Here’s the article:
.
“Potty Training Your Infant With Elimination Communication“
.
So, you have decided to learn more about infant potty training, but you do not know quite where to start. You are in the right place! Let me first give a brief description of what elimination communication actually is, and then we will get into why people are choosing to practice it.
.
Elimination Communication (EC) is a potty training practice in which a person uses timing, signals, cues, and instinct to respond to an infant’s need to eliminate. One of the goals is to partially or completely avoid the use of diapers. EC emphasizes relationship between the caregiver and child, helping them both become more in tune to the child’s natural rhythms and control of his/her bladder and bowels. The term “elimination communication” originated with traditional practices of diaper-less baby care in less industrialized countries. Some people start EC soon after birth, although it can be started with babies of any age.
.
Now that we have gotten that out of the way, let us move on to the top reasons folks choose to practice infant potty training.
.
#1 – Parents have an innate desire to connect with their offspring, and when a parent is truly in tune with those feelings, they passionately want to do everything in their power to facilitate the bond between their children and themselves. This strong, natural, parental instinct is the most important reason families choose to practice EC. These parents believe that their children are able to non-verbally communicate their needs to them, including their elimination needs. Because of this belief, they quickly respond to their children if they sense they need to eliminate by taking them to the toilet, sink, or even outside. These “natural parenting” adults also believe that their children should not have to sit in their own waste, for they deserve the same respect as any other human being.
.
#2 – People are always interested in saving money, and it is not any different for parents. Actually, frugality seems to be amplified once a person becomes a parent. All of the sudden you have to account for the expenses of caring for another human being. That can cost a pretty penny, too. Parents are always trying to come up with ways to pinch a dime or two out of their childcare spending, and elimination communication is one great way to do it. You do not have to worry about diapers, and even if you do choose to use diapers, most EC parents choose inexpensive cloth prefolds. The reason for this is that the baby and parent are able to immediately realize that the child has used the bathroom, because they can see and/or feel the wetness. This allows the child to remain aware of his bodies eliminating function. If disposables are used, most babies quickly lose this natural awareness, because the diapers absorb all the dampness of their urine.
.
If you practice full time elimination communication, and do not purchase diapers, you can expect to save thousands of dollars over the course of your child’s “diapering” years. Not to mention the fact that most of these EC‘d babies will be fully toilet trained far before most other non-practicing children, usually around 12-18 months old. This is quite a miracle considering the average potty training age is now 3-4 years of age.
.
However, if you do decide to buy some prefold diapers of good quality, you still are only likely to spend a couple hundred dollars, sometimes less. It all depends on how frugal you really want to be. The point is that EC can be a HUGE money saver if you decide to try it. (Elimination Communication Money Savings)
.
#3 – Many babies are plagued with diaper rash. The causes of this are too many to count, but frequently they are related to sitting too long in a dirty diaper. It isn’t uncommon to find parents who allow there infants to go diaper free for short periods of time, while in the comfort of their homes. This is because the air allows the babies’ rashed skin the breathe, which aids in healing the problem. I am sure these same people occasionally deal with a little pee on the carpet from time to time.
.
What these parents do not usually realize is that what they are doing could actually be termed elimination communication, since most EC families allow their children at least some diaper free time. Many do it early on in the process as a way to observe and learn about their child’s elimination routines. Others allow diaper free time once they feel confident enough in their ability to read their child’s potty cues. Then, there are the few who believe in allowing the child do as they please at all times, and therefore just do not make them wear clothes. (Although, I am finding this to be on the more rare side.)
.
I am sure many parents of babies with sore bums would actually be willing to at least attempt elimination communication, if they just allowed themselves to have an open mind. They would see that the benefits FAR outweigh any hassle they might have to go through with the process.
.
In conclusion, elimination communication is a wonderful bonding experience for you and your child. It has the potential to save you some mucho bucks, and it is plain better for your child’s bottom. Go ahead, be weird for once, and give this infant potty training stuff a whirl. I promise you will not regret it!
.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_South
.
