I had read arguments from both sides on two common concerns. Diaper rash was just as likely in plastic pants over cloth as in disposables, and frequent loads of laundry impacted the environment as did frequent trash bags of used disposables. I felt as if there was no good choice, so I opted for the "easy" one--disposables.
It was eight months before I happened across a link to an elimination communication (also known as natural infant hygiene) website. How could I not have considered the most natural option of all? No diapers. No diaper rash.
My eight-month-old daughter was well past the six-month window of opportunity for easier learning, but my conscience would no longer accept any other method of meeting her elimination needs. Here's what we did.
First, I had to learn my daughter's elimination patterns and signals. I quickly noticed that she always peed after waking in the morning, after naps, and not long after nursing. She always paused to pee or poop, and she appeared to focus her attention inward.
Next, I had to decide what she would wear, and where I would take her to eliminate. At first, I put diapers on her as a backup for when I didn't recognize her cues in time. This works for some parents, but for us the diaper acted as a barrier to our communication. It wasn't until I decided to do elimination communication (EC) "all the way," (bare-bottomed) that my daughter's signals became obvious to me. Those puddles on the floor motivated me to really tune in.
In the beginning, I hurried my daughter to the big toilet, but I decided that we needed a little potty in the main room for close calls. The Baby Bjorn Little Potty was just the right size for her to squat on (http://babybjorn.com).
Another choice I faced was whether to also practice EC while we were away from home and at night. I found that the trick to practicing EC with my daughter when we were out was finding a place where she was comfortable using the toilet. Usually she would hold it. I brought extra pants along, as I had once brought extra diapers, just in case. Nightime EC was simple. My daughter held it until morning almost every night. She didn't want to wake up in a puddle any more than I did. I kept the potty next to the bed for her wake up pee. I sewed several of her baby blankets together as an absorbant pad for her to sleep on, just in case.
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