Ever wondered what people did before nappies?

foreversomeday

Hi everyone, hoped the title would attract more than just those who know the term Elimination Communication, and it rings true to me as I was wondering the exact same thing when I found out about it!

I have done a bit of a search and there are a couple of other threads about this, but not for ages so I thought I would start this one.

Elimination communication in its simplist form is pre-empting when your baby or toddler is about to eliminate (wee or poo) and holding him/her over a potty, toilet, bowl or sink, rather than keeping them in nappies all the time.

Caregivers find that if they make a particular sound while they do it the infant will come to associate that sound with elimination and hold themselves until they are given a sign that it is okay. This counteracts the belief that babies and young toddlers cannot control their own bladders or bowels, although obviously with their bladders being smaller they do need taking to the toilet more often than an adult or older child.

It's not just for mad hippy types, or people who like being covered in poo, and even working mums and dads can do it as it is possible to do it part time. A lot of parents do use nappies as a backup but most report that their children end up completely dry a lot earlier than most people even start potty training - and of course, you avoid the lethal combination of potty training and the terrible twos!

I know some people will have strong feelings against this so I'm prepared for some negative comments but I'm happy to answer questions or point to links with more information, what I really want is to meet some other parents who have either tried ECing with their children or who are interested in trying it as you don't hear much about it on UK websites.

fitzmum

Ooooo I don't know about that... I had a colleague who insisted on putting his 6 month old baby onto a potty to 'perform' after every mealtime. He would delight in coming into work and bragging that his daughter was now potty trained ( I had my 2nd child by then and was very relaxed about potty training). His daughter got into the habit of only going to the toilet when put onto the potty and by the age of 18 months was suffering crippling constipation for days on end. I'm sure that the enforced potty training had something to do with it....

Whereas my two were in pull-ups until they knew what it was all about (2 -3) and when we started training they'd sussed it in a week. Much Easier.

ailuro2

When we were in Canada last year, in the Luxton Museum in Banff , iirc, we saw a little baby carrier that was used by the First Nation tribes, it was like a big long hat shape, ie closed at one end.

The baby would be put in the pack, and dried moss added. Then when it peed the moss would absorb the wetness until it could be changed at a suitable time. The moss was discarded and of course biodegreaded quickly. Fresh moss was then added.

so before nappies there was the ultimate baby and earth frinedly way of dealing with what comes naturally to kids.

What isn't so natural is trying to train a baby to pee or poo when it's allowed to. Just accept that as with everything else they will have control when they are ready.

Or would we expect our 3 month olds to have a conversation, go for a walk, make us a cup of tea? or do we wait until they're ready for those things too?:p

Poppy9

I had heard of tribes that recognise the signs that their child needed to wee or poo but not of training them to do it a sound made by the parent or care giver.

foreversomeday

Perhaps I made myself unclear on the "training" aspect of it, it's not intended as a method of potty training really, more a way of cutting down on the usage of nappies, and getting children to make the association earlier that the toilet is the place for wees/poos, not clothes.

I would never force a child to do anything they weren't comfortable with or ready for, but a lot of parents say their children seem happier going on the potty/toilet than sitting in a dirty nappy, even for a few minutes. There would be no punishment if the child had an accident or eliminated at a time other than was expected.

mrcow

Don't see the point of it really though?

What's wrong with using nappies until the child is ready themselves? If you are trying to savemoney on nappy useage, try reusable nappies instead. Potty training is really not that big a deal.What you're describing is just making work for the sake of it. They get there in the end without you having to stand over a toilet with hovering baby!

My middle daughter has just been potty trained at age 2 1/2. It took one day! Reason: I waited until she was ready and didn't try and work my agenda.

Sounds like a complete waste of time tbh

princess

I remember my gran, now deceased mentioning this as something commonly done in her circles in i guess it would have been the 1920s and 30s - when nappies were a luxury lots of people couldnt afford and even if cloth was available, washing was a nightmare. The baby was held over a pot at intervals from birth. She said it was quite possible to anticipate when it needed to go and she believed (in all honesty) that her four would wait for the pot well before 6 months. She found the idea of letting babies go about in wet or dirty nappies disgusting and couldnt understand why 'todays mothers' wanted to be dealing with nappies for up to three years per child when she had never bothered with any at all!
I havent tried this myself, but have found a link to someone doing it today
http://babyparenting.about.com/cs/pottytraining/f/infantpt.htm

Floxxie

fitzmum wrote: »

Ooooo I don't know about that... I had a colleague who insisted on putting his 6 month old baby onto a potty to 'perform' after every mealtime. He would delight in coming into work and bragging that his daughter was now potty trained ( I had my 2nd child by then and was very relaxed about potty training). His daughter got into the habit of only going to the toilet when put onto the potty and by the age of 18 months was suffering crippling constipation for days on end. I'm sure that the enforced potty training had something to do with it....

Whereas my two were in pull-ups until they knew what it was all about (2 -3) and when we started training they'd sussed it in a week. Much Easier.

My M-i-L (in her late 70s) will still repeatedly tell me how my husband was 'potty-trained' by 6 months. I had to explain to her it is 'potty-timing' - put food and water into baby and by the end of the meal something will come out. Hold said child over the potty and hey presto! but the child does not have the muscles or the awareness to do these things 'on demand', hence the reason why it takes them until they are 2/3 to manage.

I'm even against potty training - I left my eldest to find his own way to the toilet - he was about 3 1/2. In fact, I relish people talking about their children's toilet training age as if it equates to intelligence!

Anyway back to the original OP posting - I guess this is 'potty timing' with sounds. Have to say that I've got better things to do with my day than holding my three children over a potty.
Can you imagine the psychological effects too? A child not being able to go for a wee unless they make noises? Freudians would have a field-day.

For somebody who has no interest in 'potty-training' children, I've written an essay. Sorry!

Floxxie

Pink_butterfly_3

I've never noticed a 'sign' that my youngest wants to pee or poo. In fact sometimes, when I take the nappy off he has been known to run along happily playing with a giant turd hanging out of his bum

Floxxie

Your post made me laugh out loud...

Well that makes two of us who would be no good at this!

Floxxie

cazac71

Pink_butterfly wrote: »

I've never noticed a 'sign' that my youngest wants to pee or poo. In fact sometimes, when I take the nappy off he has been known to run along happily playing with a giant turd hanging out of his bum

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:Ahhh that brings back memories, lil` cherubs, dont you just adore them!