Develop Your Part Time EC Confidence.

Lonny and Norisa Anderson live in North Vancouver, BC, Canada. Baby  Landen Anderson was born February 2006

When did you begin practicing EC with your little one and how did this look?

From birth, I just pictured myself as a mommy cat and fussing over my baby boy to keep him clean, night and day. Then, holding him securly against me, I would start to introduce using the toilet by holding him over it.

Which diapers and alternatives did you use in the process?

I started at birth lining disposable nappies with cotton face cloths. That way I could notice if he had wet and change it quickly. And for poops I could again change just the cloth quickly. It extended the usefulness of a disposable nappy for an average of three hits or so. I soon learned that if someone wanted to use disposable nappies and change after each movement, they would need a box of 20-30 every 24 hour period. That surprised me and told me clearly that main-stream babies don’t get changed when they mess, only when the nappy is full. What the cloths did do was help me monitor and change quick. But the disposable nappies were not made for monitoring — not being stretchy, it was awkward to even finger test for dampness.

So that’s when I started experimenting with sewing my own boxers and briefs for him.

What differences/changes did you notice in your baby after beginning EC?

My baby “never” cried. Really. Hardly ever. If I wasn’t already carrying him around, I would run to him at the slightest noise. Remember, I was a mommy cat. And my baby, now two-years-old is NOT SPOILT!!! He is a very secure and confident little fellow.

What difference did it make to your day-to-day life and your relationship with your baby?

I believe that ECing affirmed to him constantly that I was there for him, for his every need.

How long before you were feeling confident including a few 'baby potty breaks' into your day?

A few weeks to start catching. A few months before I started bragging.

In really busy times, what do you do?

If I was totally out of control, or traveling, or hiking in the cold and didn’t want him to feel wet at all because of my lessened ability to be attentive to him, I would use a bladder control pad (for adults) and put that in his underwear.

What impact has reducing diapers had on your budget?

Hopefully, I can afford more kids!!! Ain’t that GREAT!!!

What else has been significant to you?

Landen has never known the pain of a diaper rash. That in itself is reason enough to EC.

What message do you have to share with parents beginning their part time diaper free journey?

Remember that EC is just a service you provide. It’s a kind and loving way of tending to all your baby’s needs when their needs arise — not at your convenience. There is no goal in mind other than caring for their immediate needs which does include their need to eliminate. For that reason, ECing is approached with a very different mind-set than that of “potty training”. It’s simply a service.

How would you practice EC with another baby?

I really like the idea of inserting folded cloths into underwear. I now use fluffy microfiber cloths, so for my next baby, I would start with using those right away. They hold a lot of liquid, wash easy, and dry really quick.

Norissa in Canada