Have you heard of Elimination Communication toilet training? Here’s a quick explainer...

The thought of potty training before your baby is even able to walk might sound wild, or even like a joke, but for some families, toilet training their babies from birth or soon after is normal, and even expected. In many countries around the world, and for some parents in the UK, babies learning not to rely on nappies just makes sense. Often called Elimination Communication, we’ve gathered some information about it here, so you can decide if it is (or really, really isn’t) right for your family.  

There are many reasons people choose to toilet train their babies at a younger age than we might expect. It could be due to a lack of access to nappies, or washing facilities, or to reduce the cost and environmental impact of using disposable nappies.  

Elimination Communication is an approach which focuses on parents noticing when their baby is communicating that they need to go to the toilet (and ‘eliminate’ wee or poo). ‘Eliminate’, in this case, means to get it out, rather than to get rid of.  

It approaches going to the toilet in a similar way to learning about your baby’s cues letting you know they are hungry or tired – as something parents can learn to see their baby trying to communicate. The parents are then able to respond by taking their baby somewhere appropriate for having a wee or poo in time to catch the outcome safely.  

It means that babies are not reliant on weeing or pooing in nappies, but it is important to understand that it does not mean the baby is able to use a potty or toilet independently, or always get to one in time. 

It’s an approach that focuses on a baby being able to alert their parents in time for them to be taken to the potty or toilet and helped to go. It relies heavily on the parents being able to focus on learning their baby’s unique cues, and be present to take them to the toilet when they need it.  

Because of the time and focus involved, it’s not an approach that everyone wants to take, or one that would work for all families, however, if it intrigues you, remember it can be adapted to suit you.  

Elimination Communication can be flexible. Like any other approach to potty training, there is no ‘one-size-fits-all', because every family is unique! 

Some people use the Elimination Communication approach all the time, by not having their baby wear a nappy at all after the initial stages of getting used to it. Others try to use it all the time, but also have their baby wear nappies or absorbent pants to reduce the difficulty of accidents (which still, of course, happen!).  

It’s not an all or nothing approach; some families do it ‘part-time’, for example, using an Elimination Communication approach at home but relying on more traditional nappies when out or while using childcare.  

Almost everyone on the planet will master using the toilet as they grow up, but there is no one way to potty train. It can vary globally, and is often driven by practical concerns and cultural values. 

In some communities, babies as young as a few weeks old are potty trained using a version of the Elimination Communication method which relies on the parent making a specific sound while the baby goes to the toilet, which the baby then learns to associate with it being time to go for a wee, or poo, making it easier for the parents to build a toilet routine which works around their day.  

This approach has been documented as being used in East Africa^[1] and Vietnam,^[2] specifically, but it isn’t exclusive to these communities.  

Overall, much like with other decisions you’ll be making for your family, how you potty train is up to you, and your choice can be based on finding out the information you need, then getting a feel for how it will fit for your family.  

We have filled the app with guidance based on the advice of ERIC, the Children’s Bladder and Bowel Charity,[3] who have researched everything potty training for many years and provide fantastic resources for parents.  

You may choose to follow an Elimination Communication approach, a more traditional route to potty training or a mix of methods that you feel will work for you.  

If you’d like to read more about potty training and how you might want to start thinking about it for your family, take a look at our article: Can it really be time to think about a potty? Yes, and it's not as scary as it sounds!  

References: 

[1] DeVries, M. W., & DeVries, M. R. (1977). ‘Cultural relativity of toilet training readiness: A perspective from East Africa’. Pediatrics, 60(2), 170-177. 

[2] Duong, T.H., Jansson, U.B., Holmdahl, G., Sillén, U., Hellström, A.L. (2013). ‘Urinary bladder control during the first 3 years of life in healthy children in Vietnam--a comparison study with Swedish children’. Journal Pediatric Urology. 9 (6 Pt A):700-6. 

[3] ‘Potty training: how to start & best age to potty train’ by ERIC: the children’s bowel & bladder charity (undated). Published online, available here: Potty training: how to start & best age to potty train