My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Parenting

Is anybody doung elimination communication?

77 replies

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 29/06/2010 14:39

I sort of do with DD - well she leads it. She's seven weeks and she will generally let me know if she needs to wee - if I'm paying attention and I'm fast I'll get the nappy off and then she'll wee in it when I cue her.

She's just weeing in nappies at the moment, and she, quite rightly, won't wear a wet one. We're going through 15/16 every 24hrs which is a PITA with all the washing.

I've tried cueing over a bowl, once, and she didn't seem keen, and didn't wee - it also seemed really awkward to hold her and we both got stressed. What's the best way to do this - seems daft to get her to pee into a clean nappy every time Is she too wee for a potty if I held her?

Also, any advice on what she should wear? She's in babygrows at the moment, and they take ages to get through the poppers. I have tried her in a t-shirt and baby legs, but she's not keen because the tshirt rides up all of the time - maybe a vest and babylegs?. I want to keep her in nappies - I'm not a serious ECer and can't be doing with cleaning up misses. Plus if she's asleep she just goes whenever.

Any advice welcome?

OP posts:
Report
ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 29/06/2010 14:41

"doing"

OP posts:
Report
addictedtofrazzles · 29/06/2010 14:52

Why would you want to do this? Not a criticism...just curious - how can a 7 week old control their bladder?

Report
ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 29/06/2010 15:13

I don't know if she can But she reliably tells me she is about to pee, so if I can figure out some way for her not to pee in her nappy to save me washing it is all good

I'm sure babies can control themselves to some extent - otherwise why do they always wait until the nappy is off to pee on you

OP posts:
Report
Rosebud05 · 29/06/2010 15:16

I was going to ask the same thing as frazzles, in a completely non-judgemental way. If she's 7 weeks and you want to keep her in nappies, I'm not sure I understand what you're doing.
Goodnesss, just thinking it through - do you change her umpteen times each night too?

Report
jooseyfruit · 29/06/2010 15:19

How does she 'tell'you she's about to wee?
Again, just curious.

good luck.

Report
PeasPlease · 29/06/2010 15:26

How lovely. Makes sense not to use nappies if you don't have to.

Report
ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 29/06/2010 15:27

rosebud no thank goodness - she sleeps through fine (mostly), I don't mind nappie, it's the fact I need to change her every time she wees = lots of washing. If she weed somewhere else I could put clean nappy back on = less washing.

jooseyfruit she cries. If she's hungry she starts with the occasional whimper and then goes up the scale. If she needs to wee she starts partially up the scale and sticks her legs straight out. If she's weed and I'm ignoring her she cries even more, sticks her legs out and tries to lift her bum Or I might be imagining the whole thing

OP posts:
Report
Madascheese · 29/06/2010 15:33

Oh my gosh! you sound a good deal more organised and in tune with your baby than I was when littlemad was 7 weeks old - I could only just work out when I wanted to pee by then!

Good luck,

Report
jooseyfruit · 29/06/2010 15:33

that is lovely that you are so in tune.
good luck with it, but I do think you are slightly mad!

Report
ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 29/06/2010 15:37

Actually she's 8 weeks now - I'm not organised enough to remember how old she is

OP posts:
Report
Harimo · 29/06/2010 15:37

feck.. My 11MO can't communicate when she is about to pee.

The only time I notice is when she lifts her leg to fart (she's such a laddeeeeee )

i think this whole thing will lose it's appeal after a few months.

I don't think kids can control their own bladder till 10-12 months at the earliest.

That's a lot of 'watching for the pee / poo face'

Report
Harimo · 29/06/2010 15:38

hahahaha!!! You said 7WEEKS.

I read 7 MONTHS!!!

Your 7 week old can 'reliably communicate' the need to pee.......

When most kids can't even smile / control facial muscles

OKKKKAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Report
Harimo · 29/06/2010 15:39
Report
BrittanyBeers · 29/06/2010 15:43

Have you tried cueing her in the great outdoors, fab?
The air will help her go anyway.

In this weather could you do away with bottoms alltogether?

Report
Hullygully · 29/06/2010 15:47

You are absolutely and fantastically barking.

Report
ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 29/06/2010 15:57

I do sometimes wonder if her "telling" me is serious PFB syndrome. But honestly at the moment she only cries for 3 reasons, hungry, wee, or sleepy (which is more of a continuous grizzle than a cry).

All I know is that if she does her "wee" cry I check her nappy - if it is dry then she will always wee within about 30secs. If it is wet than it is just wet, ie moisture not yet wicked away. Have to v quick to get dry one though.

Probably PFB, but go on, humour me

OP posts:
Report
Dollytwat · 29/06/2010 16:04

You're doing a fab job, just as long as you're enjoying it that's the main thing
(even if you are slightly bonkers!)

Report
Harimo · 29/06/2010 16:04

haha!! I'm not sure if she is telling you anything.. but I'M telling you it's PFB hahaha!!

Have you ever considered that babies that age pretty much pee constantly!!

Seriously, not having a go... I'm PFB to the max (with BOTH of the kids!! ). Much better to be PFB than for a child to be anything less than adored!!!

But, yeah... I think perhaps you are reading a little too much into this.

HM x

Report
QueenOfFlamingEverything · 29/06/2010 16:09

Thats quite rude Harimo.

EC is actually practised the world over and is considered normal and natural in many cultures.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine - I am interested in trying EC with DC2, due in 2/3 weeks. Been reading 'Diaper Free' by Ingrid Bauer. Well done for trying it, keep posting on how you are getting on because I will be watching with interest

Report
heronsfly · 29/06/2010 16:10

My mother swears that "in her day" babies were held over the pot from birth, partly to reduce nappy washing and nappy rash,so not totally unheard of, not sure if we communicated though

Report
Madascheese · 29/06/2010 16:11

Absolutely not having a go at you Itsallgoingtobefine, but honestly? fab that you can recognise the different cres she has, odd to be trying to do anything about it at this stage, seriously, just relax and enjoy her whiles she's still tiny and mostly immobile.

The development stuff comes around all too fast and it will seem like about 20 minutes until you're taking her for primary school induction sob

I'm utterly PFB with littlemad and not at all ashamed of it but cherish this time of squdginess with her and really don't worry about potties yet.

Report
slhilly · 29/06/2010 16:13

Harimo, it sounds on in a UK context, but babies around the world cue their mothers when they need to wee and are held out to do it. It's what the World Without Nappies does. Just google "elimination communication" for more. As for how mothers know, the answer is they become attuned to small signals that act as fairly reliable cues.

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

Hullygully · 29/06/2010 16:14

Yeah Harimo, you are like so rude and out of order.

Report
ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 29/06/2010 16:18

I didn't think Harimo was rude at all In the UK elimination communication is deeply bizarre and lentil-weavery and mostly unheard of. It is rude to accuse Harimo of rudeness if she is simply being ignorant

OP posts:
Report
Harimo · 29/06/2010 16:20

Oh, FFS

What part of my post was rude????????????

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.