We completed ‘infant potty training’ otherwise known as elimination communication to become diaper free by 18 months old. Was it worth it? How did we do it? Today I am going to tell you how!
We have been completely diaper free since our little one turned 17 months of age. We started elimination communication at nine months old and it has been a journey to say the least. The learning curve was real! Let’s begin with a review of what infant potty training/ elimination communication is.
First, what is infant potty training / elimination communication?
Infant potty training, otherwise known as elimination communication (or EC for short) is the introduction of using the potty to relieve oneself at an ‘early’ age.
This can be started from birth or began at a later stage. Infant potty training encourages a child to follow their natural instincts as their caregivers are tuned in to their potty cues. This is the ‘communication’ of ‘elimination’!
What is the best age for infant potty training?
Infant potty training / EC can be started from birth. To be categorized as early potty training, the process begins prior to two years of age.
A potty, potty location, or potty stance is introduced to a child while teaching them the skills to stay tuned into their body. The most successful time to begin implementing EC is 0-18 months of age.
What are the benefits of elimination communication?
There are a variety of benefits of elimination communication. Whether it be financial (no more diapers!), mental (a deeper connection with little one) or personal (a goal), the benefits are endless.
- Reduce environmental waste (diapers, wipes, creams/ointments)
- Deeper communication and connection with little one (and other caregivers)
- Financial burden reduced – the average cost of diapers can be over $1,680 if little one is out of diapers by 2YO.
- Additionally there is no cost for ‘high value ‘items for when goes potty. There are not sticker charts, candy or reward systems involved.
- A personal goal (We want to be diaper free by X time – IE 18 months or before little one goes to childcare)
- To be diaper free
- As a conversation starter
- To further encourage independence in a child
- Decreased diaper rashes
- Less chemicals on little ones skin
- Reduced UTI’s
- Less outfit changes (potentially less laundry)
- Easier transition to the toilet and limited outfit changes in public
- Reduces constipation
- Less reliance on diapers or pull ups as one gets older
What are the cons of elimination communication?
While the pros tend to outweigh the cons of elimination communication, it is important to consider these factors when beginning elimination communication / infant potty training!
- It is not a ‘three day’ method for potty training – it is a commitment
- More laundry – though tiny underwear does not add up fast!
- Needing a method of transportation when on the go (tiny potty or travel potty)
- Requires attention and being in tune with children’s needs, which can feel overwhelming at first
- Sometimes, caregivers are not as ‘on board’ with the process
- Feedback from others who do not understand or are skeptical can be negative
- The cost of training underwear can be expensive up front
- Though the costs of diapers are more through time
Is elimination communication for all genders?
Yes! All genders can begin elimination communication. Though these tips below are from my experience with our girl, infant potty training is gender neutral.
How is elimination communication different from potty training?
Elimination communication is different from potty training for a few different reasons:
- The process begins earlier (IE before 2 years of age)
- There are no reward systems (No sticker charts, no high reward items)
- The process tends to ‘take longer’ as a child can begin EC from birth and may not be as independent as a 2+ year old
- It is not the ‘norm’
What is the goal of elimination communication?
That’s easy! Potty independence of course! The goal of EC is to help a child learn their natural instincts of elimination as early as possible.
It helps a child begin to flourish their independence and ultimately helps build the foundation of going to the potty alone. Additionally, a goal is for the caregiver to be in tune with their little one’s needs for elimination.
Does Elimination Communication actually work?
Absolutely! While there are always potty training hurdles, elimination communication is absolutely successful as long as one follows through.
It takes commitment and dedication from a caregiver. From a child, it takes trust and tapping into their intuition. Throughout the world, people practice elimination communication – there just is not a name associated with this normal process. And if you need more convincing that this works, take our story for an example!
Now, let’s get on to the twelve steps we took to help our daughter become diaper free by 18 months!
#1 – Research, research, research!
While the process of infant potty training / elimination communication is not overly complex, there are factors which help potty training be successful. The first step is understanding what elimination communication is and how it can be based on age.
Some people start from birth (if this is you, I applaud you!), others wait until language and development begins to escalate (around 14-15 months). And others start in between.
We waited until our little one showed interest in the tiny potty which was placed in her closet. This potty was one I had on my baby registry because before birth.
I was intrigued by elimination communication and became enthralled by the thought of saving money and reducing the environmental waste of diapers. In the end I purchased the 0-18 months ‘Go Diaper Free’ book. For my budget conscious mamas, remember the cost of diapers (over $1,680 if potty trained by 2 years old).
Before this, I watched Youtube videos on Montessori ‘potty training’, read elimination communication blogs and listened to the ‘Go Diaper Free’ Podcast. All of these continued to peak my interest in elimination communication and ultimately lead to starting potty training before one year old.
#2 – Start with the three easy catches of elimination communication
The easiest way to start infant potty training is with the three easy catches! Sometimes little one’s cues are not as easy to recognize as people think.
Instead, by beginning with the three easy catches, elimination communication breaks down to timing, repetition and finally understanding cues. Once you start implementing a catch, keep going and continue to add on additional catches until all three are ‘mastered’.
- After waking up
- Transitioning locations (Between carseat, stroller or other seated position)
- Upon eating / drinking liquids
#3 – Accepting grace
Remember this is a new learning experience for both of you (and everyone else who is involved). Each day is another learning opportunity which brings you one step closer to the final goal – going diaper free!
If you have not done elimination communication before, this experience may be new to you! And if not, there are always new tips and tricks to learn. Additionally, each baby has their own signals, progress and ‘hiccups’ along the way.
#4 – Infant Potty Training will not take 3 days
Remember, this is not a “potty train in three days” kind of gig. Elimination communication / infant potty training is a long game.
Even at 18 months, I am still assisting our little one with potty independence in the form of disposing of waste, transitioning to and from the potty and some days – even understanding changing cues.
I hate to say it but, a 3 day potty training method is not actually complete in three days. There will still be hiccups along the way and the same goes for elimination communication.
#5 – Lead with confidence!
Little ones are like sponges. They take on emotion, body language and so much more as they continue to develop.
To be successful with infant potty training / elimination communication, fake it til you make it (aka – show confidence!). When you are confident in this method and continue to keep your little on one track, it will be successful for everyone involved.
#6 – Elimination Communication Signals
Learning cues is not easy. Often, cues are different per child and it can feel defeating when you know they have to go potty, they sit on the potty and they pee upon standing.
To help with communication, we started implementing sign language for ‘poop’ and ‘potty’ at nine months old. By 15 months, our little one started signing ‘potty’ by shaking both hands simultaneously. The faster the go, the more she has to go to the toilet!
To make the ‘poop’ sign, think of the reverse of “help”. On hand will be a fist and the other a thumbs up. When you say ‘poop’, bring your hand with the thumb downwards, out of the first. To make the ‘potty’ sign, shake a closed fist back and forth.
Be patient while learning your little ones cues. Until we had sign language down, Until this point, there was a lot of guess work. And there was occasional frustration on both ends when we did not read each others signals correctly.
#7 – Teaching Infant Potty Training (EC) to Parents and Caregivers
To those who have never heard of infant potty training / elimination communication, the idea can feel a little foreign. It can take a bit of work to change the thought process from traditional ‘potty training’ to elimination communication.
This can occur with a spouse, a family member, or care provider. To help this mind frame change on teaching a child to use the potty, consider using these descriptions.
- Elimination communication starts at an earlier age
- In today’s age, the average age to start potty training is 18-24 months with some waiting until 3 years of age. Elimination communication can begin as early as birth with most (on average) being diaper free by 18 months.
- There are no praises or reward systems with elimination communication
- I.E. snacks, sweets, stickers, behavior charts are not utilized
- Of course, big wins and excitement can be celebrated with a ‘thank you for telling me you had to go potty’; ‘thank you for going pee on the potty’, or ‘does not your body feel better now that you went (pee) or (poop)?’.
- Elimination communication does not use statements about being a ‘big girl’ or ‘big boy’ for going to the bathroom on the potty. The transition from diapers to underwear does not mean they are labeled as ‘big girl / big boy underwear’. It is simply another piece of clothing.
- There is no punishment, fear or discipline for missing potty opportunities in elimination communication.
#8 – Potty ‘Breaks’ / Potty ‘Pause’
The first few years of life are packed full of developmental milestones. Occasionally these can cause a ‘delay’ or ‘regression’ in elimination communication.
Often, we felt this occur when a new skill was being mastered or a there was change in the schedule. For example, we took a potty ‘break’ or ‘potty pause’ from elimination communication during transitions of sleeping through the night, weaning, teething and crawling / walking.
Some breaks were longer (up to 1-2 weeks) and some were shorter (simply giving grace the rest of the day). If you decide to take a step back, remember this will not set you back completely. A little bit of time to reframe your mindset can move mountains!
#9 – Daytime vs. Nighttime
Do not expect nighttime to be potty free simply because day time elimination communication is occurring. Currently, our little one will wake up for a hug, snack and potty break at least one time per week. Some people choose to limit water before bed, however we do not.
To protect her mattress, we have a waterproof mattress protector under the sheet. It is thin, breathable and an extra layer of protection. It protects the bed from a full pee should it occur.
Additionally, we ensure a spare set of sheets, sleep sack and fresh underwear are available. We also have water wipes in case we need to do a lower body wipe down before tucking her back into bed.
#10 – Try a Diaper Free Day
To truly understand how often little one is going to the bathroom, try a diaper free day. This can be an essential part of infant potty training / elimination communication because it gives you real time data on how often they are going and helps increase communication.
When we tried a diaper free weekend, we were surprised to see some pees occurred every 15-30 minutes. Do not worry.
Through time this consolidates and we felt the difference when switching out of diapers into underwear. It was very hard to gauge how often pees were occurring because we never let the diaper line turn full on blue. We did not want her feeling comfortable in a wet diaper, therefore the diaper free day worked well!
The diaper free method is simply having no pants or a diaper on. Little one can have bare buns or be in something where pee is easy to see. For example, wearing a dark material can help show when they have to go. Feeling the pee can also help to connect the sensation with the word when not on the potty.
If you choose this method and little one starts going to the bathroom not on the toilet, simply pick them up and ask them to ‘wait’ while carrying them to the potty. Occasionally, our little one would say ‘uh-oh’, as she realized she was starting to go to the bathroom and that became one of our ‘cues’ when a potty communication was missed.
#11 – Start potty training when you are in a good headspace
There is a lot of research, time and energy which goes into infant potty training / elimination communication on the front end. There are also many hurdles which need time, patience and focus.
Consider where you invest your time. If you are starting a new job or transitioning to be a SAHM, trying to focus energy on your routine, sleep, fitness regimen, health or beginning a budget, perhaps it is best to wait a few weeks.
If this process feels overwhelming, remember not every day will be ‘perfect’ and each day will have its own challenges. And if you start and quickly realize it becomes more stressful than rewarding, take a step back. Do a potty pause and begin again when your energy allows. I promise the results will pay off!
#12 – Purchasing potty training items
There are a variety of potty training items to help ensure the journey goes smoothly. Here are a few I would recommend to start your journey with a bang!
We started off with only an elimination communication potty (IE a tiny potty). Then we moved towards a collapsable travel potty and rounded it out with potty training underwear (aka tiny trainers).
When did your little one(s) transition to going to underwear? Share your tips to success in the comments below!
[…] helped our first little one become diaper free by 18 months old. We started our elimination communication journey at nine months old. As she approaches two years […]