Shopping with a diaper-free baby: how to navigate EC while running errands
Running errands with our babies.
Does it make you worry?
Now consider this: Running errands with our diaper-free babies.
Have I pushed your anxiety level up a few notches?
Not to worry moms and dads!
Doing EC while shopping does not have to be terrible, or terrifying. In fact, just as with travel + EC, shopping diaper-free can often go much more smoothly than reducing your diaper dependency at home!
This session of the Go Diaper Free Podcast will teach you how to take that next step...and step out the door with your baby, while keeping up EC on your errands! Let's start shopping diaper-free!
You will hear:
- 5 tips for successful elimination communication while shopping or out and about
- the first thing you should do when arriving anywhere
- at what time you should offer a pottytunity while running your errands
- how to know when a baby in a baby carrier needs to potty
- how to handle pottying a young toddler, or get them to tell you they need to go, within the flow of shopping
- using your baby's natural rhythm to guide your out-of-the-home pottying routine
- how your own intuition comes into play
- how to stay in tune with EC if you're using your stroller while shopping
- how to stay aware of your baby's pottying needs while shopping diaper-free
- plus much more...
Links and other resources mentioned today:
- Podcast #18: Travel + EC
- Podcast #10: When does baby need to pee, Part 2 of 4 (learning your baby's natural timing)
- My book, Go Diaper Free: A Simplified Handbook for Elimination Communication, which comes with access to the Go Diaper Free private members' area
- Get my FREE Easy Start Guide now!
Thanks for Listening!
To help out the show and help more parents find out about EC:
- Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
- Subscribe on iTunes
- Share your thoughts by leaving a note in the comments section below!
Got some tips for shopping diaper-free? Success stories? Learned the hard way? Do share in the comments below.
I look forward to discussing with you in the comments, below!
xx Andrea
Disclosure Note: As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from purchases made through the links on this page.
This is a re-post of an article originally published by Andrea Olson on November 10, 2014

Cannot wait to start listening!!! Summary, main points, links to what’s mentioned? Are you serious? This is so amazingly great. Thank you!!!
My baby is terrified of public restrooms. How do I help her with that?
Hey Ashley,
Some things you could do:
Put a post it on the autoflush.
Have travel seat reducer that you also use at home, one that she is comfortable on, and that she likes to use – it will give a homey feeling.
And I would also consider having an eco-roomspray with me, that I would first introduce at home. You can make one yourself. Simply fill a spray bottle with water and a few drops of eco-essential oils of your (or maybe your daughters) choice. A great smell could be lemon and vanilla, One of my own favorites is Peppermint.
Simply make the public restroom smell like something she knows and loves. I have used that trick for my son until he felt ok with public restrooms being different every time and never hurting him in any way at all.
I’ve personallt limited outings due to EC : (
Definitely wanting to listen to this podcast! Would love my freedom again.
Hello Andrea, we tried EC at an outdoor festival a few weeks ago. We took the potty with us and it would ba hunged to the baby trolley. It was a success despite our daughter’s part time potty pause!! Some people asked questions (either amused and enthusiastic, or a little surprised, but no one was shocked ; my daughter was 10 month old at that time). This was in south of France, where sphincters are supposedly not mature before the age of 2.5.
We also tried last week end as we were with family, mostly outdoors, we had the potty with us but we had decided to get her to pee in the grass while holding her on our laps.
From time to time we go to the playground near the house and she also pees in the grass from my laps.
Well it DOES work outside of home!!
Where is the transcript to this session?
We always have great success with EC out and about. Just last week we were a couple hours away from home. I went to change my son and discovered we did not have any diaper back ups or underwear. My son went commando and we survived the day diaper free out and about. We took pottytunity When he woke up or we had to make a stops.
just wondering if there is any transcript for this podcast?