Adventures in Elimination Communication

Chapter 1: Also known as Natural Infant Hygiene.

I've always had trouble putting babies diapers and clothes back on once I have changed them. "Their tooshes are just so cute and soft," I explain to people. So for me it would be a natural extension of my naked baby toosh fetish to experiment with the Elimination Communication method. This is the practice of going diaper-free with your baby and holding them over the toilet, or other appropriate place, to 'eliminate'. It's main focus is on the communication aspect, and not so much on 'potty training them.

Back midway through my pregnancy I read an article about it and became intrigued. I remember expressing to the moms that it was something that seemed right up my alley. Heck I already use cloth diapers and with breastfeeding I've experienced the intuitive nature of mothering (think 'let down' as it applies to nursing) that it takes to know when the baby's got to go. I thought it would be cool to give it a try.

By the time Sabine was born I finally got around to requesting a book from the library. It came in a few weeks ago and I've been slowly reading it. I'm dying to finish it so I can start figuring this whole thing out, but here's what has been happening so far:

I'm leaving Sabine's naked for a while after I change her so she can 'air out', which is good for them anyway, but also to observe when she pees so I can become attuned to her rhythms and begin to notice the signals that she makes when she's about to pee.

This, of course, has led to many humorous instances of someone (mostly me) being peed on or pooped on.

Zach was home on lunch one day recently and since he was in a mood for talking I broached the subject. This was the first time I'd ever said anything to him about it - I figured he would think it is weird. Maybe it's the fact that he's in the doghouse slightly right now, or maybe he's just come around more than I think, but he didn't seem revolted by the though of hanging the baby over the toilet to poo. Since Zach was somewhat ok with it in the moment, I felt a little more freer in leaving the baby's diaper off for a while since she had already peed and pooped just a few minutes before.

I am learning that babies pee a whole lot more frequently than you would think. I sat down at the table with the baby and within minutes she'd released the warm liquid all over my lap. Zach was standing in the kitchen eating his lunch. I handed her to over so I could go change my clothes. Just as I was coming back downstairs Sabine let loose with the infamous number 2 all over the floor with a few splashes on Zach. I wiped at it with a baby wipe and tried to convince him that when you have a new baby at home people expect you to show up with some form of infant fluid on you at any given time. He reminded me that going to an actual place of work is different than going to a playgroup, and then he (wisely) headed upstairs to change. I say wisely because this is the place in the conversation where husbands often eat their words. They start to suggest things like their jobs are harder than staying home with the kids, or that since it doesn't pay anything mothering is not real work.

I've become used to the idea that I'm going to get peed on at least once each day. If I could just finish this book I feel like I will learn the secret to this EC thing and we'll get the hang of it. For now, I've figured out that until I do 'get it', it's best to leave Sabine in the bassinet with a cloth diaper doubled up under her while she's going 'nakey bottom'.

The kids and I are heading up to Camp again for a long weekend. Hopefully I'll be able to finish the book up there and then start to work some magic. Zach will be staying home this time and perhaps he'll work some magic here on the home front with some of those stubborn house projects.

Stayed tuned to see how we're all coping...