I admit, when I first heard about Elimination Communication (EC)
several years ago, I was skeptical. Really skeptical. Okay,
maybe I even said, "Ewww." After all, what was this about?
Rushing to hold your infant over a potty, based on intuition and
certain cues? I'm a big believer in non-verbal communication,
telepathy if you will, and in fact I've communicated with my own
children that way when they were pre-verbal, using it for instance to
know when they were hungry or thirsty (and don't many parents do
that? Think about it; I'm sure you have done this too), but, uh,
the peeing and pooping? It's one thing to mistake "I want that
block" for "I'm thirsty", but....the pee. And the poop.
But
what about the diapers? They're expensive, and lots of people
have issues with the bleaches and gels and dyes that kids are wearing
next to their kid-bits for longer and longer periods now, judging by
the ever-increasing diaper sizes that are now available (soon! In
Extra Jumbo Jumbo! New retro designs, great for the dorm!), and
aren't we filling up our landfills with these things, each one with a
half-life of about 400 years, collectively containing enough ammonia
and methane to increase global warming at least ten degrees?
So...should
the hipster parent be thinking about having their babies go
commando? Apparently, this concept is not new, nor is it confined
to super-crunchy AP parents. Parents in many parts of the world who
don't have easy access to disposable diapers have been doing this for
years. According to this article,
"for most [EC parents], it's another way to stay in tune with
their babies, just as they pick up cues the child is hungry
or tired. They emphasize that it's a process, not a
goal of training a child within a certain time frame." Okay, but what
about the parents who work outside the home? And what is this
about holding a potty under the child while he nurses? And what about the split-crotch panties uh, pants for babies?
If you're interested in this concept, there is a wealth of information available
about it, but be aware that the experts advise that there is a "window
of opportunity" for beginning EC that only extends to about five or six
months of age. After that, it's Huggies all the way. Sorry, Charlie.
