Twyla’s 6 Week Old Elimination Communication Update
We've been doing Elimination Communication from birth with baby Twyla.
You may have been following our progress and are curious about what it's been like over the last 6 weeks ECing her from birth...
Or, if you haven't been following us on Instagram or Facebook, you may be curious about how Elimination Communication looks with any newborn baby, from birth, for the first 6 weeks.
So, here is our 6 week Elimination Communication update.
I'll let the photos do most of the talking, with captions and notes below each one.
Pottying our brand new baby, above. She was maybe an hour old at this point.
Caught some meconium in the top hat potty!
This is a photo of us doing diaper-free observation time about an hour after Twyla was born.
When I saw her pee or poo during observation (which was fairly rare at this brand new age, as babies don't pee very often at first), I would cue along with her "psssss" for pee or "mm-mm" grunting for poo, building a sound association while she went.
(You can learn how to do this in my popular EC book, in case this sounds weird, or appealing, or intriguing, and you want to find out more info.)
We have our babies naked the first day or two, skin-to-skin with us, and then typically dress our babies in normal baby clothes and cosleep for the first few months, so this is T in our bed lookin cute in her onesie on the first day.
You can totally get EC-friendly clothing here at EC Wear in the US or here at Little Bunny Bear in the UK.
I use a variety of back-ups, depending on the needs...and here I wrote a comprehensive guide for EC "back-ups" - or which undergarments and diapers to use for EC at which ages:
The Ultimate Guide to EC Back-ups: When to use which undergarments during elimination communication
For Twyla, we began with a loosely attached cloth diaper insert, called a workhorse.
(You can find that and more gear options here on my EC Supply List.)
She kept scratching her face with those lovely long nails she was born with...so I found some onesies with built-in mittens.
At 6 weeks, we are finished using mittens...but boy were they helpful in the meanwhile!
This is where you would find us most days, including days 1 and 2, holding Twyla over the sink for a quick pottytunity.
Why the sink?
Wait, what? Isn't that unsanitary?
Not exactly. You see, breastmilk poop is benign when it comes out.
Now, if you let it sit for a while, things naturally go sour and begin to pose a problem. So, you have to clean it out after every use.
Why I potty my newborn babies (primarily) at the sink:
- it is easier on my back (especially postpartum)
- it is also really easy to clean out...because newborns have explosive poops, it tends to contain things nicely, then I rinse it out with warm water
- I can rinse the baby's bottom with that same warm water, without having to use wet wipes (which can cause diaper rash), and,
- I also potty at the sink because eventually we can connect with eye contact (and smiles!) in the mirror...plus...
- we can also place a small locker mirror by the faucet to see if the sphincter is still working (there's more poop coming soon), or if it is relaxed, I know that we are done with this potty sesh.
But.
You do not have to use the sink!
If it grosses you or hubs out, then use a top hat potty or the toilet, or a pad, or a mini potty (hold baby over it, because neck control comes much later).
This is just what we do, and why. :)
This is a silly pic of daddy holding Twyla over the top hat potty.
We wouldn't actually potty her this way (standing up), but it's worth sharing how DADDIES can be super-engaged with Elimination Communication from birth.
Okay, so we get A LOT of use out of the top hat potty with a newborn. I probably use it 50% of the time, the sink the other 50% of the time (and if it were warm out, I would also be pottying her in the grass on our 1 acre property, occasionally!)
This photo is an example of how to potty during breast or bottle feeding. You just pause feeding when baby pops off the breast and have the top hat handy, pop it between your legs, and offer the potty.
You can opt to potty baby in the CRADLED EC POSITION (shown) by holding baby loosely by the thighs and cradling her into the crook of your elbow, aiming into the top hat potty and cueing "pssss" or "mm-mm" as you do so.
If you want to see over 70 other Elimination Communication position options, check out my comprehensive (yet simple) book.
(Because some babies won't go potty while uncomfortable - duh! - and we all need options.)
Here I caught Daddy catching a pee in the kitchen sink!
Again, we spray out the sink when finished (and often use the faucet to "bidet" our baby's sensitive bottom) and sanitize if poop.
Breastmilk poop is runny and mustardy. I'll show you a pick of it soon, below. But it goes down the drain just like...thin mustard.
Anywho, Daddy is awesome at EC! He may not catch every time, but he learns about his daughter by trying and they definitely have a deep connection because of elimination communication...one part of baby care that DADS truly get to own!
OMG how tiny she was! She's already way bigger than this. Isn't it crazy how quickly they grow?
This pic, above, is to show the zippered onesie option for newborns (for it you live in a colder climate, or are in Winter-time, or just like baby to be extra snug).
Definitely easier than a onesie with a million snaps.
With EC, you want to clothe baby in an easy-on, easy-off wardrobe. The zippered onesie has been a favorite for us, as well as a long sleeve onesie top (with three snaps at the crotch) covered with footed pants.
Like I've said before, in the past I've dressed my summer babies in t-shirt, cloth diaper backup, and elastic-topped footed pants...no onesie at all.
Consider the climate, the season, and what works for you...but I'm here to demonstrate that it really doesn't matter so long as you can get it on and off easily.
As promised, the photo answer to the question: what does newborn poop look like?
After the mom's milk comes in and baby stops passing sticky meconium poop (which we also like to catch in the potty - yuck!), newborn baby's poop becomes yellow, seedy, mustard-like, and runny.
Above is a 3 day old newborn's poop in a top hat potty...a scenario highly preferred over blown-out-inside-baby's pants, by babies, parents, and the environment.
Please note that by day 3 of Twyla's life we'd already hit our stride, finding a comfortable rhythm and a two-way communication about her potty needs...and a deeper connection because of it. So fast and so awesome, you guys!!
All we did to achieve this was:
- wake-up pees prior to nursing
- pottytunities at the first fuss, post-feeding
- pottytunities when we saw the poo face (grimace, bearing down, a toot), and
- pottytunities when she became fussy and we intuited her needing to go.
Mostly though? The wake-up pees get you into a rhythm at this early of an age.
Okay, carrying on....
After her belly button relieved itself of the dried-up umbilical cord...it was time for her first bath!
She actually holds her pee during all baths...which is a strong instinct in all mammals, so as to not spoil the water supply for the rest of us.
After she is taken out of the bath, she fusses a bunch, signaling to go, and she'll pee on the towel if I don't realize she's signaling.
Learning point from my book: This is an easy catch, a transition time...before or after bathing.
Even at a few days old, babies are super happy to be pottied instead of having to go in the diaper!
Why?
Well...they signal strongly during the first few days and weeks, and when they see that we parents understand their language, they are absolutely thrilled.
I posted the photo above to my instagram account that day.
This is where you will often find me and Twyla...over the bathroom sink.
I discuss why the sink is so perfect to potty in during the beginning weeks...scroll up.
This is our yet-to-be-finished master bathroom, which used to be the porch/sunroom of our 1890 farmhouse here in Asheville.
My dream tub (where I had Twyla in our unassisted birth) is in the background.
I've kept all 5 of my babies' dehydrated umbilical cords in these little satchels.
The one on the left was my 8 year old's, the one on the right is Twylas, and the others are in between.
We buried their placentas under new trees on our property when we moved in. Some dogwoods, redbuds, and a flowering cherry tree.
We've got Twyla's placenta in the freezer and will be planting a new tree over it this Spring.
Meanwhile, these umbilical cords are in a box far from the reach of small hands!! They'll go on my altar once small hands learn not to touch altars. :)
This is my first before-and-after picture, to demonstrate how having an unassisted birth caused me to have an insanely efficient and pleasant recovery.
(Someone on Facebook asked to see a current photo taken from the side. Ummmmm....really?)
This is my 20 month old, Branson, testing out the new Baby Potty // Mini Potties that are going on sale at my sister site, tinyundies.com, on Friday January 18.
He loves them all and peed a little in each one to test 'em out.
These potties are super-short so that shorties can mount them with ease and "do it myself."
I was so sad when Baby Bjorn discontinued their Little Potty...so I had one made, myself, for fellow ECers and early potty trainers like you!
I caught daddy catching a pee...again!
Dads are so good at Elimination Communication, I swear.
Isadora, my 5 year old, took this photo of me pottying Twyla at a restaurant we frequent.
Don't worry - it was just pee...and I wiped it out with soapy water and a paper towel.
If you potty baby upon arrival while ECing out and about, your baby will be much more comfortable (and dry!) during your outing. :)
Isadora caught me in my other-most-popular-position: nursing on the couch.
(Nice hair-do!)
Here's big sis pottying little sis over the top hat potty.
Isadora REALLY wanted to potty her by herself, but she can't quite get her into position while managing the potty between her legs.
Nowadays, she'll just take Twyla's diaper off and bring her to me to potty over the sink. What a helper!
It's been FRIGID here this winter.
Baby typically goes on outings like this one wrapped up in a fleece onesie and hat, inside my Ergo.
More often we just take the car...but this was the first snow day and we got about 8 inches.
The others went sledding and Twyla and snuggled up and took pictures.
We offered the potty before leaving and again upon arrival (she was dry).
(Transition Times are an easy catch.)
This is how we cosleep! Note the snoozing newborn.
This is her first dry night and the re-used, dry disposable diaper to prove it...plus proof in the potty.
Not that you wouldn't believe me, but here it is regardless.
(Yes, those are socks on her paws!)
Another great shot from Isadora...this is what having a diaper-free baby around truly looks like!
Because we do EC, I get to do this as often as I want.
Twyla loves being naked, and we crank up the heat so she can be.
She typically fusses in-arms or on a waterproof mat right before she has to pee.
Even naked, she wants good hygiene! #babies.
This is how we get to connect deeply.
This is how I see my sweet girl several times a day.
This is where, in the future, we will smile at each other and share some laughs.
Above is the cover to the long note I wrote to Branson's (20 months) preschool teacher after I almost quit preschool that morning.
I came in one day with a solution...he was using a mini potty at home on his own accord!!! At school, B was having lots of misses (including 2 poop misses 2 days in a row), and I knew that replicating the home situation would help.
But. They refused all of my propositions for change...they didn't want me to put a mini potty in their classroom, and I felt discouraged.
So I said I'm just going to keep him home then. (Hah. Ooops.)
A half hour later I spoke with the Director and (of course!) decided to keep him in...but I really felt shut down because we desperately needed a solution.
I wrote her the note a few hours later.
The teacher took my note to heart (it was full of gratitude for her!!) and we figured out a solution: the mini potty could be used to inspire a signal from B (going to the potty would be his signal), and they could potty him in the bathroom when he signaled!
She sure does love big brother!
And she loves big sister, too!
This is Twyla and I pottying over the kitchen sink (another regular location).
She's starting to fatten up!
A brief bout of diaper-free time on the couch.
Since we got rid of the old couch (aptly named The Pee-pee Couch because everyone had peed on it at one point or another), I've been paranoid about having naked babies and toddlers on the new couch.
So, this was BRIEF, but cute. A little diaper-free tummy time right after catching a pee.
And at 4 weeks old, hubs and I started CrossFit. This is me catching a pee when she woke up after our workout.
(No, silly. I didn't get a doctor's clearance because I don't have a doctor!)
I felt fine and went slow, and we've been going 3 times a week since this pic was taken.
I'm working on core strength and my abs and pelvic floor have been deemed healthy (by my physical therapist)...so, all good.
Twyla usually sleeps thru the CrossFit class if bass-y music is playing. It's her happy place.
And then it was Christmas. Twyla slept thru the presents...B did not.
Big sis decided to pop Twyla on a mini potty one day...and she peed in it! The perfect size to hold a baby onto.
Gigi and Twyla. That's my grandma, her great-grandma.
One of Gigi's aunts was named Twyla, and baby girl is named after dancer/choreographer Twyla Tharp.
Soooo cool that Gigi and T got to spend some holiday time together!!
(And Gigi got to learn about EC from us...including my mom, who spontaneously pottied Twyla again.)
Me at 5 weeks postpartum.
I swear, you guys.
CrossFit combined with breastfeeding, babywearing, and having a healthy unassisted birth...all equate to a very fast recovery.
Isadora snapped this photo of us doing the Classic EC Hold, Squatting over Top Hat Potty...in the Target bathroom!
Twyla looked at me and beared down in the middle of the store, so we all rushed to the bathroom and I caught the whole poop in the potty.
Go team!
This is us nursing over the top hat potty when Twyla had a 3-day stretch of going pee and poop while breastfeeding.
Since I wanted to support her in being clean and dry, I nursed over the pot and she did much better!
(There are more tips on Pottying while Breastfeeding in my popular EC book.)
I posted this on Instagram a little after Twyla's 6 week bday...4 pics of her super-fussy...and I asked everyone if it is normal for a baby to cry within 15 seconds of being laid down, every single time.
4 of my 5 babies have been fussy with "colic" that has no apparent cause. It is maddening.
Yes, I love babywearing. Yes, I love carrying my baby around in my arms.
And. I need to cook dinner sometimes. I need to brush my teeth. Use the restroom. Stuff like that.
I use a lambie chair and a swing and do tummy time and all that.
But...is this normal?, I asked....
And out of the 60-some-odd responses, 3 mentioned tongue tie/lip tie as a rule-out.
[7-8 WEEK UPDATE: we've had tongue tie/lip tie released and she is now doing MUCH better at nursing, way less gassy, sleeping well at night, and generally in a better mood...I hope it continues to improve, and I know we will all be way happier.]
Btw, makes me wonder: how many of my other kiddos had ties that went unnoticed??
Now onto...
What it's like when Twyla's fully content.
Here, she has just woken up, she has just relieved herself (poop and pee) hygienically, and she has just fully nursed.
That's the Baby Care Cycle we've created for ourselves:
Wake, potty, feed, potty at first fuss after feeding, repeat, and then at the 3rd yawn, back to sleep by either walking around with her, rocking, swing, chair, or loud-ish (not toooooo loud, don't worry!) folk or EDM music, etc....whatever works besides nursing to sleep (this makes a better night sleeper. Check out BabyWise for more info...and ignore their CIO advice).
That's one happy baby.
First giant pee miss on the bed!
(Luckily, I use a waterproof mattress cover while cosleeping.)
After this happened (which was because I wasn't paying attention, obviously, after a misguess), I blotted the area with a towel and then laid a dry towel on top of the moistened sheet.
Within an hour it was all dried up, then I stripped the bed and washed the sheets. No harm, no foul!
Ever been to the Biltmore House in Asheville? Largest private residence in America...no public bathrooms inside the house (and its 1-2 hour walking tour).
So, we brought the top hat potty and guess who used it? Yep. Branson, 21 months now.
We carried that around carefully til we got to the shops outside the house and were able to dump in a bathroom.
Before I was able to dump? Well, let me tell you...I made a huge mistake.
Hubs was buying tea for me and I was alone with Branson (21 mos and freaking out about all. the. toys.). Then Twyla woke up while were still in the toy store.
I couldn't get Branson to budge without a mega tantrum, so I figured T could just pee in her diaper and I told her such.
Then I saw her bear down.
"Branson, we have to go!"
"Nooooo! Go away!"
And Twyla...let...it...rip.
I felt like I'd completely let her down. Her first full poop in her diaper. A massive up-the-back-blowout. Terrible.
When I finally got her to the bathroom up a huge flight of stairs, after hubs and family arrived, I stripped her down and wet wiped her to Texas. She screamed that it was not her idea of fun.
Then I caught a pee (she resisted peeing on her poop in the diaper...pretty common!)...in the toilet...and put her fleece onesie back on over a naked, diapered bod.
So, yeah. Caught B's pee in the top hat, yet before I could even dump it, had my first newborn blowout.
Grateful that I don't have to clean THOSE up every day.
And our final pic in the 6 week Elimination Communication update? More CrossFit.
Now we were 2 weeks in and really feelin' the burn.
We still bring her, pottying Twyla when she wakes up in her carseat (usually coinciding with a barbell drop from some meathead!), nursing her then, and pottying her again when she next fusses.
Pretty simple EC on outings, to keep her comfortable and stay consistent...and we get a great workout, to boot!
I hope you've enjoyed our 6 week EC update, mostly in pictures. I certainly enjoyed making it for you.
Please comment below with your takeaway from this post...did it leave you encouraged, surprised, confused, or inspired? Share below!
I look forward to hearing from you below! xx Andrea
Disclosure Note: As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from purchases made through the links on this page.
Twyla is so cute! She looks like you! I love her namesake.
We enjoyed using the top hat potty when practicing EC with our newborn from birth. I’m excited that the new Mini Potties are coming soon!
I’m so glad to hear that Twyla is nursing better and in a better mood after her ties were released. My daughter’s silent reflux and gas resolved pretty quickly after the procedure.
It’s nice following along with all the babies in our growing EC community. Take care!
Thanks for your comment Heidi! You were actually the main person who informed me about the ties…so thank you soooo very much. Oh my goodness, the mini potties – you are going to love them!!! They make pottying our young toddler so much easier. Take care!!! xx Andrea
The pictures are so helpful! My book is on the way but in the meantime, what do you consider “awake”? My 7-week-old will start to wiggle around with her eyes closed for a bit, then eventually open her eyes. But sometimes she’ll open her eyes and wiggle but then go back to sleep. I really don’t want to wake her up if she wants to sleep!
Yay I’m sure the book will be a huge help as you begin! Also check out my newborn minicourse – https://godiaperfree.com/minicourses/babymeetspotty – lots of video footage of ec in action at these ages.
Okay so wriggling can mean waking but it also can mean in between sleep cycles. You could try napping her naked over a pad and see if she goes, or just check if she’s wet when she awakes fully. One time try at the wriggle and put back to sleep. Another time try after a really long wriggle WITH eyes opening. Good luck!! Xo Andrea
Great post! Thanks for all the detail and for providing such valuable resources.
You are so welcome, Emma!! <3
Great update! We are about a month ahead of you with our second child. I didn’t start EC with her until about 3-5 weeks and around 6-7 months with my first (he’s now 3 and fully potty trained consistently since around 2.5 but out of diapers at 15 months). It’s a lot easier the second time around! I’ve been pretty laizze faire about it since her birth. She, like my first, had a lip and tongue tie we got fixed around one month old. On top of that, she has a milk protein allergy so I have to avoid dairy like the plague or she will have many symptoms, including throwing up all the time.
Your update has me encouraged to take EC to another level. I do love not having to change very many poopy diapers ?
You’ve got this, both of ya!! It’s never a bad time to ratchet it up a few notches :) Sorry you had to deal with ties too. I now know it can cause a hiccup (although I swear it’s me not her – she’s on it and I’m all worried about *why* she’s crying lol). I do have a Getting EC Back on track course, and a podcast episode, that may help. But you may be just fine working your way into whatever helps you gals connect. Anywho!! Thanks for sharing your story too!! <3
I’m about two months away from having our first baby, and this post has me inspired and pumped about doing EC. It just seems so much easier (among other benefits) than changing dirty diapers all the time!
What I never thought about was to take the baby to CrossFit and just potty and nurse as needed. I was thinking I would only be able to exercise at home unless I went in the evenings when my husband could be with baby, but this inspires me to see if he would be interested in joining evening classes together.
Thank you for this update!!!
You are so welcome, Brittany! Yes, if the gym allows it (ours does), you can definitely be mobile with baby until she can be left with another grownup (dad or otherwise) when she is a bit older.
Congrats on your pregnancy and upcoming birth!!!
This was SOO awesome to read, Andrea! I loved the sweet, informative, and witty personal closeup you gave us into EC with a newborn (& so much more!!) I ecspecially LOVED seeing the great pics you shared to help everyone see what caring for your baby in this way at this age looks like.
We didn’t start EC until 3 months because honestly- I didnt know what it could “look” like for a smaller baby (u know with head control, the top hat, new nursing relationship, etc). This gave me a much clearer understanding…Its very much the same as at 3 montha but even more helpful during the delicate times of learning and bonding with you baby!
I have to say- one of my biggest take aways from this is my previous thoughts on pottying in the sink! I understand it much more now, want to try it with my next new baby, and loved the light you put on it in this writing.
Thank you so much for sharing your life with us, it was fun to read about how you and ur fam do things! ❤
Hey Jessica! I’m so glad you enjoyed this post. :) Yeah, starting from birth is not as wild a ride as some might think. I’m glad the pics help you wrap your head around it more, and I look forward to hearing how starting at birth goes with your next baby. But honestly starting at 3 months = awesome!!! <3 xx Andrea
Hi Andrea! Thanks for the post! This is particularly eye-opening as I myself just had my firstborn in October. Started EC with her when she’s a month old (much later than I anticipated but baby wasn’t feeding well initially so I waited until both of us felt comfortable doing so). I’m only doing it part-time as she was mostly taken care of by her grandma during the day, and she doesn’t practice EC with her. It’s been nearly a month for baby girl to only poop once a day, in the morning after feed when I potty her. I do noticed her slowly consolidating her poo eversince I started potty her but I’m getting worried that pooping once a day consistently is a bit harsh for a 3 months old? And my mum has been nagging that sitting on a potty (I cradle-hold her) is putting too much pressure on her anal sphincter and will cause constipation later (I’m sure you have seen articles/papers against early potty training this out) How do I convince her otherwise? Do you have any link to research paper that i can show her to ease her mind? Anyway thank you so much Andrea for doing what you do!
Hey Theresa! Congrats on your birth! I hope this reply doesn’t come too late, but about the pooping once per day. Exclusively Breast-Fed (EBF) babies can poop anywhere from many times per day to just once in 7 days. It really depends on how much waste baby’s body is producing depending on what her whole system is using on a day to day basis. Ins and outs. And your mum is wrong (sorry, mum), but there is no way that sitting in a cradle-hold over or on a potty at 3 months old is causing pressure on her anal sphincter. See this article for all the facts that early toileting (and EC) are NOT dangerous…and that late toilet training (2 yrs plus) DOES cause these types of dysfunction. She has her “facts” backwards, due mostly to the diaper companies’ exquisite marketing tactics (and training of our pediatricians by the diaper companies’ influence). It has invaded our culture in 3 generations and it’s not your mum’s fault that she has been duped. We’ve all been duped. :) Here’s the article: https://godiaperfree.com/dangers-of-early-potty-training-do-they-really-exist/
In any case, also ask mum: what did people do before diapers? What do people in today’s world do where there are no diapers? And let it simmer. :) <3 to you both. xx Andrea
PS - my next podcast episode on Feb 12 will go over How to Tell Others About EC (and not seem crazy) - you may want to give it a listen.
I’m pottying my son, he is almost 9 months now. He is my 2nd baby and 2nd time doing EC. I had him peeing on command by day 2, and kept it up for the first few months. When things got cold I got a bit lazy and diapered and clothed him…so he’s a little out of practice I guess. He knows the cue, but does always pee in the potty, or he pees a little. But he releases pee after I put him down! I know it’s probably a phase we will get through, but any tips?
Hey Georgia – yes! Please go over and listen to my podcast episode #26 – https://godiaperfree.com/getting-ec-back-on-track/ – Getting EC Back on Track. If that isn’t enough, I also have a minicourse on the topic at https://godiaperfree.com/minicourses/backontrack . Either way, know that with my 2nd, the same thing happened! We got back into EC at 8 or 9 months, and she was out of diapers by 13 months, telling us every single time by 15 months. All is not lost. :) <3 Andrea
Hi Andrea, I am so inspired by your commitment to raising your children and advocating for them to learn good hygiene. I am especially inspired by the fact you are able to bring your newborn to Crossfit AND nurse and potty her there! And that you went on a historical tour with a potty training toddler and a newborn and made it work! Amazing.
So I have the book, but I am currently struggling with my almost 8 month old. We catch *most* of the poops, but pees are all over the place. She will respond to my cues but does not signal that I can figure out. We are starting to get back to cloth during the day, but I live in NYC, and I confess I am not up to doing cloth when we are out and about. She still pees at least every 30 minutes during the day. I have a pretty heavy child for her age and carrying a bag of wet diapers would just about break me. Also, when we do go out, we don’t ever arrive anywhere in the traditional sense because we are perpetually waiting on lines, and most places I go (like the farmer’s market) do not have a bathroom. So my question is, how can I make this work without being housebound all day?
Hi Larissa! I live in NYC too with a 9 month old and we are definitely not housebound but make EC work! EC does not have to be a full-time thing, nor does CDing, so just offer the potty whenever you can, and when you can’t, don’t sweat it! Sometimes we will just take our top hat potty around with us but keep our little one in a disposable. When we’re going somewhere nearby and know we’ll be home within less than 2 hours, we usually just keep her in cloth. When we don’t have our top hat potty, we will potty her in sinks or toilets if feasible, and otherwise just wait til we get home and offer the potty then. We also put her in daycare during the day and she doesn’t get pottied regularly, but she still goes on the potty at home in the mornings/evenings/weekends. So I think as long as you continue to offer the potty, it’s fine! Andrea says this too on her blog. Happy to know of another NYC mama ECing! I have 2 other friends here who I shared it with who practice EC – the 6 month old boy is full-time EC’d, the 1 year old girl is part-time EC’d. :)
Thanks for chiming in, Joyce! You said pretty much what I just finished typing :o) yay!
I’m so happy to hear that things are going well for you, and that you have a rhythm that works for your family…kudos! xx Andrea
Hey Larissa! I’ve definitely been to NYC and dealt with the same issues with a heavy child, lots of outings, and no public toilets. I highly highly recommend getting a top hat potty – https://tinyundies.com/tophat – that’s my other site with undergarments, wet/dry bags, and potties :) – and sticking it in your bag. Use disposables on outings (the non-animal print Seventh Generation are the best at keeping your child feeling wet, vs. getting used to being dry but really being wet [wicking diapers!]). Do what you can. You can absolutely do EC part-time. Choose the times that are convenient for you and stick consistently with those. The rest is bonus! If she’s pooping on an outing, ask any shop in NYC “can my baby use your bathroom, please? She is toilet trained and really has to go.” – many will magically have a bathroom you can use. Ok so hope that gives you some…hope!…and go for it! You’ll be fine. EC is not about perfection :) <3 Andrea
thank you for all the details! Started EC at 8 weeks and felt discouraged for starting late but we’re starting to get somewhere now 4 weeks later – it was really really nice to see that you have ups AND downs too
We definitely do, Morgan! :) You guys are doing GREAT to have started at 8 weeks old. Nice work, keep it up, and be encouraged. xx Andrea
Is it too late to start EC with a 17 mo old?
Hi Kelli! This is a great age for potty learning. You can really go with either elimination communication, or potty training. It is up to you. Choose what feels like the best fit for your family. xx Andrea