What are your thoughts?

Other: a fad FOR SOME in the US, but real for the rest of us and the world.

I started part-time ECing with ds at around 20 months because he isn't quite there yet with potty training, but doesn't keep his diapers on anymore. Its really not that hard with a toddler, but the level of commitment and patience it takes with an infant is what makes me laugh when people call it a "trend".

[Lash]

ditto Cori. For the most part though, I think mothers and fathers actually fully practicing EC in the US are not doing so for fad reasons

[frgsonmysox]

I think some people use it as a fad, but then quickly give up as I think EC takes a lot of time and patience.

[Lash]

I agree and said the exact same thing in the other thread. I just dont think that families that are fully carrying out EC are doing it "cause they want to quickly potty train" or cause its the latest thing to do. Its pretty intensive, just as breast feeding can be, but worth the benefits (to me) in the end. Its like calling breastfeeding a trend to me

I used to not understand EC, and I thought it was stupid and gross. I thought parents were pushing their babies to grow up too fast. I don't see it like that anymore, I just see it as a different parenting choice.

[maria27]

what the heck is it?

ETA~ never mind I looked it up.... I don't know if I'd call it a trend or not but I don't support it.

[Lash]

well glad you asked! Someone else will probably post as I do, but Elimination Communication, or EC is a method of timing, signals and cues to allow baby to eliminate waste. Instead of using a diaper 24/7 and having baby sit in the diaper, the parent allows baby to use the bathroom in some other method (over the potty, in the sink, outside)
Its also called Natural Infant Hygiene
EC'ers believe babies do have control over muscles, and parents notice cues when baby needs to eliminate. They then take them to the area (like in our house it will be the toilet) and often make a noise or signal as baby is eliminating. Baby starts to connect signal/noise with eliminating in a classical conditioning type response. You might have seen the smaller bjorn potties at baby stores

here are some links
http://www.freewebs.com/freetoec/ I think the explanations on this one are great (and its from a skeptical mom)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elimination_communication
http://www.theecstore.com/
http://www.natural-wisdom.com/
diaperfreebaby.org

[Lash]

what makes you not support it? if you dont support it, you are in opposition to it, and that means you believe it to be a faulty or wrong parenting practice as opposed to something you just dont see yourself doing

[maria27]

what makes you not support it? if you dont support it, you are in opposition to it, and that means you believe it to be a faulty or wrong parenting practice as opposed to something you just dont see yourself doing[/b]

I do not think children that young are capable of the muscle control it takes to succesfully be "potty trained".

[rachna]

I do not think children that young are capable of the muscle control it takes to succesfully be "potty trained".
[/b]

I agree with this, I also worry about emotional reprecussions of it. I think the parents end up trained not the baby

[Lash]

I ask you both to read the links
I also ask you how it seems to affect cultures all over the world that do this, and consider diapers the wrong way to go. Its also not potty training, Its using the bathroom to eliminate instead of in a diaper. the cues are not necessary, just a tool one can use if wanted

What emotional repurcussions? I'm curious as to what you have in mind.
Personally I don't see anything wrong with it....I'm not so sure you can call it any more of a fad than any other aspect of parenting that is more "attachment" or "natural" or whatever you want to call it as opposed to the traditional North American way of things....seems to be the way parenting is going these days, gradually.
Anyways I think it's great if the parents are up for it! I know I personally would never bother to try it, call me lazy but it looks like way too much work! I know they say it's less work becuase you just take them for a quick pee/poo instead of having to change them completely, but the fact is you'd have to respond to their need pretty much immediately, and very frequently...the one thing I read said newborns pee every 10-20 minutes. With two kids at home under the age of 3 I don't see how I could possibly drop everything and run to sit my baby on the potty every 15 minutes! Can you imagine trying to EC a newborn AND a 17 month old? (what I would have had to do with my kids had I chosen this option). Not something I would want to attempt, personally! I think if you just have one it's a little more do-able.

[Lash]

not lazy, just a different way of parenting! I certainly dont think EC is the only way to go, but certainly want to try it in my home. I dont think people who dont try EC are lazy! it is hard!
but to me, many parenting things are hard and take up alot of time. Breastfeeding on demand takes alot of time and is hard! But its the cultural norm here (or in some cases it is) and EC is not a cultural norm

[LadyCoconut]

I didn't vote on the poll... I had never heard of EC! It's very interesting ! Thank you guys for sharing the topic! And Lauren, thanks for the links they've been very helpful!

I ask you both to read the links
I also ask you how it seems to affect cultures all over the world that do this, and consider diapers the wrong way to go. Its also not potty training, Its using the bathroom to eliminate instead of in a diaper. the cues are not necessary, just a tool one can use if wanted[/b]

Ditto, I don't consider ds "potty trained" until he is able to handle the potty basics on his own. I don't think I've ever heard an ECers say their baby is potty trained, either.

[Banned-pumpkinandpudding]

It's not something I believe I could be committed to. Ultimately, when having a newborn, I chose to BF. But I can't BF AND take my ADD meds. EC seems like something I really need to be able to focus for to do effectively and I just don't think I'd be successful with it. Even ON my meds it's a lot of information and overwhelming, but for me, I'd rather BF than do anything else that takes that much focus.

It just wouldn't work well for our family, our lifestyle and our needs.

[rdhdtrue]

As long as no pressure is put on either parents or children I have no issues with it. Stress is a major factor in most events of life and I would love it if parents could just enjoy parenting and babies/toddlers enjoy that also.

[~Jess~]

I haven't read on it extensively, so I don't know all the ins-and-outs, but I do know that I'm just too lazy to do it. (which is the only reason that I haven't researched it more extensively.) But I'm in 100% support of parent's who do opt to practice EC.

but the fact is you'd have to respond to their need pretty much immediately, and very frequently...the one thing I read said newborns pee every 10-20 minutes.[/b]

This is interesting. I'm wondering how one would bfeed and practice EC. Often, my son would bfeed for an hour straight, take a half-hour break and then bfeed for another hour, on and on all day for the first few weeks. How would this work with EC?

[Mod-quietsong]

I have actually seen a couple of EC mamas refer to their babies (younger than one) as potty trained.

And I think it was best put above - some, perhaps many, start it as a fad...but only those who take it seriously stick to it.