I’ve debated a number of names for this article, including “Crappy Jokes Ahead” or “EC Comic Action,” but I keep shaking my head and going, “Wow.” WARNING: Discussion of bodily functions ahead!
I’ll just jump in. Sage is 10 weeks old and already learning to use the toilet. We have only had to change one poo diaper in the past week, and that was our fault, not hers.
Yep, you read that right. There is this process called elimination communication, or EC for short. In EC, you habituate an infant to controlling herself by making certain sounds when you see her making faces or giving other signals that elimination is on its way.
My wife has begun holding Sage over the toilet when she sees the signs, and then makes the noises. At first we just thought it was because RPGMom had such good timing and such a great eye for Sage’s moods that ensured Sage would then use the toilet.
Then, one morning Sage woke me up with the usual cry that means her diaper is wet. I picked her up, carried her to the changing table, opened the diaper cover and found … ballet slippers. No, I mean I found a dry diaper. RPGMom made the great suggestion (despite the fact that she was still asleep) that I hold Sage over the toilet and make the sound. I did so and, amazingly, I did not drop her in the bowl! Oh, and she peed right in the toilet, right after I made the sound.
Sage does not always hold her bladder for us to get her over the toilet, but she is getting better and better about it. In fact, even if we have not seen the signs but hold her over the toilet and make the noise anyway, she urinates right in the bowl.
The best part, of course, is poo. We see the poo face and over the toilet Sage goes. We make the noise and poo goes in the bowl! The only poo diaper we have had to change in the past week was one we put on after she had gone in the bowl, but before she had gotten everything out. Even then RPGMom managed to get her back over the toilet in time for most of the poo to go in it.
Yep. Like I said, “Wow.”
Now to decide if this is a skill check, an assisted action, or a power with a limited number of uses ….
We are far from being potty trained. There will be many, many more diapers to changes our future.
What amazes me most is the quickness that behavior conditioning occurred for our little one.
I do wonder how much of this has to do with body positioning? I know that anytime she is laid on her side near someone’s chest the nursing reflex begins. It could be that a certain hold position is trig hint this behavior as well.
Regardless, who ever developed EC, and wrote about it, is a genius. Thank goodness you went on a random book spree and found this one. Thanks, Dad.