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Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Going Nappy Free!


How to go Nappy Free....even if just part time :-) every wee counts!

#1 Go for the Easiest Catches First

It's commonly known among EC (Elimination Communication) parents that babies will wee upon waking, so this is usually an easy time to 'catch' a wee.  Pick your baby up when they first rouse, otherwise they might wee before you make it to the potty. Take him to the potty & hold your baby in a 'squat' position with knees up. Take this opportunity to establish the cue for going potty: "ssss," "go potty," or whatever works for you. Say this quietly in your baby's ear each time you hold them over the potty and soon baby will recognise this cue signal for potty. Wait a few moments to see if your baby will do a wee or poo.  Some babies take longer than others.  Some will happily sit there for a while, others will squirm and wriggle.  Listen to your baby.  If you catch a wee simply say 'You did a wee'.  There's no reason to do a song and dance about it, even if you feel excited, because it is just a normal, everyday function and doesn't need to be made into a drama.  Your baby will know what's happened.  Remember, this is mostly about communicating, so listen to your baby and respond to them lovingly. 

#2 Wear your Baby


It's can be difficult to read your baby's subtle cues if they aren't close to you. Wear your baby in a sling while you move around the house, and you'll be able to detect every squirm and sound. For best results, wear your baby in a carrier that's easy to take baby into and out of, such as a pouch or a sling. Anything more complicated than that will take too much time and foil your attempts to respond to your baby promptly. Avoid dressing baby in complicated clothing & onesies, though they're cute, they are harder to get baby in and out of easily. Go for easy on/off pants, underpants, a long t-shirt or gown, or better yet, nothing at all. When baby is naked in the sling, you're naturally more motivated to tune into his cues.  It can be handy to have a little mat under your baby to catch misses if they are Nappy Free.  Check out the Bongo Baby Bum Mats which are perfect for this.

#3 Make the Switch to Cloth or Trainers

Disposable diapers are engineered to pull wetness away from baby's skin, so that he always feels dry, even after peeing. This disconnects baby from their bodily process and can make ECing harder. Many prefer to use cloth instead so that baby does not lose the association between the act of eliminating and the resulting wet sensation. And in most cases, we're inclined to change a wet cloth diaper sooner than a soiled disposable.

Cloth diapering can be easy. Most moms who practice EC choose to put their babies in cloth with no cover when around the house, because it affords just enough protection to the furniture, and both mom and baby know immediately when baby has wet the nappy. Then it can be changed while you communicate to your baby about it, ie "Your nappy is wet.  I'm going to take it off and wipe you clean, so you can be clean and dry.  Next time we might catch your wee in the potty."  Keep it light and fun, with no disappointment or shaming your baby if you don't catch a wee, remember it's a two-way connection and it's up to us to tune into baby's cues and help them get to the potty.

Trainers make it even easier to check for quick potty stops, while still having some protection in case of accidents!  Check out the Bongo Baby Eco Nix for a quick and easy solution!


#4 Trust your Intuition

Just like anything new, it can feel a bit awkward when you start ECing, especially if you haven't seen anyone else do it.  The trick is to observe your baby.  Just be with them and watch them, start to learn your baby's behaviour, take their nappy off and have them on a towel and see what happens with them just before they do a wee.  Some babies cry or fuss, some get a bit wriggly, some look a bit distant or distracted.  And sometimes there is no obvious sign, just quietness.  You can go by timing, by checking after they wake and checking again in a little while, or check each time before or after moving from one place to the next, ie a car trip or going for a walk.  Young babies up to a few months old wee quite often, then as their bladder grows so does the time between wees.  Sometimes they will suprise you by doing a few in quick succession, sometimes they will go a while between wees.  If you think or feel your baby needs to do a wee or poo, it's easy to do a quick potty check.  At least you will know if your baby needed that, or if it's something else.  Often if my baby is upset, unless I know he's hungry or something obvious, I will quickly check for a wee first and it's amazing how many times that's all he needs.  Then he'll be calm and content again.  All babies are different, it's just about observing your baby's behaviour, trusting your intuition, and growing and learning together. And just to mix it up, just when you thought you had it all happening smoothly, something is likely to change...so be gentle with yourself and your baby!

#5 When the Going Gets Tough

One thing I say to people is EC is not about catching wees, it's about communication.  Catching wees or poos is a benefit of course!  If you become obsessed with results you might start feeling frustrated if you miss a wee (or several). At times like this it is important to realize that this is a process of deepening awareness for both you and your child. Even a miss is an opportunity to learn about baby's patterns, and to communicate about elimination. At the same time, recognize when it's time to take a break. It is okay to put your child in nappies and come back to it at a later time. As long as you come back to it, and as long as you maintain a gentle awareness of your little one's elimination patterns, your connection will not be lost. Seek out support from online forums or other nappy-free parents when the going gets tough, or when you have questions or doubts. Read or reread one of the excellent books on infant pottying. Come back to it when you feel refreshed.  Relax and trust that your intention to connect is the most important factor.

#6 The benefits

Besides the obvious benefit of less nappies to wash, there are other major benefits of going nappy free, even if just part time.  Deeper connection and communication with your baby.  Baby's improved awareness of their own bodily processes, and removing the stigma surrounding elimination - it is natural, after all, and we all do it!  More empowered children as they can communicate and have their needs met earlier than if you weren't practising Elimination Communication.  More conscious awareness of our babies and their needs...and all these things basically mean your relationship with your baby and connection is just better - and that's a good thing!  Besides, one extra thing is you can share it with your friends who will be amazed at how in tune you are with your baby, and you get to meet other like-minded parents who will be able to share other incredibly empowering parenting information with you....are you tempted to try it yet?  Oh, and also - it is FUN!  And addictive!  I love it!

#7 The most important thing to remember

Lighten up, laugh, be gentle with yourself and enjoy your baby!

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