Nappy Free, or elimination communication (often referred to as EC) is a respectful, natural way to care for a baby. It can be done with or without nappies. Millions of mothers around the world deal with their babies’ toileting needs in this way. It is a skill that has been forgotten in the West since the advent of disposable nappies. Parents who EC respond to a baby’s needs as and when they occur, rather than ignoring them until nappy change time.

How does it work? 

Parents look for signals that baby is uncomfortable, and then offer her a chance to urinate or defecate outside her nappy. They normally hold her in a 'squat' position, hands underneath the baby's thighs, with baby's back and head leaning against the parent's chest. An older baby can sit on a potty or a toilet insert.  The baby then urinates or defecates in the potty or lavatory, instead of in their nappy. 

All babies have an instinct not to soil themselves. Parents of newborns often find that their baby wees and poos as soon as they remove the nappy. This is how babies exercise their instinct not to soil themselves. If a parent encourages this natural instinct, and holds the baby in a position that relaxes the pelvic floor, then the baby will soon learn to associate the hold and the place (the potty or lavatory) with his bodily functions. Parents often make a ‘psss’ sound, or a grunting noise to help baby make this connection.

EC can begin at birth, though some cultures wait until the baby can hold their head, or sit on a potty. It is harder to introduce after six months of age.

Some parents use this method full time - during the day, at home and out and about, and also at night. Others prefer to do just a few hours in the morning, for example. Another way is to offer the potty at convenient times, (for example when baby is being changed or bathed, or when the parent is using the loo) and use a nappy in between times.

For the purposes of EC, the type of nappy or underwear parents use on their babies is not as relevant as the way they are used. While parents EC, they try to communicate about every wee and poo, which normally means changing a nappy as soon as it is wet or dirty. Most parents use some kind of nappy system as a back up, and they often find that this is easier if they use cloth nappies, or training pants. It is possible to use disposables, but it is harder to tell when a baby urinates. A mix may be the best option, for example bare-bottomed at home, cloth for out and about, and disposables at night time.