Potty Training with Elimination Communication

I am pleased to have Laurie Boucke as a guest blogger today!  Laurie has a wealth of experience in natural potty training.  Enjoy!
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Infant potty training is a gentle and ancient means of toilet learning. It has several names because several of us mothers “discovered” it on our own and have written about it for different audiences. Other names include elimination communication, potty whispering, natural infant hygiene and assisted infant toilet training.


Babies are aware of the elimination function from birth and emit little signals before they have to go. But we don’t watch and listen. Communicating with your infant about this enhances bonding and reduces diaper use. The ideal time to start is between birth and 6 months, but you can start anytime up to about 2 years.

Here is how to get started:
1. Observation
Lay your undiapered baby in a comfortable, warm and safe place, then observe her:
a) timing (how long and how frequently she goes after waking or feeding)
b) body language
c) sounds
If you start with a toddler, you can use training pants or let the child go “nakey butt” while you are becoming familiar with these things.

2. Anticipation or Intuition
Anticipate when your infant needs to go, then at that moment, make a watery sound such as "sssss" or use whatever sound/words you prefer. Babies under 6 months start to associate this sound with elimination within a few days. It may take some weeks or months for toddlers.

3. Position & Toilet Place
When you think your infant needs to go, hold her gently and securely over a basin or other receptacle (or seat your toddler on a potty or the toilet) while giving an audible signal. Your child will soon associate the sound, position and place with elimination. Use whatever location and receptacle are most comfy and convenient.

4. Baby-Mother Communication

Continue to pay close attention to your child's timing and signals. When you think she needs to go, hold her in position and give your signal. If it is near time to go, infants are able to relax those muscles upon receiving your cues. Toddlers who have been trained to use diapers may take some weeks or months to catch on, so don’t be discouraged.

Fathers and caregivers can help. Infant pottying can be done on a part-time basis, as long as you are fairly consistent. For example, potty your child first thing in the morning and after his first meal; if you have time, potty him in the evening.

The environmental benefits are fabulous since parents gradually reduce the quantity of diapers over the months (most use diapers as a backup in between potty visits). This helps conserve resources such as trees and water, and it cuts down on landfill use.

Laurie Boucke wrote the first book ever on infant potty training in 1979 when she used it with her third child. Her most recent book is Infant Potty Training: A Gentle and Primeval Method Adapted to Modern Living (2008) and she co-produced a DVD entitled Potty Whispering: The Gentle Are of Infant Potty Training (2006)
http://www.white-boucke.com/IPTstuff.html“Infant Potty Training” book and “Potty Whispering” DVD
http://www.TimL.com/ipt Infant Potty Training Webring
http://www.pottywhisperer.com/
copyright 2009 Laurie Boucke, used with permission