Our Second EC Journey

To read about our Elimination Communication with our first daughter and to learn more about EC, visit: Maybellee's EC Journey

The first time Charlie went "on the potty" was actually at the hospital. I noticed signs that he needed to eliminate, so not even 2 days old and still in the hospital, my husband made the first poo catch!

When we got home, it was my turn! We have continued to make many, many catches. ECing this time has so far been very, very different. Its an acquired skill, so this second time around I'm more experienced and having an easier time of watching for and catching his signals. I have been having instant success at catching most of his pees and poos. Overall, I just know what I'm doing right from the start - at least for the most part.

What is new to me is this "boy business". ECing a boy is different. You have to adjust your hold technique to include guidance in aiming the urine stream - lest you wind up with a very big mess! In his first week of life we had to watch the sheets after a very messy incident. Another time as I was trying to EC over the sink, him and I both got a  shower! That has been the most difficult part for me, as I have smaller hands and he's a larger baby than my first, and making sure I'm holding him with adequate head/neck support while trying to get my finger placement just right to properly aim him has been an awkward challenge.

By 2 weeks old, he was already showing preference for the potty and not wanting to eliminate in his diaper.  Despite how often newborns go, I've been doing a pretty good job of getting him to the potty more than 50% of the time. The catch rate would be higher if I wasn't so busy taking care of a toddler, I'm sure, because he lets me know every time he needs to cry with a fuss. He always signals in some way. So far, his signals are lip quivers, unlatching from the breast, kicking his legs, becoming very still during nursing, or just generally being fussy. Its really neat to be ECing a second time, because thinking back onto trying to learn Maybellee's cues, she did these things all the time and I did not have a clue she needed to go. This second time, reading my baby is so much easier.

By 4 weeks of age, he was showing a very strong preference for wanting to use the potty. Sometimes he would start to fuss during tummy time, and I knew what that meant! A few times I had to finish what I was doing before I could help him potty, but every time, he always waited, even if that meant he started going the second he was over the potty and I took the diaper off. He was already demonstrating that he could control his eliminations also. I often remove the diaper in the other room and then walk him to the potty, and he always holds it until he's being held over the potty. At 4 weeks old he was also showing that he understands the cue. If I took him to the potty and cued him, even if I wasn't sure he needed to go, I could feel and see him using his pelvis muscles to try and pee!

BabyBjorn Little Potty -
the difference is a
shorter, smaller potty
with a more comfortable
squatty type position to the seat,
wider urine guard,
and no removable insert.

At 6 weeks old, we have established a really good routine. Most days, he only wets a diaper or two a day; the rest our catches. In his short little life, I can count on one hand how many times I've had to change a poopy diaper. We still have some off days when I'm just too distracted by my phone, cleaning, or Maybellee but for the most part EC has been VERY successful this go around.  That is, except for at night time. Charlie is a much heavier sleeper and wakes less frequently, which also means I sleep deeper as well. He also is not much of a crier, and although he does get squirmy in the middle of the night when he wakes and needs to potty, I don't always wake up in time until he's gone and a bit more upset for having a wet diaper and finally wakes me with some weak cries. Nighttime EC is less than 50% successful, which is a bit frustrating to me since night time EC with my first was 95% successful. However, he is still waking, rather than sleeping through his elimination, so EC is still having a positive effect on his nighttime elimination in my opinion.

At 7 weeks old I decided to switch the potty I most typically use - from the more modern Baby Bjorn potty (pictured above) to the BabyBjorn Little Potty (pictured to the right) and potty times have been drastically less messy and we no longer have aim issues. I wish I would have switched sooner ... and for life of me cannot figure out why in the world would they stop producing the Little Potty!?!? It's far superior to the newer product. In my opinion it is better shaped with a deeper seat to get baby into a bigger squat and also has a wider pee-guard, which allows me to just hold him on top of the potty and not worry about aiming him.

Big sister loves to help by bringing
the potty to mommy when Brother
needs to go and also helps make the
"Pssssss" sound or Potty sign to him.

Overall, I have been putting a lot of effort into it this time, since I started it much earlier with Charlie than I did Maybellee. Some days it feels like all I do is go from breastfeeding him, to potty, back to nursing, potty some more, repeat. It does require more attention and a different kind of extra work involved to practice Elimination Communication than conventionally diapering or cloth diapering, but its such a wonderful experience to be able to watch your baby communicate his elimination needs and for me to be able to meet those needs. Sure beats doing the cloth diaper laundry and changing a poopy diaper too!


Although this is my second time doing this, its still so brilliantly exciting and fascinating to see it for myself that babies can, will, and do prefer to eliminate away from themselves and that by communicating with my baby, by carefully watching for his signals, providing a potty opportunity, together we can prevent him from soiling himself!