Well I guess here it is. The blog that I had stated I would create! Being a mom has been the best and most rewarding event of my life. Yes it is chaotic at times. The house is a DISASTER, the laundry is piled up and I am ti-erd! But I wouldnt change that for the world. I think mommyhood has been a great fit for me. Some have said I am a mommy guru, which although that make me smile, I am probably far from it. But I do enjoy going against the grain with being a parent, focusing on ALL the capabilities that most people do not acknowledge with a infant/toddler. It is all about what feels right and instinct. Although there should be structure placed in certain areas of parenting, I do not believe that it should be rigid. I have to adopt attachment parenting with Jude and have found it very rewarding for myself and him. If you are interested in learning about attachment parenting let me know.
With that said and done, the basis of me starting this blog was to journal though our newest challenge with parenthood. Elimination Communication. Most people I talk to have no clue what the heck I am talking about and the only way to get them to understand is if I say " its like potty training". They then get it at that point, but also either laugh at me or tell me sarcastically "good luck with that". It really doesnt bother me much. I have received that type of skepticism since the day Jude was born. But I am passionate about it and he is the child of David and Kari and nobody else. :)
Elimination Communication by definition is practice in which a caregiver uses timing, signals, cues, and intuition to address an infant's need to eliminate waste. Caregivers try to recognize and respond to babies' bodily needs and enable them to urinate and defecate in an appropriate place (e.g. a toilet). Caregivers either use diapers as a back-up in case of misses, avoid the use of them altogether, or do a mixture of the two. EC emphasizes communication between the caregiver and child, helping them both become more attuned to the child's innate rhythms and control of urination and defecation. The practice can be done full time, part time, or just occasionally. The term "elimination communication" was inspired by traditional practices of diaper-less baby care in less industrialized countries and hunter-gatherer cultures.[1] Some practitioners of EC begin soon after birth, although it can be started with babies of any age.
(wikipedia.com)
This "practice" totally made sense to me. Western culture is so embedded into me that I never thought to question how other cultures handled parenthood. By reading about other cultural practices I found that everyone BUT western cultures are normal. From Japan to India, China to Afria these babies are always bottom bare and potty trained by age one. I have read many stories of grandparents from other countries coming to the states and they are shocked by our conventional means of diapering. Or others who have gone to other countries and their babies are potty trained according to that countries practices. It is fascinating to me. The more I read the more I felts compelled to at least try it. Thus the beginning of my journey. I could have written more about the basics of EC but that is what wikipedia is really for. :) But anyone interesting in diving in a little more there are a couple books on the market, along with forums, online support groups, local support groups and a great website called www.diaperfreebaby.com. There are two popular books out there regarding this subject. The first is Diaper Free: The Gentle Wisdom of Natural Infant Hygiene. This was the first book I read and although very insightful with alot of historical and cultural evidence, did not seem like a good fit for my situation. I think it would be great for an expection mother or newborn. I left that book still having questions in my mind. The second is The Diaper Free Baby: The Natural Toilet Training Alternative. I loved this book. It felt more personal, as if it were a mommy friend telling me about her experience. Plus it had a section on late starters like Jude and helped me feel more encouraged. I would recommend that book, but it still depends on your needs.
I will be documention EC with Jude and our good days and our bad. I am a couple days behind so if I get the time tonight after the house is quiet I will update the last couple days and share with you how they have gone. So..............stay tuned.
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