EC

I'm currently reading "Diaper Free: The Gentle Wisdom of Natural Infant Hygiene." NIH is probably more widely known as "EC" (Elimination Communication). I'd heard about EC before Lily was born, and knew it was something I wanted to find out more about. Sasha is also thinking about doing it for little-baby-due-in-October and lent me a book on the subject. I was reading that book today while Lily nursed and fell asleep. The book suggested trying after baby wakes from a nap, so I did. When she woke up I held her over the sink and, sure enough, "caught" a potty! I tried again 10-15 minutes after the next time she nursed--worked like a charm! Now I'm pretty excited about the whole thing. My goal, at least for now, is not to be diaperless, but to merely reduce the number of times in a day Lily has to acutally utilize her diaper's function. She's got an exceptionally sensitive bottom, and dispite my most diligent efforts I have not been able to get rid of her diaper rash (it was almost gone last week, but then it came back worse than ever--it makes a mom so sad!) I'm also excited about the prospect of never having two kids in diapers or a three-year-old in Pull-ups.
What is funny to me is that the first half of the book is a convincing argument about why EC is sane. Eventually I just skipped it because I didn't need convincing. It just makes sense. It is logical. I already know that she doesn't like a dirty diaper, and I don't like her to have to sit in it, no matter how short of a time. If I am able to train myself to know her cues that she needs to go (or as the case may be for a while, that she has already gone) I can keep her from this uncomfortable fate. It's good for me and really good for her. Plus less work for me in the long run (I won't have to spend the average 8 months "deprograming" her when she is two).