75 Benefits of Elimination Communication
EC supports good health because it:
1. Reduces irritation of baby's skin.
2. Reduces the risk of diaper rash.
3. Keeps chemicals off baby's skin.
4. Enables parent to take closer note of baby's elimination patterns to develop a better sense of a child's digestive system and potentially react to allergens more quickly.
5. Allows babies to go diaper-free in bathing suits. "Swim-diapers" don't prevent urine from getting into the pool and are not comfortable for baby.
6. Reduces the risk of urinary tract infections.
7. Reduces the risk of constipation.
8. Reduces or eliminates "unexplained" fussiness and colic.
9. Reduces the risk of bed-wetting in older children.
10. Empowers special needs children by becoming active participants in caring for their own elimination needs.
EC supports breastfeeding because it:
11. Facilitates a complete nursing session. "Popping on and off" the breast often results in the nursing session being ended prematurely, but often is a strong indicator of the need to eliminate.
12. Is consistent with "nursing on cue": it is "pottying on cue."
13. Helps a nursing mother to assess output and have confidence that her baby is "getting enough" breastmilk.
EC is consistent with Attachment Parenting because it:
14. Encourages the development of a trusting relationship with children through communication about a basic human need.
15. Reinforces use of a sling. Sling time increases parent/baby communication and leads to "success" with EC.
16. Fosters greater security in a baby: "Mommy and Daddy listen to what I am saying and respond to my needs."
17. Explains why a baby may not sleep through the night: she wakes when she needs to eliminate.
18. Provides an additional positive response to a crying baby: a parent can see if the baby's need to eliminate is causing her distress or discomfort.
19. Increases comfort of carrying a baby: there is less bulk than a diaper and it feels better for both caregiver and baby.
EC is good for the Environment because it:
20. Reduces the use of disposable diapers, a major contributor to landfill.
21. Reduces the use of water and detergents used to wash cloth diapers.
22. Reduces the use of disposable wipes used to clean baby's bottom.
23. Reduces use of plastic bags used to individually wrap dirty disposable diapers.
EC can be fun because it:
24. Is more enjoyable than changing diapers.
25. Teaches parents how to trust their intuitions.
26. Enhances one's creativity. American communities are not designed for pottying babies, so EC caregivers learn to "think outside the box."
27. Creates fond memories of places where baby and caregiver were in sync.
28. Impresses and amazes other people.
29. Provides more opportunities to play in the mirror in the bathroom.
EC supports positive child development and enhances capabilities because it:
30. Is based on the knowledge that babies have bladder and sphincter control from birth.
31. Respects babies' abilities to communicate their needs from birth.
32. Enables a child gain motor skills earlier in selfdressing. Baby is actively involved in pulling her pants down and up from a younger age.
33. Reminds parents that many "facts" about child development are culturally-entrenched and believing these facts may lead families to limit certain experiences.
34. Supports babies in developing self-confidence from infancy.
35. Gives baby a chance to show how well she can communicate.
36. Provides "advanced notice" of upcoming developmental milestones. Increased "misses" frequently precede developmental changes.
37. Follows and adapts to children's developmental stages.
38. Reduces or eliminates the embarrassment of "accidents" common with toddler/pre-school-aged children.
39. Reduces or eliminates potty training struggles.
40. Reduces or eliminates some hyperactive behavior. Hyperactivity or "misbehavior" is often a sign of a child's need to eliminate. Dealing with this need rather than focusing on the behavior can reduce the stress of the situation and avoids conflict.
41. Teaches children healthy rhythms and routines.
EC supports a caregiver's development/capability/psychology because it:
42. Builds confidence and self-esteem through an enhanced partnership with a child.
43. Helps parents overcome any fears/qualms/ phobias about bodily functions.
44. Gives parents an additional tool in getting to know their child.
EC improves sibling relationships and enriches their lives because it:
45. Helps older siblings develop healthy attitudes about bodily functions.
46. Reduces the likelihood of an older sibling's regression back to diapers.
47. Is easier and more fun for older siblings to help with EC than with diapering.
48. Can help older siblings bond with baby, especially since children have an intuitive sense about a baby's elimination needs.
EC leads to happy babies and happy parents because:
49. A diaperless baby smells wonderful!
50. Babies smile while pottying.
51. Wearing underwear is a lot more comfortable for a baby than wearing diapers.
52. Baby doesn't have to lie still while being changed.
53. EC is "family focused." It benefits the entire family rather than being solely "child centered" like conventional toilet training.
54. EC respects children.
EC saves families money because it:
55. Reduces expenditures on disposable diapers, which can cost $3000 for three years of conventional diapering.
56. Reduces costs associated with cloth diapering, which can cost $1000 for three years of conventional diapering.
57. Doesn't require a lot of equipment or supplies.
EC leads to a different perspective on babies and culture:
58. Conventional toilet training starts with learning to "hold it" while EC starts with learning to "let go." This can make a big difference in a baby's perception of elimination and of life in general.
59. Contrary to the promises in advertisements, diapers don't keep the baby clean and dry, but only his clothes and environment.
60. Thinking about EC often leads adults to consider the perspective of the baby: would an adult want to wear a diaper rather than use a toilet?
EC supports positive relationships and can reduce the need to discipline a child because it:
61. Removes the risk of a conventional potty training struggle later.
62. Reduces frustration between parent and child.
63. Reduces confusion about rules and creates consistency: rather than preventing a baby from entering a bathroom and then later requiring a toddler to use the bathroom, the bathroom is made a welcome and safe place from the very beginning.
EC is historically and culturally respectful because it:
64. Has been practiced for centuries around the world.
65. Honors cultural heritages.
66. Offers a helpful tool in the care of internationally adopted babies who may have already been EC'ed.
EC is convenient because it:
67. Reduces the number of diapers that need to be changed.
68. Reduces or eliminates poopy diapers!
69. Removes worries about running out of diapers.
70. Cuts down on washing cloth diapers or clothes dirtied by diaper "blow-outs."
71. Works well in unexpected situations and emergencies.
72. Enables parents to travel light with baby - fewer or no diapers and diapering accessories to lug around.
73. Reduces the likelihood of having "two in diapers" and removes the stress of trying to potty train a toddler before a new baby is born.
74. Is easier than changing a diaper in very small bathrooms.
75. Is less messy than conventional diapering. Eliminations are in a toilet or potty rather than on the baby.