Over the years I’ve been approached by many, many parents who are practicing RIE - which is a form of respectful parenting that focuses on not interrupting a baby’s play - about whether elimination communication complements or contradicts it.

Most of these parents were convinced that EC would be disrespectful, considered an unnecessary “interruption” to baby’s play that would interfere with their proper development.

Hmm. Well, I disagree with this. I actually believe the two practices are quite compatible, so I decided to finally research RIE and lay it all out for y’all!

Today I’m going to go through, point by point, RIE’s Basic Principles to demonstrate where EC and RIE align nicely...and where they may not.

I also want to introduce you to the lovely idea of RIE! If you haven’t heard of it, I hope you learn something new today.

Get full show notes and add your comments or questions here: https://godiaperfree.com/161

Get my free easy start guide for EC at https://godiaperfree.com/start

Start EC with your baby today with Andrea's popular book, Go Diaper Free: https://godiaperfree.com/thebook 

Today’s episode is a guest post from Go Diaper Free Certified Coach Tracy Gillett, who blogs at Raised Good and teaches parents EC (and many other things) in the Vancouver area of British Columbia, Canada. Here’s an excerpt:

“I read about Elimination Communication (EC). It blew my mind. I remember my husband’s raised eyebrows when I told him about it. Was this a step too far? Could a helpless little baby seriously pee in a potty?

But it made sense. And it felt natural. After all we’re the only species in the animal kingdom using diapers. It didn’t take much to convince us. We were intrigued and had to try it.

But something I read didn't make sense. The suggestion was that the most important element of EC isn't actually potty training but, communication.

What were they talking about?, I wondered.

In our fast paced, have-everything-now world, isn’t the purpose of EC to reach potty independence quickly? To reach the finish line, avoid misses, and get out of diapers as soon as humanly possible? 

That’s what I assumed. But I was wrong.”

Enjoy the rest of Tracy’s story in today’s episode!

Get full show notes and add your comments or questions here: https://godiaperfree.com/160

Get my free easy start guide for EC at https://godiaperfree.com/start

Start EC with your baby today with Andrea's popular book, Go Diaper Free: https://godiaperfree.com/thebook

Anyone who’s tried to decode their newborn baby’s various cries and fusses knows that it can be virtually impossible! Is baby hungry? Tired? Cold? Uncomfortable? In pain? (Or, for those of us doing elimination communication: does baby have to go potty and wants the diaper removed first??)

However, what if your baby cries and fusses ALL the time?? You set her down, she fusses within moments. Won’t nap without being worn in the baby carrier, won’t sleep unless you heroically rock her for 45 minutes straight, will cry if the car is not racing down the road...

If this sounds familiar, figuring out EC signals inside all those fusses can be crazy-making.

Today I’m gonna give you some advice I’ve given several mamas over the years, and something that I didn’t truly and FULLY decode until after my 5th baby, Twyla, was born a few years ago.

Here are 5 reasons for fussiness/gassiness in your baby, and a quick note on how to resolve each of them.

Get full show notes and add your comments or questions here: https://godiaperfree.com/159

Get my free easy start guide for EC at https://godiaperfree.com/start

Start EC with your baby today with Andrea's popular book, Go Diaper Free: https://godiaperfree.com/thebook 

How to catch your menstrual blood in the toilet without using a tampon or pad?? Wha???

I, thinking I was the ONLY one who did this, have also been “catching” my monthly cycle in the toilet every night for about the past 2 years. So, when Jenn told me she wanted to write this article, I couldn’t believe I wasn’t the only one applying Elimination Communication (or infant potty training) principles to my moon cycle!

Without further ado, here is Jenn’s article on how she catches her menstrual blood in the toilet instead of elsewhere...and how that relates to EC.

Get full show notes and add your comments or questions here: https://godiaperfree.com/158

Get my free easy start guide for EC at https://godiaperfree.com/start

Start EC with your baby today with Andrea's popular book, Go Diaper Free: https://godiaperfree.com/thebook