s/o the Mayim Bialik post

amiamish

In there she said she practices "elimination communication" what is that?

There are so many interesting/somewhat controversial things that she is doing with her family: elimination communication, bed sharing, home schooling, home birth, and choosing not to vaccinate her kids.

crackerjackprinter

Basically instead of using diapers to rely on catching pee and poop you look for signals that your baby is going to, and get them to a toilet.  That's my very limited understanding, hopefully someone else chimes in too.

amiamish

Wow... I'm hoping that's at a certain age-not newborns, I can't even imagine that working.

papagena

The short answer (from someone who doesn't practice it) is that it is watching your baby's cues to see when they have to go to the bathroom, and helping them to do so in the toilet/wherever appropriate, basically not needing diapers.  You also can give your LO cues to have them eliminate.  It basically ends up having your LO PL at a very young age.  From what I understand, it is widely practiced in many countries where diapers would be a luxury. 

crackerjackprinter

amiamish:

Wow... I'm hoping that's at a certain age-not newborns, I can't even imagine that working.

Oh, it's usually from the get-go.  Check wikipedia and see if they have a page on it.  It's really a very intriquing idea.  Not something I'd have the patience (or "discipline" as she said) to do.

amiamish

crackerjackprinter:

amiamish:

Wow... I'm hoping that's at a certain age-not newborns, I can't even imagine that working.

Oh, it's usually from the get-go.  Check wikipedia and see if they have a page on it.  It's really a very intriquing idea.  Not something I'd have the patience (or "discipline" as she said) to do.

this would be my problem too! LOL

thanks for explaining it- that's along the lines of what I assumed it was, but had no clue it started at such a young age.

WiggleBaby

i have friends who tried this from birth... i think they made it to 5 months or so before giving up.  you have to be okay with lots of accidents all over your house (and yourself!).  i wanted to try it, but having a newborn was just too hard!!!  i have another friend who started sitting her DD on the potty at 6 mos and has had good success with getting her to use it.  maybe i'll try one day soon.... i keep saying that tho!  haha

KateLouise

My sister did a version of this. In that she'd see the poo face coming and would whip off the nappie and take them to the toilet.

I think she mostly did it to save herself washing a nappie. :-)

But her kids did toilet train relatively early from memory.