's part-time EC.

Doing EC while kiddo is at home, but not while she's being watched by Grandma or at daycare? Part-time.

Once per day before bed? Part-time.

Only to catch those #2s? Part-time as well!

Listen to my podcast on part-time elimination communication for a primer.

What to expect? It will be sustainable. You may feel guilty (we all do!) but you'll be way less stressed. Most part-time ECers magically have an easier time completing EC by 18 months than those who pressure themselves to be full-time even when it's not working or not practical for them or baby.

Full-time Elimination Communication

Full-time Elimination Communication doesn't mean you catch 100% of all of baby's waste in the potty, or that your baby even signals to pee, but those who are "full time" are ON IT all the time.

Many full-time ECers don't use a diaper back-up - they use small underwear, cotton training pants, or just clothing as a "back-up" and are committed to their babies going 100% of the time on the toilet.

Again, it's not about perfection, but full-time EC is about commitment and prioritizing pottying as one of the core needs they are committed to assisting baby with as his or her parent. (My book completely explains all of this.)

I did full-time EC with my first baby (although in the first few months I would skip every other pee because it encouraged him to consistently signal). It was intense, but rewarding. He was out of daytime diapers by 9 months old, completely independent by 17 months old.

What to expect? That you'll be 100% committed to EC. That you'll meet any challenge the same way you would meet feeding/eating or sleeping challenges. That you'll be out of diapers way earlier than any other method out there. That your child will understand "this is just what we do" in a very clear way.

Late-Start EC or Early Potty Training

I have to begin by saying that calling this "late start Elimination Communication" will instantly make you feel like you've missed some imaginary boat. Like you're "too late." Like EC is something you've missed out on.

Nope. Not at all! I like to call this "Starting EC Older" as I do in my book. We all discover EC at the moment when we do; we all begin EC at the moment when we do. There is not an "early" or "late" to it. EC just is.

So, that aside, in Montessori philosophy, 12-18 months is the "sensitive period" for toilet training and kids in Montessori schools wear cotton pants from 12 months on. The young toddlers are taken to the toilet intermittently throughout the day as a group, and they learn that using the toilet is the socially and developmentally acceptable thing to do in this age range.

My book comes with two options for starting EC between 12-18 months, both which are extremely effective.

This is sometimes called "early potty training" and is gaining momentum as parents begin to question their pediatricians (and the diaper companies) who tell them to do late potty training.

What to expect? Many ECed babies do go through resistant phases during this time, however, if you, the parent, are committed to this process and learn it the right way from the beginning (seriously, grab my book), most people also stop using diapers during this time.

In fact, in 1957, 92% of all US babies were potty trained by 18 months. It is absolutely do-able, worth it, and possible, whether your baby is verbal or not.

PS - I also have a new Wrapping Up EC Course that will help you finish between 12-18 months. If you're here at that age range, start with my book and finish with my course (yes, both resources are needed)!

What Elimination Communication is NOT

Time to resolve some myths

Let's reverse the commons myths by sharing some TRUTH before we go any deeper.

1. Elimination communication NOT as time-consuming as full-time diapering and later potty training.

Any type of potty learning takes time and knowledge. However, most ECers find paying attention to and pottying a baby much easier and faster a process than cleaning up a diaper mess. Plus, we shave off an average of 18 months of time changing diapers, per kid.

2. Elimination Communication is NOT your 3-day boot camp and will not happen overnight.

It is, indeed, a long game. But isn't parenting? Teaching eat independently? To read? To swim? All these things take time. While doing the up-front work of learning your baby to practice EC with him, you're more deeply connecting with your child. We think that's worth the up-front time.

3. Elimination Communication will NOT damage, rush, or prematurely push your baby.

EC is not damaging or all humans for 100,000s of years would have been damaged. It doesn't rush your child - it is a natural process. It is empowering. If you're "baby-led" and you don't want to "rush" them to stop using diapers, I'd invite you to really look at this choice you've made. You teach them to go in diapers, or you teach them to go in the potty. It's not baby's choice...it's yours.

4. Elimination Communication is NOT going to ruin your new carpets.

Naked baby peeing everywhere?! Not in my house. We must modify EC to be practical for our Western lifestyle. We use "back-ups," including diapers, underwear, training pants. We use clothing. We use tiny little things called potties that require skill to sit upon. We use public restrooms. We use toilet paper! The way I teach EC at Go Diaper Free is convenient to the modern, busy lifestyle.

Elimination Communication Essential #1

A Single Starting Point

A single starting point is the first essential for any parent practicing Elimination Communication with their baby.

There is a lot of free EC info on the Internet. That is a great option for some, but I don't recommend winging it off of free info you find on the web or on Facebook Groups for 3 important reasons:

Advice-givers (other parents) have no vested interest in giving you accurate information...or in following up with you when things don't go as planned. They've ECed maybe 1 or 2 of their own babies. They have other jobs or priorities. You may be left hanging.
Too much information (TMI) can lead to overwhelm and even non-action. When you post a question to an EC Facebook Group, you'll get a ton of differing opinions. Try them all and baby will be confused. Try to pick the "best" option and you will be confused.
When you start EC by winging it you miss the opportunity to set up a foundation for future success (and fail to prevent common problems). Sure, every young baby will pee when put into position. Is it truly EC...or is it beginners' luck?

These 3 reasons above are exactly why I recommend going with a single starting point. You have an expert at your disposal, clarity with much less overwhelm, and a strong foundation for ongoing EC success.

The Book I Trust...Because I Wrote It.

Learning how to get good at EC from plain text and anecdotal advice can be a big challenge. I was so frustrated by the available resources when I began EC with my first son that I created my own - one that truly provided the hands-on, visual experience that my readers deserve...from a strong base of research. I call my book Go Diaper Free: A Simple Handbook for Elimination Communication.

It has essential multimedia features that will teach you in the way EC was meant to be learned - hands-on, person-to-person, and visual. Bonuses currently include an audiobook version, video library, downloadable forms and guide, and a private support group. And, the book itself is a fun, quick read!

Get the Book

Elimination Communication Essential #2

The Right Tools

Gathering the right Elimination Communication tools for the age of your baby is one of the smartest decisions you can make.

See below for my videos on EC tools for three age groups: Newborns, Mobile Babies, and Young Toddlers.

Below that, find my full Supply List in PDf format. It is fully clickable! The search for good EC gear is now easier. :)

Why are the right Elimination Communication supplies so important for new parents of young babies? Because with the right tools babies signal more strongly and resist much less, and you experience a lot less stress with learning this unfamiliar process.

Also, knowing ahead of time which tools fit which baby's age and stage with help you transition to the best diaper or other back-up, potty seat, and easy-on/easy-off clothing particular to your growing, changing baby's needs.

Down the road, you'll be prepared, which is the key to success with Elimination Communication (and parenting, for that matter!).

I only recommend tools I've personally used, myself, with my own babies...and I've helped 100,000s of parents find gear that fits their babies, too, with their multitude of stages and needs.

What gear do I need to EC a newborn 0-6 months?

What gear do I need to EC a mobile baby 6-12 months?

What gear do I need to EC a young toddler 12-18 months?

The Baby Potty Training Supplies I Use + Trust.

I've used a few core brands from the very beginning and I trust them deeply. Potette Plus for portable potty seats, Dyper diapers and wipes, and EC Wear for EC clothing and handmade items, and more.

I've even started my own line of Tiny Undies and Tiny Trainers training pants, wet/dry bags, and designed top hat potties (newborn potty bowls) and mini potties because my kids had nothing to wear or use when they went diaper-free! These products are available at TinyUndies.com. My sizes start at 6 months and go up to 5T.

I hear stories from other parents all the time about the difficulty in finding potty gear for kids this young. Thankfully, I've made it easy for you to find everything you need to make EC an even bigger success.

I highly recommend everything on my supply list and supply videos.

xx Andrea

You're amazing and wonderful!

Thank you for being here with me

I'm here for you as your biggest supporter and your personal guide.

I want to hear your success stories. I want you to tell me where I can be of even more help. I only create resources when I hear it from our community that they are needed...and I do my best to make them great.

I want to share in your Elimination Communication experience as your friend and biggest cheerleader.

I try my hardest to reply to all emails. I strive for non-judgment and acceptance...you won't find any parenting critics here!

I believe that EVERY new parent deserves to know their diapering and potty training options from the MOMENT they're pregnant...and I sincerely believe that babies deserve their dignity and deserve to be diaper-free (free from dependence upon diapers).

In everything I do here at Go Diaper Free, I just want to make the world a better place through teaching Elimination Communication - for our babies, ourselves as natural parents, and our precious environment.