The diaper-free movement: Should babies be potty trained from birth?

Allison - posted on 07/21/2010

Last thing (sorry I'm very long winded...) - The squirming and vocalizing my son did when he needed to go potty - his communication - had to be DEVELOPED. He did a little of it naturally, but it became more clear through positive reinforcement - he learned over time to do those things more distinctly if he really had to go. I'm fairly sure that if I hadn't responded to those sounds/movements, he would have stopped doing them all together and been content to go in his diapers by about 6-8 months old - which I've also observed in other kids. Not saying that is a bad thing at all, just an observation...

Allison - posted on 07/21/2010

While I definitely feel for parents who go through potty training struggles, I really do agree with Geralyn. I do not think it is surprising that a 2, 3 or 4 year old cannot grasp a totally new, foreign concept that goes against what they've been taught since birth. For the HUNDREDS of posts I read about "HELP! I can't get my (2 or 3 or 4) year old use the potty!" I wish in my heart I could go back in time and help those moms by saying "Start communicating about it much, much earlier!"



Although of course all kids are different, and some will resist the potty more than others, I've seen as I helped with many of my friends' kids at age 2+ how MUCH MUCH more difficult the potty learning is when they don't include the potty communication/awareness aspect from a much earlier age. My son was SO stubborn at age 2, I don't even KNOW how I could ever have taught him something brand new at that time! I felt such a relief that I didn't have to deal with all the "potty training" struggles they were ALL going through.



As to the original question -"SHOULD babies be potty trained from birth?" I would answer a resounding NO. Like many have said, we are NOT talking about potty training, just communication and gradual awareness building - and every parent has to do what works for them. Plus, "potty-training" and "readiness signs" usually imply potty independence, and of course a child less than about 18-24 months will still needs lots of help getting to and using the potty. And in general I try to avoid the word "SHOULD" like the plague - BUT in this case, just as I think all parents SHOULD change their babies dirty diapers, I also think that all parents SHOULD just COMMUNICATE with their children about their elimination needs earlier than age 2 or 3. This is because I have found it is hard on kids (and me, when I take care of them!) when they are required to use diapers for 2-4 years, without any mention or hint of what is going on with their body or that someday they won't use diapers, then all of the sudden required to use the potty instead and get rid of the diapers they've worn their ENTIRE LIFE! It causes weeks or even months of stress (and messes) for kids and parents.



There are just SO many ways to communicate and help young (

Geralyn - posted on 07/21/2010

Lisa and Alsion, it was helpful to read about your experiences and thoughts. It is funny to me how much longer children are in diapers in the "westernized" world than in countries that embrace communication and awareness. And its funny to me too that the multitude of posts that I read in the general communities - whether its Welcome to COMS, Toddlers, Toddler Moms, etc.... - show that parents struggle with getting their little ones potty trained by 3 and sometimes even 4. I think the the evidence speaks for itself....

Jennifer - posted on 07/20/2010

Thanks for the info Allison it seems that this can work with some children but won't with others.

Allison - posted on 07/20/2010

Hi Jennifer,

Actually, I was quite surprised that babies DO have some degree of bowel and bladder control, which develops gradually over time (as with all muscles). However, my theory is that without communicating to them from birth about when they are going or need to go, such as when using full-time diapers with no communication about it, they don't develop those muscles until later, like you are saying. I think this is why most experts agree with you.



Anyway, I wasn't sure I believed that babies could learn to control it either, until I did it myself with my son, and met some friends who did it, as well. And I read that it's a skill that all mammals posess from a young age, since they have an instinct not to soil their bed/parent/self. My son could definitely hold it for 10-15 minutes after the first sign of needing to go at about 6 months. (At that point, he would go about 1.5-2 hours between potty times.) I carried him in a carrier most of the time when we would go out, so I could feel him squirming if he needed to go, and would just find a bathroom. As he got older, the time we had to find a potty got a little longer, especially since he could start to understand when I told him I was looking for a potty (like at 1 year old).



So it wasn't just 'hit and miss" - he would squirm and vocalize a certain way when he needed to go, and I would respond. Just as an older child learns to say "I need to go potty" ! (He also learned to say this very early, like at about 18 months, because it wasn't a foreign concept to him.) Like I said, the communication is the best part of it - of course going potty is just another need that kids have, and this is just one way to meet it when they are young, rather than waiting until after they have gone and then changing the diaper. It's not like he never wet himself - if there was something really interesting going on or whatever, sometimes he would not squirm or vocalize before he went. But we definitely could go out could go out for several hours without a wet diaper or undies about 90% of the time. At first I did undies or bare bottom all the time when I was with him, but since he would wet them occasionally, I switched to doing cloth diapers full-time "just in case" and just taking them off when he needed to use the potty, which worked well and eliminated the messes. I should add it really helped to have a Thai nanny for the first year, who was raised without diapers and raised her kids that way, too. So she could do it with him while I was at work, too.



I do understand when people say they have "better things to do" - I am SUPER busy and have LOTS to do too - but all mom's do change diapers, right? For me, this didn't take more time (which I did NOT have) - it was just a different use of the time. (I always changed every wet diaper, anyway, since I don't think it's good for their bottoms to sit in wet diapers.) And it helped me to figure out/address on my son's needs when I got back home - alleviating some stress, for sure - and learn to communicate well with him very early. Even as a full-time student and work-outside-the-home mom, I just really liked this approach, so I like sharing how it works with others, too :)

Jennifer - posted on 07/20/2010

Lisa fair enough my example was flawed but most infants cannot control their bowels until around 18 months of age. Therefore this system is just hit and miss guessing. If it works for people great but I've got better things to do personally plus how does this work when outside the home?

Sherri - posted on 07/19/2010

If you like it great I have more than one child and had 2 under two so there is no way I could manage this. Plus I watch other children so on average have 5-6 kids all the same age. It wouldn't even feasibly be possible. Other countries may use this method but for our 'westernized' civilization I believe diapers work just fine. Just like I feel bottles & formula are fine to if you don't want to breastfeed.

Tania - posted on 07/19/2010

Personally I have better things to do with my baby that watch for signs of when he pees.....not for me but if you do it good for you.

Allison - posted on 07/19/2010

@ Sara H. - Yes, frequently-changed cloth coupled with EC/natural hygeine meant we NEVER had to deal with diaper rash. That's another reason I am supportive of the general concept, however it is practiced - even if it is just changing the diapers immediately when wet. Two of my friends' babes who I sometimes watched had such terrible blistery, infected sores on their bottoms, it seems from having wet diapers on. Since they were disposables, the moms didn't want to change every wet one and I thought it was so sad that this practice was causing pain for the little ones :( I love my friends dearly, and we talked openly about it without any arguing or anything, but I think the disposable "leave it on for hours" mentality is so engrained in our US culture it was VERY hard for them to make any changes to their practice. Even with using every cream and ointment they could find, their babes had diaper rash pretty consistently until they learned to use the potty.

Allison - posted on 07/19/2010

@ Sherri - YES a baby CAN tell you if they don't want to use the potty. If THEY don't want to, you don't do it! That's the whole point of the "communication" part of it. You listen to what THEY want by watching their body language, faces and sounds. That's everything I've read and how I practiced it, anyway. I waited for HIS signal that he was uncomfortable or needed something - if he was content, I left him be, of course. I certainly never MADE him use the potty on a schedule or anything. Yes, I screwed this up plenty of times by taking him when I thought it was a good time - and he certainly let me know that he wanted to go back to what he was doing :) Live an learn, for sure! But that's why I loved it - not for the pottying part, but really starting to understand what my baby was saying before he could talk. Especially since I DID work full-time, this was a great way to focus on my baby when I could be with him. And I really feel it is one small thing that helped him grow into an excellent communicator.

Stephanie - posted on 07/19/2010

Sarah- Have you ever tried Gold Bond medicated baby powder? It worked wonders for my baby boy's super sensitive bum. Good stuff! : )

Minnie - posted on 07/19/2010

But Sherri- the majority of the countries you listed are 'westernized' countries.



16 countries on this planet that largely use diapers make them 'quite a few'?

Sherri - posted on 07/18/2010

No in the entire United States of America, Canada, Italy, France, S. Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Australia, Netherlands, Germany, & Japan countries babies 94%-96% use diapers.

Greece, Chili, Venezuela, S. Africa & Mexico's countries babies 80%-90% wear diapers.

So nope Lisa not just in my backwards US. Seems to be in quite a few other countries my modern way of thinking is catching on.

Good Day! - posted on 07/18/2010

I fight diaper rash on my baby's bum. To me, that is not okay. Which is the reason I want to switch over to cloth with my next baby. And if I can eliminate some of the time my baby's bum is in a diaper during the day (which is why this method sounds terribly interesting to me) then I'm all for it. And if the outcome is being in real underwear sooner (as some of the testimonials claim) them I'm for that too. Diapers are too expensive, terrible on baby's skin, and terrible for the environment.

I understand, completely, if people don't want to use cloth or consider other methods. But why come down on those that see the benefit in doing something different?

Minnie - posted on 07/18/2010

Sherri- there are a lot of things we do often while caring for little ones. Like breastfeeding. Or cleaning up spit up. Or simply picking up a baby. Or- even changing a diaper.

Why is paying attention to a child's signals that he desires to eliminate his waste disturbing? I think it's been restated ad nauseum that there is no expectation of the child to 'perform.' The baby shows signs of wanting to go, the parent holds the baby in a squatted position over a cloth, or sink, or toilet. Baby either goes or doesn't.

And it's pretty darn obvious when a baby doesn't want to be held to go. They definitely let you know.

Modern people use diapers and I find this method not okay for the modern day and age.

This statement is so incredibly egocentric. Modern people? Oh- you mean those in your neck of the woods are the only modern people.

Natural infant hygiene is practiced the world round. Crotchless-pants are a common wardrobe item in China for babies and toddlers. Elimination communication is practiced all throughout Africa, Asia and South America. In fact- many of these mothers find it outrageous and barbaric that people in westernized culture would stick diapers on their babies so that the babies' waste sits next to their skin.

Sherri - posted on 07/18/2010

It is disturbing to constantly hold a baby over a toilet (every 1 1/2 if I believe what everyone is saying) that is 18 times a day in a 24 hr period. That is hugely disturbing to me. What recourse does this baby have. Can they tell you they don't want to be held over a potty most of there entire waking hours? I just do not see the point in the least. We are now in modern times. Modern people use diapers and I find this method not okay for the modern day and age.

Minnie - posted on 07/18/2010

Geralyn- did you see the post that called natural infant hygiene 'idiotic' as well?



Basically, when one doesn't understand a concept, one's hackles rise and lashes out, apparently. Because that's obviously the best retort that one can come up with!

Geralyn - posted on 07/18/2010

Disturbing? Just because you don't agree with it, what could be disturbing about it? I could see if you said too much work, or unconventional, or whatever, but disturbing? I am curious....

It actually becomes a part of the baby's day, just like learning to play with toys, or eating foods, or drinking our of a bottle or straw.... It is truly based upon communication... and we communicate with our infants throughout the day. Just one more thing to communicate about.

Sherri - posted on 07/18/2010

Thank Heavens!!

Good Day! - posted on 07/18/2010

@Sherri, Nobody said you had to do this.

Sherri - posted on 07/18/2010

I am sorry I have 3 kids. I do not have time for this and nor do I want to. Plus I find it kind of disturbing.

Minnie - posted on 07/18/2010

Uh, Jennifer, last I checked I can't actually HOLD my menstrual flow inside my uterus. However, an infant can indeed hold his or her waste for an amount of time AND signal that he or she needs to go. It doesn't just run out constantly, willy-nilly.



Anyways, natural fibers are used in traditional cultures for menstrual blood- and a woman does not get her period as often and definitely not as heavy as women do in westernized society. Typically a woman's reproductive cycle involves becoming pregnant, nursing for several years and then when she becomes fertile again she gets pregnant again- typically she has a baby every four years. With natural-duration breastfeeding coupled with an active lifestyle and a low-fat diet, periods are few and far between.

Jennifer - posted on 07/18/2010

Before tampons and pads were invented I'm assuming women's period blood was just allowed to flow but people wouldn't go without using tampons and pads now so why would people not use nappies either disposable or cloth just because that's what people used to do? Just a thought...

Johnny - posted on 07/16/2010

I had a lot of fun doing EC with Michaela. We'd sing songs, read books, and play games while she went. I never held her over the toilet, we used a little Baby Bjorn potty. I will say that I didn't start doing it seriously until 4 months because she was definitely peeing every 20 minutes before that point. By about 4-5 months, she was going for 1.5 hours between toilet visits. The first week took a lot of focus, but it definitely got easier. I wish we'd been able to stick with it, but she was/is an extremely high energy child and she just would not sit still around 11 months. The entire idea went out the window. If I'd been in a non-diaper using culture, we would have been doing a lot of floor cleaning & laundry at that time, lol.

I too am really surprised so many moms on here are so opposed to this practice. It's one thing if you wouldn't choose to do it yourself, we each do lots of things differently, but it's quite another to be so critical of other moms deciding to give it a whirl. Not to mention the fact that most babies through history and a good portion of today's children on this earth never were put in diapers. It's not some sort of weird new-age parenting technique.

Brandie - posted on 07/16/2010

Seriously who has time for this? When my son was first born I barely got the diaper on before he peed all over the ceiling. I can think of a lot of better ways to bond with your baby besides holding him or her over the toilet every 30 minutes.

Christy - posted on 07/16/2010

If I have another child I will absolutely be doing this. With my daughter I didn't hear about it till she was 11 months old but I thought, "what the heck, let's give it a shot". So I bought an inexpensive potty chair and started putting her on every 30 mins or so while still using diapers. In the beginning it only cut down a few changes a day but by the time she was 14 months old she was staying clean all day and by 18 months old she had graduated to big girl panties full time. I honestly think it was much easier to train her (and myself!) so early because at the age we did it she was eager to please, not exert her will over mine like is common 2 year old behavior. Night time has been a whole different ball game but I am pleased to say that with her 2nd birthday coming up in 2 weeks she has finally grasped that concept for the most part and is dry nearly every night.

I don't know if I would recommend this to a working mom since it was extremely time consuming in the beginning but I'm sure if someone was dedicated enough they could make it work no matter what their circumstances were.

Allison - posted on 07/16/2010

Wow, I'm really surprised so many moms on here are averse to this. I am getting the feeling most don't know much about it, really. Like Geralyn said, this is just the way things were done until diapers were invented, it's really not such a big deal. I never learned the name "EC" til recently, because I learned about it as "natural infant hygeine."



@ Amy - I worked 40 hrs/week so our son had a nanny at first, then was in daycare full time. He just wore diapers (cloth) in both places, but if they thought of it and he was dry, the ladies would just put him on the potty next to the bigger kids. We mentioned to them that we were teaching him about the potty a little, but didn't encourage them to do it, because for sure it has to be done in a supportive, positive way. It wasn't like he was potty "trained" - he just learned that he could go pee in the potty if needed to go and it was offered, bascially.



@ Olivia - I am really just curious, if you do full time diapers how do you know your baby pees that often? I'm sure some kids go more often and some less, but I never knew how often my son was actually going until I started letting him pee in the potty and leaving the diaper off sometimes. He drank a LOT at 6 months, but still only went pee about ever 1.5 to 2 hours (usually ~10 minutes after nursing). That seemed to be the norm with all my friends' EC kids, too.



Of course I'm not encouraging people to try it if they don't want to, but I just feel that many people aren't understanding what it is, and making strong statements about it even though they've never even tried it themselves. It's very natural and laid back - not very involved or demanding or "all or nothing" or time consuming or anything that many on here are mentioning :)

Geralyn - posted on 07/15/2010

EC isn't a "movement." It has been around since the existence of time. EC is analogous to breast milk before the inception of formula. EC was used everywhere before diapers were invented, and it still is used in many cultures and countries.... Its relatively "new" (relatively speaking) to use diapers and formula if we were to look at it that way....

Alison - posted on 07/15/2010

I think each parent should decide what works for them. Personally, I cannot see my self putting the time and effort in for something that I don't see as inherently beneficial. If I had the courage to do my part for the environment, I would opt for cloth over EC.

Amy - posted on 07/15/2010

I don't see any issues with parent's who do that, however I do see problems with other's are watching your child if your using that method. Daycare's shouldn't have to deal with that at all, they've got so many other things to watch for in kids.

I've talked to my husband about this and both of us agree we would never do that. Yes I would LOVE for my 2 year old son to be potty trained, but I know he's just not ready. I'm afraid by pushing him he'll take longer (as I've seen happen with friends child).

Olivia - posted on 07/15/2010

This is idiotic. First off a new born and even a 6 month old child which is how old my daughter is, pee's multiple times in the hour. As a new born I would not find it right for her or me to hold her on a toilet ever 10-15 min along with breast feeding her. If you want to eliminate diaper waist support cloth diapers not no diapers at all. IMO

Sherri - posted on 07/14/2010

I personally will be adding to the land fills and supporting the diaper market. This is a load of non sense just another thing to stress parents out with. IMO ridiculous!!

Johnny - posted on 07/13/2010

That is exactly what I did Allison. I had a couple friends who also did EC that way. I don't know anyone who was willing to risk their carpets, linens and clothes (and being crapped on) to go diaper-free, with the exception of people who grew up in cultures where it was "the way things were done". I have a Vietnamese friend, a South Indian friend, and a Sri Lankan acquaintance who all did diaper-free. But they'd seen in done in their families growing up.

Allison - posted on 07/13/2010

I just wanted to add something here that seems to be a common misconception...EC doesn't always mean diaper-free - you can do full time diapers and still do EC. It's about communication, really, not rules :) For us, instead of changing diapers, we just took them off and took him to the potty when he needed to or he had been dry a while. It was usually every ~2 hours when he was newborn, then longer and longer. After potty-time, the diapers usually went back on. So the diapers usually stayed dry, and it didn't take any extra time. It made much less work (and messiness) for us, since we used cloth :)

Jane - posted on 07/13/2010

My kids are 20 and 17 so EC was not something that was talked about when they were babies. Had it been, I still don't think I would have done it. Now mind you, I heavily supported the diaper industry because I changed more often than I think most did....one pee, change...obviously, one poop, change....look to see and even if it was dry, change. I was very anal about ensuring they didn't ever have to sit in wet or poopy diapers. I think I did a little overkill on that but whatever. BUT, I wouldn't have felt secure and it would have stressed me out to do EC. HOWEVER, I think if someone wants to do it....great for them.

Teresa - posted on 07/13/2010

I have no problem w/ helping to support the diaper industry. ;)

Rosie - posted on 07/13/2010

i think it is too much work for me and my family!! for those who want to, more power to ya!! ;)

Jessie - posted on 07/13/2010

hmmm.... I don't think I would have done this had I known about it. My daughter is 8 months now and I still don't know her poop face. She doesn't really have one, or a pee face sooo I think our house would be a mess, lol. I'm very intune with my little girl but this wouldn't have worked for us.

Allison - posted on 07/13/2010

PS I think this is a good site that sums of some of the key aspects of early potty-learning, especially how you can do it even while using diapers full time:

thishttp://www.pottywhisperer.com/howitworks...

Allison - posted on 07/13/2010

I did EC from 3 months old with my son and loved doing it part-time (I worked full-time) and without any "expectations". As soon as I tried to "show off" for relatives or try to get him to the potty 100% of the time, it stressed me (and him) a bit and he would resist it. It didn't really take more patience or time than using cloth diapers (since we changed them right away, anyway). But more than anything, it was GREAT parent training - I learned so much about his needs, timing and what made him fussy by doing this. Turned out a lot of his fussiness was just because he needed to go potty - lots of babies wait until the diaper is off to go pee or poop, and I think it's because it doesn't feel very good. Once they get used to the feeling, they're fine, but I found out that it was one source of fussiness for my son that he really didn't like going in his diapers! When he was busy playing or entertained, he didn't care, but otherwise it bugged him. I never would have learned that without EC. And I also learned that he COULD hold it as early as 4 months old (even though many Dr's and books and websites say this isn't true) to wait for a potty - if HE wanted to. That is, he would squirm and act like he needed to go, but would wait until I took his diaper off and held him in "potty position" - then he would immediately go. It was NOT that I told him or trained him to hold it or anything - sometimes if we were out I would even try to encourage him to go in his diaper - but he wouldn't. He preferred to wait, I guess! It was really fascinating, I thought.



Because I had to work more after age 1, we mostly stopped EC, although if the time/mood was right we still let him try the potty. I think it made the standard "potty training" WAY easier, because we did that at 24 months and it only took about 1 month to be fully in underwear, without any of these "battles" that so many of my friends and family talked about. Mostly, though, the most important thing is that I came to believe that leaving babies/toddlers in wet or dirty diapers for more than a few minutes is gross, and I learned how to notice (without any extra work) when my son was going/had gone and get him changed promptly. He NEVER once got a diaper rash and was much happier for feeling dry all the time, I think. So it wasn't full-time EC, but we just used some elements of it when it worked for us.



I definitely think full-time EC takes a special "chill out" mindset and attentiveness and not everyone would do well with it. However, I think most parents would find their job (and potty training, especially) is much easier, and their child is happier, if they would take some time early on to learn the truth about how baby's elimination works (most doctors and websites get it wrong, it seems!), not leave their kids in wet/dirty diapers ever, to pay attention to their baby/toddler's potty needs and not just "put it off" until they are 2, and also to teach them, gradually, about the fact that pee and poop go in the potty - starting from a very young age (just like with everything else) and not wait until they have firmly formed most of their opinions about the world. I totally understand that potty training would be so hard for most kids because they have been taught from birth that if you have to go, you just go immediately, and the diaper is where it belongs. That's a big part of their life, and I think it must be pretty confusing to suddenly change that on them, without introducing it gradually. Nothing extreme, but just give them the opportunity to learn and talk about pottying in a fun way whenever you and they are in the mood - just as with teaching them to eat solids or walk or talk or play...

Amber - posted on 07/13/2010

Hmm. That's interesting. I'd never heard of it before. I might try it when I have another child. I guess I'll just have to see how much time, energy, and patience I have.
It doesn't seem like it would be too difficult, because I remember seeing my son and think he had to go. And I would grab a fresh diaper so that he would be changed as soon as he was done.
Thanks for sharing. I don't know that I would have ever heard about this otherwise :)

Good Day! - posted on 07/13/2010

I think it's a cool concept. I didn't realize you could do this while keeping the baby in diapers. I guess I misunderstood the first time I heard of it. I very much want to switch to cloth diapers with the next child, might as well do some research and try this too.

Jaime - posted on 07/13/2010

I don't have a harsh opinion about EC and I certainly don't think it's dirty, but I would say it probably takes a shit load of patience. I was a single mom when I had Gray and with all of my stress and struggles that would have been a torturous battle. Who knows, if I ever decide to have another baby, I might go the EC route and see what it's all about. For now I'm prepared to fight the potty training battle with Gray in the near future.

Joanna - posted on 07/13/2010

Kudos to the moms with the patience to do this. I'm sure it would help make potty training a 2 year old easier (lord knows the issues I've been having, lol). If you can stay at home and do this all day, more power to you. I'd love to save the money on diapers. And although I'm pregnant again, and think it's a great idea, I won't do it. I'll have to take care of a toddler, too, so I'm afraid I wouldn't be very in tune to the new baby's needs, potty-wise.

LaCi - posted on 07/13/2010

IF I were to have another child, I'd do it. I would have done it with the first, but I wasn't exactly prepared for the parenting thing as he was, what most politely call, a "surprise" lol

I think it's a fantastic idea, and I do wish I had heard of it when I was pregnant.

Minnie - posted on 07/13/2010

The statement that EC is a form of toilet training is false. There isn't any coercion or expectation of the child to hold his or her waste until he or she can be brought to a toilet. What happens happens.

Children do indeed have awareness of their bodies from birth and an amount of control over their bladders and bowels. That awareness and control disappears when they are put in diapers from birth and lean to relieve themselves there.

EC helps parents be very in tune with their children and it is just another form of showing respect to them: they aren't left with their waste next to their skin and their awareness of their bodies and ability to communicate their needs is recognized.

People think it's dirty, and that one is a slave to her children's needs, but that's because they only have experience with children in diapers and the messiness of potty training in toddlerhood. EC is practiced the world-round from birth.

April - posted on 07/13/2010

i am thinking about trying EC with future children. i didn't want to start "late"...as EC is most effective when started by or before 4 months of age. my son was 10 months. i could have went ahead and gave it a go, but i wasn't sure i could do it. EC is "parent training" and i have never been good at reading his cues (he never made a poop face, etc...)

Jennifer - posted on 07/13/2010

To be quite honest I think this is a load of hogwash! I certainly wouldn't do it with my son because we have carpets all over the house and to be perfectly honest I have more important things to do than guess when he needs the loo, then run upstairs to let him do his business. I think children should be pottytrained when they are ready usually around 18-24 months.

Meghan - posted on 07/12/2010

my son has been telling me he has to go pee and poop since he was 15 months old...he just refuses to do it on a toliet. It may work for some familes, but I am very intune with my son and I like the security of a diaper lol!

Johnny - posted on 07/12/2010

Oh, and I should add that EC is NOT potty training. EC is "parent training". You still need to go through the process of training your children to recognize their own cues and perform their own toileting at an appropriate age.