Diapers work. But EC (elimination communication) is better AND here's why...

1. Imagine no irritation, bumps, yeast, or rashes on your soft baby's bottom.
2. Plus, no gelling agents, diaper plastics, ointments, and chemicals on sensitive baby's skin.
3. Have you checked out a baby bum in pants with no diaper on?!
4. You can sign the pledge not to contribute to the "p" in the "ool". Swim diapers do not hold in the pee. They just prevent anything from floating in the water.
5. Helps prevent urinary tract infections- especially in baby girls. Think of how close all the holes are and then think poopy diaper.
6. Not having to hold the elimination urge may ease colic, night terrors, or what is deemed "crying for no reason".
7. May signal one reason a baby may be latching off and on with a grimacing face when nursing-tummy trouble, or the urge to eliminate.
8. Fosters a trusting relationship with little ones. Communication and responding to a basic human need.
9. Respects a baby's need to be held. Check out the importance of exterogestation and the second nine months.
10. Keeps moms and babies physically close and encourages the use of a baby carrier- upright on mama's chest is the richest and beneficial environment for baby.
11. May sleep better after eliminating during the night.
12. Conserves water and conserves laundry detergent.
13. No need for pins, covers, wipes, plastic bags, or diaper genies.
14. Who likes changing a smeared poopy diaper?
    
15. Allows mothers, fathers, and siblings to trust their intuitions. And constantly reaffirms them!
16. Inspires other families to try it out.
17. Proves the awareness of a newborn baby who does have the capacity to respond to your voice and control his sphincters after birth.
18. Creates confident babies who are aware of their bodies.
19. Helps you to tune into the health of your baby, i.e. cutting a tooth, catching a virus, identifying allergens. When there are a lot of misses, it may just be one of those days, your baby may be getting sick or out of sorts, or mama might just be plain busy.
20. Potty training a toddler to undo something he has already done and is comfortable doing- namely eliminate in his pants, for two, three, and even four years.
21. There is no "undo" -ing or relearning necessary with EC as compared to potty training.
22. Allows the whole family to get over their bodily function fears and phobias.
23. You never stink up the garbage in the public restroom.
24. Sitting in a poopy diaper or a wet diaper heavy with pee can desensitize babies' little bodies in their most sensitive areas.
25. You don't have to strap your baby onto a changing table or force him to lay horizontal when having his diaper changed.
26. EC is gentle and nonviolent and never uses guilt as a means to an end.
27. Saves your money. You could set up a pottery studio or buy your wonderful mama self a dress or two with the money you save! The money that you spend on a year of disposables is at least a couple of thousand!
28. Cloth diapers may be better than disposables but they are pricey too. Your baby is constantly eliminating in them, so you have to wash them. A lot.
29. You don't need EC gear. Though some sites sell the pants with the crotch cut out you will do fine with soft cotton, fleece, or wool pants and an elasticized waist.
30. Makes you tune in. Centers you. It's an active mama role instead of a passive one. You don't need to obsess. But EC lets you know when you should tune back in.
31. EC is usually a preemptive thing. You ask with your signal. They tell you yes or no. It's not a "wait a minute! Wait, wait, wait" thing- rush to the potty.
32. A potty is not necessary. You can hold your baby in a squat over a sink, your toilet, a public toilet, or behind a bush.
33. No bribing with m&m's, stars, or trips to get ice cream after a poop in the potty.
34. No anger when there is a miss. It is missed communication on both parts.
35. Has been practiced for centuries around the world.
36. No need to catheterize your baby for a urine sample, just ask your baby.
37. Love to travel light? EC helps tremendously.
38. If my aunt Roseann had heard of this she would have never had "three (babies) in diapers".
39. No need to wait for the bathroom with the changing table at the bookstore.
40. It is less work. Really. At 20 months my girl pulled down her pants, sat on the kiddie potty (we kept the one friends left at our house, our other two kids never used one) carried it to the toilet, dumped it out and called me to wipe her!
41. Is possible from birth. Sure it takes some time in the beginning, but the ROI (return on investment) is priceless.

Once you try Elimination Communication, and cue for your baby to pee, and she tries, and she actually does it, you will be hooked! And once you show your skeptical partner, mother-in-law or the mom down the street, you will believe in it. It really does work.

I have three kids. I am a mom, a writer, and an entrepreneur. I do have time to practice EC.

Even if disposable unbleached eco diapers were handed out at Whole Foods completely free of charge, or I had a paid truck come and take the dirty cloth diapers away and bring them back gleaming white it wouldn't remotely tempt me. Honestly. The cloth diaper covers these days are pretty hip looking, I have to admit, but with confidence I say "there's no going back!".

Need some tips on how to get started with EC?

Here's our personal success story on incorporating EC into our lives.