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'''Elimination communication''' (EC) is a practice in which a caregiver uses timing, signals, cues, and intuition to address  an [[infant|infant's]]'s need to eliminate waste.  Caregivers try to recognize and respond to babies' bodily needs and enable them to urinate and defecate in an appropriate place (e.g. a toilet). Caregivers may use [[diaper]]s (nappies) as a back-up in case of misses some or all of the time, or not at all.  EC emphasizes communication between the caregiver and child, helping them both become more attuned to the child's innate rhythms and control of urination and defecation. The term "elimination communication" was inspired by traditional practices of diaper-less baby care in [[Developing country|less industrialized countries]] and [[Hunter-gatherer|hunter-gatherer cultures]].<ref>[http://www.diaperfreebaby.org/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=61&MMN_position=14:14 Practicing Elimination Communication - DiaperFreeBaby<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Some practitioners of EC begin soon after birth, the optimum window being zero to four months,<ref>{{cite book|last=Olson|first=Andrea|title=EC Simplified: Infant Potty Training Made Easy|year=2011|url=http://ecsimplified.com}}</ref> although it can be started with babies of any age.  The practice can be done full-time, part-time, or just occasionally.

==Origins==
The terms ''elimination communication'' and ''natural infant hygiene'' were coined by Ingrid Bauer and are used interchangeably in her book, ''Diaper Free! The Gentle Wisdom of Natural Infant Hygiene'' (2001). Bauer had traveled to [[India]] and [[Africa]], where she noticed that most mothers would carry their diaperless babies constantly, yet she saw no elimination "accidents" as would be expected in industrialized countries where babies wear diapers almost continuously from birth. Subsequently, she raised her own children with minimal use of diapers, and eventually began to share her approach with other mothers and caregivers &mdash; initially through Internet-based parenting support groups and eventually through her book and website.<ref&(contracted; show full)

While the terms ''elimination communication'' and ''infant potty training'' have become synonymous, many caregivers who practice EC do not consider it to be a form of "training
,", ''per se''. EC is viewed primarily as a way to meet the baby's present needs and to enhance attachment and communication in general. In that sense, EC is often likened to [[breastfeeding]]. "Toilet mastery is, of course, an inevitable consequence,", writes Bauer, "Yet it's no more the goal of Natural Infant Hygiene than weaning is the goal of breastfeeding." (2001, p.&nbsp;217)

Today, one often hears the terms ''natural infant hygiene'', ''infant potty training'', "nappy free" and "elimination communication" used synonymously.

==Benefits==
(contracted; show full)nd 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.<ref>http://www.nappyfreebaby.co.uk/</ref>  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.<ref>{{cite book|last=Olson|first=Andrea|title=EC Simplified: Infant Po(contracted; show full)ction, Timeliness, and Medical Influences Affecting Toilet Training by T. Berry Brazelton, MD et al.*</ref> Brazelton acknowledges that EC is both possible and desirable, but he believes it is difficult to perform in Western society. In particular he cites a mother's return to work as an obstacle to EC. He also argues that parents should not be made to feel guilty if they cannot communicate with their babies in this way.<ref>[http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,645192504,00.html?pg=1
 Desert News Archives: A new/old way to toilet-train baby] ''Deseret News'' Archives, by Berry Brazelton and Sparrow]</ref> Anecdotal evidence from parents suggest that EC is not as convenient as conventional diapering.<ref>[http://groups.yahoo.com/group/eliminationcommunication/ yYahoo group supporting parents who EC]</ref>

==Components==
The main components of EC are [[#Timing|timing]], [[#Signals|signals]], [[#Cueing|cueing]], and [[#Intuition|intuition]].

===Timing===
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* [http://www.aitt.evassist.it International Board for the Study, Research and Promotion of Assisted Infant Toilet Training] - Supportive pediatricians, medical journal articles and research

[[Category:Toilet training]]

[[es:Higiene natural infantil]]
[[fr:Hygiène naturelle infantile]]
[[ru:Естественная гигиена новорождённого]]