Introducing baby pottying

Baby pottying (also known as elimination communication, EC or early potty learning) is the practice of responding to a baby’s natural cues for when they need to wee or poo.

Instead of relying solely on nappies, parents can learn to recognise when their baby may need to wee or poo—often based on subtle signals and their natural rhythms throughout the day. Nappies are still used as a back-up. Many babies tend to go at predictable times, such as:

• upon waking

• during or after feeds

• after being taken out of a carrier or car seat

In these moments, a parent might offer an opportunity to go by holding their baby over a potty, sink or toilet.

For many, baby pottying is less about outcomes and more about communication—tuning into a baby’s natural rhythms and offering an alternative to always using a nappy.