Gal yra žinančių ir praktikuojančių Elimination Communication? O gal yra forumas šia tema?
Įmetu angliškai medžiagos apie šį klausimą.
Mes tai darom nuo penkių mėn. Sekasi įvairiai, dažnai būna, kad užsimirštam, ir nebeišgirstam vaikiuko pykimo, kai jis į tualetą nori, o kartais jis užsispiria ir nedaro, nors po penkių minučių į kelnes pridaro. Šiaip panaudojam ir sauskelnes (dažniau kelionese), ir medžiaginius vystyklus, ir nuogas mažius pavaikšto, visaip būna, bet tikiuosi, kad penkių mėnesių darbas nenueis veltui
Šiaip visada padaro po miegučio, rytais beveik visada pataikom padaryti kakutį. Darom ant vonelės, ruošiamės pereiti ant puoduko. Jei kur išvykę, tai tinka ir tualetas, ir kriauklė ir pan.
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Babies are aware of their elimination needs from birth and communicate about those needs through various vocal and bodily signals. Within the first few months of life, babies have the ability to consciously release their bladders and bowels. By taking them to appropriate elimination places during infancy, we enable them to maintain a connection with their bodily sensations and learn from an early age what to do when they experience those sensations.
* Elimination Communication should always be gentle, non-coercive, and based on babies' interests and needs. Communication is the most important aspect of Elimination Communication, and should be the focus.
* Elimination Communication is begun in infancy - starting as early as possible is recommended. After one year, Elimination Communication principles can be applied to toilet learning.
* Practicing Elimination Communication allows families to avoid struggles sometimes associated with diaper changes and toilet training. Elimination Communication can also account for and reduce some "unexplained" fussiness in infants, and eliminate diaper rash.
* Elimination Communication can be done using diapers all of the time, some of the time, or not at all. By reducing the number of diapers used, Elimination Communication provides a more environmentally-sound option than conventional cloth or disposable diapering.
* Elimination Communication can be practiced full-time or part-time, by stay-at-home parents or by working parents. Elimination Communication can be practiced by people of all income levels and physical abilities.
* Prompt loving attention to our babies' needs promotes strong baby-parent bonds, fulfilling natural human instincts. The bond of trust built through feeding and comforting is strengthened when caregivers respond to the baby's elimination needs. Elimination Communication helps strengthen communication with our babies and is consistent with Attachment Parenting practices.
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Since there are a few threads going I thought I would just start a new one so everything can be in the same place. I am no expert on the topic but I have been doing this with my LO for most of his life and we are pretty successful though not diaper free yet -- we still have about 4 or 5 damp (cloth) diapers a day.
Reasons to EC:
- The sooner you start potty training the easier it will be, the later you start the harder. At this point your baby may have started to develop a psychological dependence on diapers, but it will be much easier to break that dependence now than at 2 1/2! Ideally though EC should be started with a newborn.
- Yes, EC takes a little work, but it's a lot easier (and more pleasant!) than changing a dirty diaper. There's no way to completely avoid dealing with LO's pee and poop, so why not be proactive? A stitch in time saves nine!
- You CAN do EC on a part time basis and still have great results. Even if your LO is in day care during the day, you can still do EC in the evenings and on weekends. You don't have to devote your entire life to your baby's bodily functions -- just by introducing the potty on a casual (but consistent) basis you can cut months or even years off your baby's time in diapers!
- Save time (have your LO fully potty trained long before the average age of 2 1/2), money (those size 5 diapers and pull-ups are expensive), and the environment (fewer disposables in the landfill and less extra laundry)!
How to get started:
- Buy a little potty. You can use the big toilet, sink, or bathtub instead, but LO will probably be more comfortable and have a greater sense of autonomy on his own potty. I recommend the Baby Bjorn potty.
- Start paying attention to your baby's cues. How often does your LO poop? Is it at a regular time of day? After a morning feeding? Does he start passing gas first? Does he get really still? Grunt? Get red in the face? Shiver when peeing? Every baby has his own habits, and you've probably already started to notice some of your baby's.
- Put your baby on the potty a few times a day just to get him used to it. Play patty cake or give him a special toy to make it fun. You may get instant results, but don't be discouraged if it takes a little extra practice. Your baby has been using a diaper for 9 months now so this is a pretty big change.
When to go potty:
This part is really up to you. Try to read your baby's signals, but even if you can't tell when he has to go, take him anyway. Possible ways to get started might be:
- Incorporate a trip to the potty into diaper changes. The diaper's already off so why not?
- Take baby potty when you have to go yourself.
- After feedings
- Immediately after waking from naps/sleep
- Before baths
- At regular intervals such as every hour
- Anytime you see baby still has a dry diaper/hasn't peed in a while
Other tips and advice:
- Cloth diapers are more conducive to EC since it's easier to tell immediately when they're wet and just how wet they are. I use either a fitted diaper with no cover (with a t-shirt NOT a onesie!) or a Bummis cover with a prefold insert. You DO NOT need fancy, expensive or super-absorbent diapers to do EC. The whole point is to be able to change baby quickly and often. You can get a basic supply of CDs for less than $40 (2 Bummis covers and a dozen prefolds). BUT YOU CAN DO EC EVEN IF YOU USE DISPOSABLES.
- Use a cue sound (psssss), word (go pee pee!), or sign every time LO is on the potty. It doesn't matter what you choose, but try to be consistent.
- Spend some time diaper free. I'm not a big fan of this method since my LO still pees every 20 minutes or so when he's awake, but some people swear by it. It forces the baby to be aware of his bodily functions, but be prepared to clean up a few spills! Maybe a good outdoor exercise!
- Change LO very frequently so that he gets used to the feeling of being dry and more sensitized to when he is wet. This applies mainly to CDs.
- Time on the potty should be pleasant for LO. If he doesn't pee in the first minute then he probably doesn't need to go, but poops sometimes take a little longer (though you should get some warning farts to let you know that something is on its way down). NEVER force baby to sit on the potty if he seems uncomfortable or upset. If baby rejects the potty at first keep introducing it gradually and gently over time until he feels more comfortable with it.
- Get the whole family on board! If you have a DH, grandparents, or older children to help with the potty trips, then it is even easier!
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I see a lot of additional questions in other threads, and to answer most of them I would say -- there are no real rules for EC! Jump in headlong and do whatever works for you. The only thing you HAVE to do is take your baby to the potty. When, where, how often is totally up to you.
Having said that, this is what I do:
We EC all the time at home, but I don't break my neck or drop everything to get LO to the potty in time (except for poops!) which is why we still have a few wet diapers every day. Fortunately my DH is fully involved in EC so we take turns with the potty trips, so it really doesn't seem constant or overwhelming. Babies do pee a lot!
When we're away from the house I just let my LO pee in a diaper, though you can potty your baby in a public restroom or take your training potty with you wherever you go. I'm just not that hardcore. The fact that we use a diaper on outings has not interfered with LO's at-home potty training, but we don't typically spend too much time away from home.
Our results:
Though he won't "hold it" for very long if he has to pee, he won't poop in his diaper at all. We have maybe one or two poop accidents a month and those are always because DH and I are working on something and not paying attention to the baby.
He knows exactly what the potty is for and will release his bladder/bowels instantly when he sits down.
He very rarely pees in his sleep. He wakes up dry even after 10 hours of sleep with many night nursings!
Where we're not that successful:
Diego does not seem to mind a wet diaper one bit! He will even gladly pee all over himself when his diaper is off. He still pees really often during the day even though I know he's capable of holding it longer (since he does at night). Once he is walking and/or able to signal for the potty himself I plan to become more hard core about potty training. Maybe I just haven't given him enough diaper free time?? Right now though I'm content with the fact that he knows what his potty is for and will use it every single time. My goal is for him to be completely out of diapers by 18 months, but I wouldn't be surprised if it happens sooner.
