Develop Your Part Time EC Confidence.

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

We started form the very beginning – in hospital. From the very beginning this approach just made sense for me. Especially for poos I guess. I just got into the habit of offering my daughter a pee/poop op every time I breastfed her, either during or after, and this just became part of the whole messy, milky, burpy, poopy routine! For me all those runny poops into the little bowl or the laundry sink was a whole lot easier than wiping them off her bottom. Wees were an extra bonus at that stage, though quite frequently caught as well.

Which nappies and alternatives did you use in the process?

We had some disposables, some peapods, some terry squares, and a few other little hand made clothes ones as well. In hindsight I would have just picked one brand, bought a whole heap and gone with just one type of nappy, but once you start collecting and trying different ones, you end up with a big mixture. Mostly cloth all up, disposables for car or longer outings.

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

I think our baby did get into the habit of going with the breastfeed or short after. We would help her get it all out at once, so we did not have that thing of lots of dribbly poos in the nappy for ages after a feed. It did seem to make her feel more comfy and relaxed afterwards, and me too!

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

I cannot really say because I have nothing to compare it too, and I feel I was very very close to my baby right form the start. I think the increased physicality of doing EC only strengthens that bond.

How long before you were feeling confidant including a few 'pee breaks' into your day?

Mmm, I actually felt quite comfortable doing it right from the start. But it was always hit and miss. I never felt like I had that intuitive knowledge of when she wanted or needed to, just got better at reading the physical signs. But I realize that the amount of catches and misses it a bit irrelevant in the long run, and I think that it is just that you offer and are aware of the fact that there is a different way of doing things, instead of just leaving them in a nappy constantly and changing after a mess.

In really busy times, what do you do?

I remember in those early months of sleep deprivation saying, I am just going to leave her in a disposable and change her afterwards – but I couldn’t help myself, just always offered anyway. I think I was a bit overboard with it all sometimes, and in fact sometimes, when times were really tough, it became like something to focus on, small little achievements, throughout the day. Anyway, I had great support from my partner and we did do less offering, especially overnight, as sleep became more of an issue.

What impact has reducing nappies had on your budget?

Big impact, very few packets of disposables all up, and much less washing. I could not have done cloth if I had to wash all those pooey nappies, I could not have handled doing that.

What else has been significant to you?

Again, it is hard to know, with our first child, just could not imagine having done it any other way, so it seemed like the norm for us. Surprisingly few people ever notice or care what you are doing with regard to nappy changes with babies, mostly people are oblivious and do not see anything outside what they expect to see. I did feel exasperated, and still do, with the lack of ‘imagination’ that exists with regard to tackling children’s toilet needs, and wonder what it will take within our culture for things to start to change.

The disposable nappy is entirely to blame for the current norm or way of doing things. It is just so effective that it induces laziness in parents and disregard for the developing independence of the child. Although it is an effective option to have, complete dependence on it robs the child of their ability to communicate their needs and develop independence.

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

I think it helps to have lots of people around you who are ‘on board’ with what you are doing and willing to help, role model, and generally accept it as the normal way of doing things. However this is something that is really hard to come by, and something that I wish very much I had of had more of. I think that is why the support forum (oznappyfree) is really great, just gives you a community of like-minded mums and dads.

I would also say, from experience, to take it easier with wees in the beginning, especially when out, I don’t think I would have tried to get all those wee ops in when she was under one so much, however as mentioned, there is something of an addictive quality about EC, where you begin to feel it is unfair not to give them a chance to go!

Still next time round, I would go more part time in the beginning, and I think promoting EC part time is the best way to go, and makes more sense, given the cultural norm that we are coming from.

How would you practise EC with another baby?

We are not going to have another child, but if we were I would definitely do it all again, and probably not that differently, just be a bit more relaxed with wee misses, and not have such high expectations for those early months.

It is a wonderful journey and now that my daughter is in undies, with all the other kids around her still wearing disposables full time, the benefit really shows and we have greater freedom for outings and less baggage to carry around.

Renee in Australia