Here's everything you need to know if you want to give potty training to your infant or try Elimination Communication. 

Until the kids are well potty-trained, the diapers play a vital role in New-Borns, infants, and toddler's lives. However, you will be surprised to know that some parents never use disposable or cloth diapers whereas some want to ditch them as early as possible. In today's time also a lot of babies experience a diaper-free childhood in many developing countries and rural areas. You must be wondering that how is it possible, then you must know that parents have to develop a connection and look out for signs whenever a baby needs to defecate and urinate. This concept is called Infant potty training or Elimination Communication. Babies can poop and pee at any time without a warning. The caregiver should develop communication with the baby in such a way that whenever he/she expresses the desire to pee or poop, the caregiver should hold the baby upright to let him/her eliminate.

Infant potty training can be introduced to your baby at a very early age like within 4 months after the birth. Maybe western countries are getting more fascinated towards elimination communication these days however our grandparent’s generation was completely dependent on this concept because diapers were introduced in the late 20th century in India. Elimination communication is slightly different from potty training because in the elimination communication process you actively take the baby to the washroom in response to his/her cues whereas in potty training you wait until your child learns to use the washroom independently and that makes you say goodbye to the diapers. Toilet training for toddlers is easier as compared to infant potty training because a toddler is old enough to understand and interact. If you want to try elimination communication with your little one then you have to carefully pay attention to these pointers:

• Timing

• Signals (crying, grunting, kicking legs, red face, squirming, abdomen muscle tension, touching the genital area)

• Cues

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• Intuition

The advantages of Infant potty training are as follows:

• Easy on the wallet

• Builds a strong bond between the baby and the mommy

• Comfortable for the baby

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• Happy skin with no diaper rash

• Easy transition to the washroom

Some parents even wait for their baby to turn 6 months to begin infant potty training. There might be a lot of unsuccessful attempts so you need to have a lot of patience to excel in this technique. By keeping these points in your mind, you can have a better understanding of this concept:

• Start with observation

• Keep a potty handy

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• Introduce cues

• Carry your baby

• Potty friendly clothing

• Back-up diapers and baby bag in case of traveling with the baby

Drawbacks of infant potty training are as follows:

• Messy

• Time-consuming

• Inconvenient when traveling

• Apprehensions from other people while lifting your baby

Monitor your child’s routine and his/her body timings because infant potty training can be practiced full-time or part-time. Some parents prefer to use diapers at night so that their baby can have a sound sleep. The usage of diapers will drastically reduce if you practice elimination communication in a daytime. Diapers will still be required if you are a working person or travel a lot. Be flexible and do not put any pressure on your little one. Allow your baby to get in tune with his/her body and feel good about it. Gradually when your child will grow up all you have to do is just verbally command him/her to use the washroom and your child will hassle-free use the washroom. Undoubtedly elimination communication or infant potty training is beneficial and rewarding in the long run. All it requires is a lot of commitment and patience. You can also hire a midwife or a nanny to help you in this process.