Elimination and Communication

Mrs.W_2

Am watching an episode of a documentary on Channel 4, hosted by Sharon Horgan. I'm not sure what it's called but I've just spent seven or so minutes watching the most obsessed mum in the world talking about EC; elimination and communication.

Basically, her baby goes without nappies and she watches little India (her child) like a hawk for signs of urination or defecation. Whenever India looks as if the thought to pee or poo has come, she is sat on the potty. Mum then whispers 'peeshh, peeshh...' should she think her child wants a wee, and blows raspberries for any other thoughts.

Sorry, I'm trying not to mock!

If that Mum has the time to peeshh and raspberry to her hearts' content, wonderful! I'm sure she feels better for being rather a helicopter mum. But she has to forgive the many of us who look on with raised eyebrows.

Well, a life with minimal spend on nappies is very MSE!

I just wondered what other mums thought was going above and beyond the mum thing?

eta: Here's a website that explains EC...
http://www.nappyfreebaby.co.uk/what-is-elimination-communication

Gillyx

It is a technique used in many other countries quite successfully. Its probably not too dissimilar to how potty training was down a few years ago either. From what I'm led to believe from my parents/Inlaws all babies were dry by 18 months. I just don't think the majority of babies are ready by then so there would have been a lot of hovering and watching and placing on the potty.

All that being said its not for me il wait until I see signs that he's ready!

peachyprice

There's certainly nothing new about the technique, it's the way babies were toilet trained here many many decades ago and the way they still are in many other cultures.

However, it stems from the days when SAHM's really were stay at home, the days when women didn't go out to meet with friends, the days when there weren't any baby and toddler groups to stimulate our little ones.

In today's society, in this country, I guess it comes down to each parent to decide whether it's more important for them to have an early potty trained baby or a well socialised baby and which will be the most beneficial life skill.

Children will be potty trained eventually, unless there is a medical reason they won't be in nappies forever, however, a lack of social skills can be crippling for a child.

quinechinoise

EC works and it works very well. However, it does require a heck of a lot of effort because I know people that do/did it. I admire them because, frankly, disposable nappies are much easier and, while I did try to "catch" some wees, it wasn't something I wanted to do 24/7.

The "hissing" cue, to encourage a child to go on the toilet works very well and doesn't require EC. It's not as if babies are terribly verbose, so the hissing noise is a reasonably meaningful way to say "you can go now, if you have any wees to do". (There's plenty of folks who recommend turning on a tap to encourage kids to wee - sounds pretty similar to me!) OTOH, if successful EC were to count weeing on the changing mat... then, gosh, was I successful! lol Just having a bare bottom seems to encourage babies to wee - I recall the midwives and HVs used to say it was something about the cold air after being in a warm nappy and that everyone's babies did it (after yet another wee on the weighing scales).

pawsies

I wonder what happens at night time?

hereigoagain22

^ You don't pee in your sleep, you actually stir and waken slightly.

It's not a technique for me (too much hard work ;-) ) but it's very popular on quite a few on the parenting forums I visit. Also, it's the way things would have been done before nappies were invented! And it's still carried out in many cultures and in particular developing countries. It's built into our instincts not to soil our own bed. I don't think it results in under socialized babies as most of the babies I have known or heard of are completely "trained" at a really young age.