Skip to content

Why we don’t potty baby every 15 minutes

Why We Don't Potty Baby Every 15 Minutes (Clock Timing)

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 about ​why​ every ​15​ minutes. She replied:

"Well, that is exactly how another mom told me I should do it."

I empathized that no wonder it felt exhausting, and no wonder her baby very quickly refused being pottied (and this totally re-confirmed my gusto in finishing my new EC book...because clearly people needed this info SO badly).

I grabbed her email address and promised to keep in touch with a better way to do EC soon, with my book.

Therefore...

in today's video, I talk about why we don't potty baby every 15 minutes. Clocking timing can (and will) totally backfire if it is not informed by other things that absolutely affect your baby's pee and poo timing. Let me explain in this quick 4 minute video.

(Btw, in the video I say that she emailed me 5 years ago. Nope. She and I met on the playground 7 years ago. Mommy brain! LOL.)

In this video, you'll learn:

  • ​why babies freak out and pause when we aren't aware of their ​actual​ timing
  • when clock timing CAN work
  • what other ways you can successfully potty your baby.

I hope you love it. Now, let's mingle:

Please comment below with whether you've found a way to make clock timing work for you, rather than against you.

Looking forward to learning from you!

xx Andrea

Disclosure Note: As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from purchases made through the links on this page.

Resource Recommendation

Getting EC Back on Track: a minicourse that walks you through observation, logging, and getting back on the EC wagon

Potty Time Mastery: a minicourse that helps you get extremely good at detecting the 4 ways to know the baby has to pee

Go Diaper Free: my popular EC book that simplifies EC, beginning to end

Andrea Olson

About Andrea Olson

I'm Andrea and I spend most of my time with my 6 children (all under 10 yo) and the rest of my time teaching other new parents how to do Elimination Communication with their 0-18 month babies. I love what I do and try to make a difference in one baby or parent's life every single day. (And I love, love, love, mango gelato.)

2 Comments

  1. Avatar Vanessa on November 14, 2017 at 7:32 am

    Pretty sure this just happened to me. I read her cues wrong and pottied too much, now she wont go in potty and goes in diaper or on the floor if diaper free. She is 5 months old and we just started a few weeks ago part time.

  2. Avatar Ristelle on November 14, 2017 at 12:23 pm

    Hello. My daughter is 3.5 mos and I’ve found her natural timing to be about every 10-15 min. when she is awake. Sometimes I use a timer or watch for her mood to change, or go on gut feeling. Around the 10 min mark I start getting her ready (removing tiny undies and clothes). Once undressed I tell her “Let’s go make pee pee,” and cue her over the potty. Most times she goes right away. If she doesn’t, I lay her down with a cloth diaper and her changing pad under her, to catch if I miss, and try again shortly there after. I don’t use timing when she is sleeping, but will potty her when she wakes up. I take breaks from EC when I’m really busy with work or have other things going on.

    We started part time about 1.5 months ago. So far so good, even though I have been peed/pooed on and have had to change bedding several times. I know her timing will change as she gets older so I will keep my eyes/ears open.

Leave a Comment





Scroll To Top