Secret # 4 to Elimination Communication

Secret # 4 to Elimination Communication: Maintaining a Basic Level of ‘Opportunities’ Will Keep You Both in Touch

In this secret you will discover how a minimal level of offers will help keep your connection through hectic times – it will keep you both in touch.

One of the common misconceptions about EC is the one of commitment – that it must be studiously practised all the time. That one is doing it ‘wrong’ or ‘not properly’ by using nappies. But this is not the case – EC is about your approach to baby’s hygiene needs. Babies are adaptable beings, EC is adaptable too. In busy times, on crazy days, when baby is in a ‘no thanks’ phase, it is easy, perfectly sensible and normal to use more diapers and then focus in on your communication when life is more tranquil. These little breaks are common.

Think of EC as an ebbing and flowing process – I hope that isn’t a really bad pun? In the big picture, things will be fine – be flexible, remember? Baby will become toilet independent. EC is flexible. Keep a level of awareness of baby’s attempts at communicating, aim to support their needs within your lifestyle. Keep a sense of balance.

Consider these three suggestions:

1. Life gets in the way. No matter what comes, strive to find time for at least one potty opportunity per day. Make a commitment to fit a timing opportunity into each day, perhaps at the first nappy change or after a sleep – these are Prime Times. Preferably at the same time each day. This basic level of consistency will keep the lines of communication open with your baby – even if they don’t take up that ‘offer’ every time.

2. Share the offers around. You don’t need to be the one doing all the offering – in busy times the person who attends to baby at a prime time can offer them the opportunity to go. Older siblings can be a great help. (Know that at times babies may have passing preferences as to who they relax to wee with.) Even in crazy times this easily means a few offers for baby. The family is then keeping the communication open…

3. Go to the toilet with your baby. In the past, mothers with many children aimed to provide some level of consistency in their communication with their babies. For example my Grandma Ruth would take her current baby to the toilet with her and place them on the potty at her feet (once they had sitting ability). Easily achieved, and baby is also experiencing the normality of taking a moment from their activities to have a wee. Lots of mums find that their babies will need to go when they do, anyway.

Read more here about how ‘usual’ Elimination Communication actually was in the suburbs just a couple of generations ago -:

My Grandma did EC too.

So, remember Secret #4 to developing your diaper free confidence: Maintaining a basic level of ‘opportunities’ will keep you both in touch.

Easing Into EC Tip #4: Catch Your Baby’s Eyes…

Eye contact – experts tell us that a large amount of our communication is non-verbal. Your baby is certainly non-verbal, yet can communicate so much. When your baby next ‘goes’ in perhaps their nappy-free time or if you notice their diaper going warm, catch their eye and acknowledge their efforts; chat about it. It won’t be long before your baby is trying to catch your eye to ‘tell’ you their needs.

So, Look into your baby’s eyes and discover more than just cuteness…Look for the ‘tinkle’ along with the ‘twinkle.’

Have fun connecting,
Charndra

P.S. See how Elimination Communication works? You work on enhancing your communication consistently, in ways that you are comfortable with– while at home, when you are feeling enthused. At other times, baby is in a nappy – such as when you are not holding baby, or they are with other carers who are not comfortable with the idea yet. Have no worries about this – it is a gradual learning process for everyone, babies and EC are adaptable to these variations, so long as the lines of communication stay open.

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Thank you,

Charndra

www.tribalbaby.org

Build Your EC Confidence With Ease! Download my FREE eBook:
Discover the 7 Secrets to Elimination Communication

The 7 Secrets are the introductory section of my eBook:

‘Part Time EC: A Personal Guide to Developing Your Elimination Communication Confidence’