Elimination Communication - Benefits

Benefits

According to "The Diaper-Free Baby" by Christine Gross Loh, EC offers a large range of advantages. Because EC lessens families' reliance on diapers, this helps reduce the number of diapers sent to landfill, and is cheaper. ECed babies are free from the problems of conventional diapering: diaper rash; diaper change battles; not being able to explore this area; vulnerability to urinary tract infections; potentially delayed or difficult potty training. Gross Loh also reports that EC creates a unique and wonderful bond between babies and caregivers. Parents report that the squat or ‘potty’ position that parents tend to hold their baby in order to go seems to be very comfortable for babies. Just as for a laboring mother, the position helps to relax the pelvic floor muscles. This seems to help babies who are suffering from mild constipation. Some babies find defecating to be an unsettling process, especially when they are eating solid food. With EC, parents feel they can offer emotional and physical support. In "EC Simplified: Infant Potty Training Made Easy", Andrea Olson, M.A., adds that EC also helps accelerate the learning process, allowing infants to experience cause and effect. Olson writes that infants feel their bladder fill, which they then release, and once released, produces a sensation of wetness. Furthermore, EC gives infants the opportunity to explore their own bodies, helping them develop a positive self-perception around sexuality, cleanliness, and his or her body image.