Cultural Insights: Unveiling Potty Training Practices From Around the World - Discover Surprising Approaches That May Challenge Your Perceptions!

A baby typically involves crying, naps, and diaper changes. Imagine if changing pads and wipes weren't necessary. In the U.S., where disposable diapers are standard, this concept seems almost unimaginable for most parents.

However, before diapers became prevalent, parents had to adapt, and there are still regions globally where it's normal to observe babies without diapers while they're out and about.

All about “elimination communication”

In certain parts of China, especially in more rural areas, it's not uncommon to observe babies crawling or toddling around in open-crotch pants known as kaidangku. These pants facilitate easy bathroom use without the risk of soiling clothes, as one can simply squat.

In an essay available on the National Association For Child Development website, writer Fay Chou reminisced about the toddlers in her family playing in the yard wearing crotch-less pants. When the need arose, they would squat on the ground, and cleaning up involved sprinkling ashes on the waste and sweeping it away, a task typically handled by the grandmother.

Even before they could walk, babies in Chou's family were taught to use the toilet. Caregivers would hold them over a toilet as soon as the child could hold up their own head, encouraging them with either a whistling sound for pee or a grunting sound for poop.

Some families today still adhere to similar practices, passed down through generations. In the U.S. and Europe, the age-old practice of potty training very young babies has experienced a revival in recent decades and is now known as elimination communication. This term refers to parents learning to interpret an infant's signals indicating the need to relieve themselves.

Angela Harders, a mother and educator, discovered elimination communication (EC) while working with impoverished families in Guatemala. In this community, mothers would carry their babies in slings on their backs and, when necessary, take them off to pee or poop in designated areas near their homes. Intrigued by the absence of accidents, Harders questioned the mothers, who revealed that their babies communicated their bathroom needs, similar to how they express tiredness or hunger.

Inspired by this approach, Harders began experimenting with EC from birth when she had her own daughter. Despite facing different circumstances with her son, who spent initial weeks in the NICU and required her to return to work, she considers the experience a success. Her daughter achieved full potty training by 12 months, and she stopped changing her son's poopy diapers at five months.

Roma Norriss, a parenting consultant in the U.K., adopted EC with guidance from the book "Diaper Free" by Ingrid Bauer. During a visit to Sri Lanka, she observed the cultural practice of holding babies and responding to their cues, including taking them outside to pee. Although such practices are not common in the U.K., Norriss persisted, recalling instances of discreetly allowing her baby to pee in a paper cup at large events, attracting a mix of disapproving and awe-filled looks within Western culture.

How it works

Interpreting an infant's grunts and squirms as communication about bathroom needs might seem overwhelming to many parents. However, families practicing Elimination Communication (EC) assert that they can effectively understand their baby's signals. Following the Guatemalan mothers' advice, Angela Harders discovered that paying attention to her baby's cues—such as grunting, kicking, retracting legs, facial expressions, and squirming—enabled her to timely get them to the toilet.

A challenge in EC is the frequency of babies' pee, with newborns doing so as often as every 10 to 15 minutes, as explained by Andrea Olson, a mother of six and founder of Go Diaper Free. While there's considerable variation in babies' bowel habits, catching every drop of urine is not necessary for practicing EC. Most parents start by interpreting their babies' signs and focusing on what Olson calls the "easy catches."

Over time, they establish a system that suits them, with some practicing EC throughout the day and others only at home. Olson, who sends her kids to daycare in diapers, emphasizes that diapers serve as a backup rather than a constant toilet. She advocates for a balanced approach, stating that using diapers is essential but not as an all-day toilet.

Olson emphasizes the importance of pattern and consistency in EC, discouraging sporadic attempts that often lead to frustration and abandonment. Starting with the four "easy catches" can provide a structured beginning:

1. Upon waking: Olson emphasized that catching a pee in the potty right after waking up is almost guaranteed with a newborn, attributed to a hormonal shift common to people of all ages.
2. Poops: Identifying bowel movements becomes feasible as they are often accompanied by grunting, squirming, or gas.
3. Diaper changes: Changes in temperature can prompt babies to go, and a cool breeze on their skin may trigger elimination.
4. Getting in or out of something, such as a baby carrier: For instance, offering the potty when arriving somewhere, as babies often hold it while in the car seat, presents a good opportunity, according to Olson.

EC parents typically facilitate elimination by holding the baby over the toilet, sink, bowl, or even the lawn, making a "hss" sound for pee or an "uh-uh" sound for poop.

Olson emphasized that EC is not a linear process, especially in a "diapering culture" like the U.K. Learning and practicing this skill require commitment. In her family, they agreed to consistently aim for the four "easy catches" at a minimum.

The benefits

Achieving a successful "catch" in potty training not only brings satisfaction but also translates to fewer diapers to go through and clean up. Parents who engage in Elimination Communication (EC) express that it enhances communication with their children.

Norriss emphasized that EC involves a level of responsiveness to babies' cues, laying the foundation for attunement and communication. The consistent exchange of sounds or gestures between parent and child builds trust, fostering the belief that the parent can discern and respond to the child's needs.

Learning to respond to a child's cues through EC provides an opportunity to strengthen the parent-child bond. Harders shared her amazement at feeling a profound connection with her babies and understanding their communication long before they could speak. She sees meeting children's needs as a fundamental aspect of effective parenting, with EC being a practical way to achieve that.

There's no singular "right" way to practice EC, as it can commence as early as birth or as late as 12-18 months. Diapers can be used rarely, occasionally, or consistently.

While engaging in EC may attract raised eyebrows and looks of disbelief, Norriss believes that teaching babies to eliminate in diapers is just as "weird." She highlights that babies constantly communicate their need for assistance with elimination, and ignoring or shushing them means missing out on an opportunity to respond. Though not a disaster, it represents a missed chance for connection.