Elimination Communication
During this pregnancy, I've consciously chosen to step into alignment with my highest values; specifically natural and connected parenting. I have opted out of baby registries, eliminating [pun not intended] most gadgets and gear from my life… choosing instead a more minimalist approach to motherhood and selecting only to purchase items that were either essential or supportive of how I want to parent my baby (while shopping used/local/small/conscious companies whenever possible).
My 2019 minimalist mamahood gear includes items like: cloth diapers and wipes, gender-neutral clothing (mostly second-hand), cloth pads, baby carriers [a few too many - Sakura Bloom has shifted me away from my minimalism goals just a little, enter: Scout, Onbuhimo, AND a ring sling], a second-hand baby chair, breastfeeding pillow, and… a top hat potty for *drumroll* Elimination Communication.
What is Elimination Communication?
Elimination Communication is an instinctual practice in which a parent/caregiver uses timing, signals and cues to intuit their little one's need to eliminate waste (age 0-18months). Parents shift into alignment with their instincts to recognize and respond to babies' bodily needs, enabling them to release/urinate and defecate in an appropriate place (e.g. a toilet, sink, top hat potty, baby potty etc.) reducing or eliminating the need for diapering.
What I love about EC is that it’s a natural practice that predates diapers. The crux of Elimination Communication is rooted in nature - celebrating our biological norms and intuitive connection with our babies. The practice (when you unpack it) exposes cultural conditioning surrounding diapering that is so normalized by a culture that is dissociated from nature while adopting parenting practices around late toilet training that are driven by corporate capitalism.
EC is something that piqued my interest when I first heard about it--admittedly something that I’ve only learned about in the last couple years as a birth worker. EC was not even almost on my radar when I became a mother for the first time, 10 years ago.
A majority of the conscious mothers whom I admire in my community are practicing EC; because of them, I’ve no doubt been influenced, inspired and excited to begin my own EC journey together with my babe.
Are you curious about Elimination Communication?
Is it something that you want to try but aren’t sure how it will work?
Maybe it's something you’ve never heard about…
While I look forward to sharing more with you in the future around by own experiences with EC, I have compiled a list of resources for you if you'd like to learn more, including books, podcasts, mama-owned shops, and community connections.
E . C . R E S O U R C E S | |
|| PODCASTS ||
|| BOOKS ||
|| IG EC MAMAS ||
I get by with a little help from my friends…
|| FB EC COMMUNITY ||
|| SUPPLIES, POTTIES + eSOURCES ||