The Go Diaper Free Podcast
Andrea Olson
Andrea Olson of Go Diaper Free explains elimination communication - the concept of pottying your baby, as early as birth - which is what people have done for all of human history and in today's world where there are no diapers. She makes it easy to integrate EC into your modern lifestyle as a new parent, demystifies how to know your baby needs to go, how to take them to the toilet instead of primarily relying on the diaper, and makes EC approachable, accessible, and fun, for all parents...whether part-time, with or without diapers, and in any region of the world. Contrary to popular marketing messages, diapers are tools, not toilets, and babies are ALL born "ready" to use the toilet. Learn how to connect with your baby on this very natural level with Andrea's expert guidance, and experience the freedom of a life without dependence upon diapers, a life without traumatic toilet training, a life where your baby gets a head start on developing motor skills, communication, and learning by prioritizing this age-appropriate skill (0-18 months). EC honors your baby's dignity and makes parenting THAT much easier! Stop changing blowouts...and learn how to listen to your baby's requests for good hygiene. Learn more at godiaperfree.com. (PS - Andrea also occasionally covers potty training, for those of you who find us after 18 months.)
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 23, 2021 • 11min
#134 Starting Elimination Communication at 2 years old
Today I'm going to answer a question from one of our readers: can I start Elimination Communication at 2 years old? Is Elimination Communication (EC) age-appropriate for older toddlers, or should we skip it and do something else at 2 years old, regarding potty training or otherwise? Get full show notes and add your comments or questions here: https://godiaperfree.com/134 Get my free easy start guide for EC at https://godiaperfree.com/start Start EC with your baby today with Andrea's popular book, Go Diaper Free: https://godiaperfree.com/thebook
Mar 16, 2021 • 12min
#133 Privacy on the potty
Tell me if this has happened to you: Your baby has been using the potty fine and all of the sudden is resistant and won't sit on the potty, perhaps peeing on the floor 5 minutes later or in the diaper soon after the pottytunity has ended. She fusses and you get nervous that you're doing the wrong thing. Does EC work? Is my mother-in-law right? Am I permanently damaging my baby? Why is she screaming and trying to run away? So much second-guessing! The thing is, this is pretty normal. It's a sign. Today we're going to discuss why your baby is really resisting the potty, and how to give your baby the thing he's screaming so loudly for - privacy on the potty - but doesn't know quite how to say it yet! Get full show notes and add your comments or questions here: https://godiaperfree.com/133 Get my free easy start guide for EC at https://godiaperfree.com/start Start EC with your baby today with Andrea's popular book, Go Diaper Free: https://godiaperfree.com/thebook
Mar 9, 2021 • 10min
#132 No mo' diapers
If you're one of those who was caught between shopping trips and other parents got to the diapers and wipes aisle first, this is my heart-into-action for you: what you can do if you're running out of diapers. We will discuss options to use fewer diapers for younger babies and also a couple options for toddlers who are newly walking. We also have some energy-saving tips for laundering cloth diapers on the cheap. So, if the store has run out of diapers, do these things! This is a guest post from our Certified Coach Laura Durkee in Lima, Ohio...we'll be answering comments over on the blog post after the show (see link below)! Get full show notes and add your comments or questions here: https://godiaperfree.com/132 Get my free easy start guide for EC at https://godiaperfree.com/start Start EC with your baby today with Andrea's popular book, Go Diaper Free: https://godiaperfree.com/thebook
Mar 2, 2021 • 11min
#131 How parents are ruining the environment
This is a little letter that I wrote to parents several months ago. I think it was around Earth Day, around when we do Go Diaper Free Week every year. And it started off as a bit of a rant, but it turned into this sort of productive thing: What can we do about the fact that we parents are one of the largest groups of people who are ruining the environment? Not that it's entirely our fault - because we were raised in a diapering culture, and this is all we know. But when we know better, hopefully by the end of today's episode, we can make some changes. I'm going to give you some challenges at the end, so stick around for that. Get full show notes and add your comments or questions here: https://godiaperfree.com/131 Get my free easy start guide for EC at https://godiaperfree.com/start Start EC with your baby today with Andrea's popular book, Go Diaper Free: https://godiaperfree.com/thebook
Feb 23, 2021 • 6min
#130 The gentlest form of respectful parenting
Today is a guest post from our Certified Coach, Maru, from London. She shares: If you, like me, follow a gentle and respectful parenting approach, you might be confused about whether EC is part of this or not. Two of the most popular US and UK gentle & respectful parenting guides (Sarah Ockwell Smith and Janet Lansbury) are not big fans of EC (but what I've found is that they have a very superficial understanding of it). What could be more respectful than responding to your baby's non-verbal communications? With everything happening around the world today, it's time to become more open minded about what is normal in other cultures. Today she shares more about this very important observation: that elimination communication is THE most respectful practice of natural parenting. Get full show notes and add your comments or questions here: https://godiaperfree.com/130 Get my free easy start guide for EC at https://godiaperfree.com/start Start EC with your baby today with Andrea's popular book, Go Diaper Free: https://godiaperfree.com/thebook
Feb 16, 2021 • 14min
#129 How to tell a brand new mom about elimination communication
In today's episode, I'm going to teach you how to talk about Elimination Communication. I'm going to model it by sharing how I tell new moms about EC. And for all you new moms who are listening to this episode today, this is what I have to say to you about EC. A little public service announcement: 100% of parents who start EC later or miss the boat entirely tell me that they wish they would have heard about EC sooner and started sooner. EC starts early because it's easier that way, because it's dependent on babies' inborn instincts. They're born this way...and today I'll explain more about the benefits of EC and 4 quick tips to try out elimination communication today. Get full show notes and add your comments or questions here: https://godiaperfree.com/129 Get my free easy start guide for EC at https://godiaperfree.com/start Start EC with your baby today with Andrea's popular book, Go Diaper Free: https://godiaperfree.com/thebook
Feb 9, 2021 • 7min
#128 Can a non-verbal child be potty trained?
Why Bother to do elimination communication with a Non-Verbal Kid? So your child doesn't signal, eh? His poo communication involves looking up from play (and if you're not there to catch his eye, oh well!), and he is more than content to pee through his trainers, through his pants, and through your sofa without blinking? Ah, the one that crushes EC dreams. Or is he? In today's show we have a guest post from Laura Durkee, our certified coach in Lima, Ohio, where she answers the question: can a non-verbal child be potty trained? Why bother doing elimination communication with a toddler who doesn't talk yet? Get full show notes and add your comments or questions here: https://godiaperfree.com/128 Get my free easy start guide for EC at https://godiaperfree.com/start Start EC with your baby today with Andrea's popular book, Go Diaper Free: https://godiaperfree.com/thebook
Feb 2, 2021 • 18min
#127 Bucking Baby!
Why would a baby who you're trying to potty in-arms (with the EC hold, under their thighs, their back leaned up against your torso) all of a sudden stiffen and straighten their legs so that you basically can't hold them in potty position anymore...and refuse to go to the bathroom? We will discuss 5 Reasons Babies Resist Being Held for Elimination Communication and 17 Ways to Get Your Baby to Stop Resisting the In-arms Potty Position. We call this specific baby move "bucking" - trying to escape the potty position altogether - and discuss how to get past this discouraging (and common) elimination communication struggle. Get full show notes and add your comments or questions here: https://godiaperfree.com/127 Get my free easy start guide for EC at https://godiaperfree.com/start Start EC with your baby today with Andrea's popular book, Go Diaper Free: https://godiaperfree.com/thebook
Jan 26, 2021 • 20min
#126 How do I start EC or toilet learning with a young toddler (12-18 months old)?
If you've just found out about infant potty training, or elimination communication, and your baby is between 12 and 18 months old, you're not too late! You may feel like you've missed the boat. Like the potty train has left the building but forgot you and your little toddler. Today I answer one concerned reader's question about starting toilet learning at 14 months old, and I'll share my tips for starting Elimination Communication during the 12-18 month age. Get full show notes and add your comments or questions here: https://godiaperfree.com/126 Get my free easy start guide for EC at https://godiaperfree.com/start Start EC with your baby today with Andrea's popular book, Go Diaper Free: https://godiaperfree.com/thebook
Jan 19, 2021 • 18min
#125 Diaper-free time
A new trend has emerged in the field of Elimination Communication: Babies are learning to pee on the floor, whenever, wherever. I've been doing a lot of work with my readers on my private support Forum and have been trying to figure out, for a long while now, why this has been happening. Why Do Lots of ECed Babies Pee All Over the Floor? The answer is inside! Get full show notes and add your comments or questions here: https://godiaperfree.com/125 Get my free easy start guide for EC at https://godiaperfree.com/start Start EC with your baby today with Andrea's popular book, Go Diaper Free: https://godiaperfree.com/thebook
