A mother from Maidstone has achieved what many consider impossible: potty training her baby at just five months old. Alison Roberts-Tse, 36, used a technique called Elimination Communication (EC) to teach her son Ethan to use the potty from an early age.
Elimination Communication: An Alternative Approach
EC involves parents learning to recognize their baby's signals when they need to urinate or defecate. Instead of using diapers, parents hold the baby over a toilet or potty. Alison began this method when Ethan was three months old, after recovering from an emergency C-section.
“I came across EC before I had my baby and was intrigued,” Alison explained. “After reading positive experiences from other families, I knew I wanted to try it.”
Alison started by having Ethan sit on the potty fully clothed, then gradually moved to bare-bottom sessions. She used sound and sign language cues to reinforce the routine. “He had no problem peeing in it from day one,” she said.
Benefits and Challenges
Within a month, Ethan rarely soiled his diapers, and after two months, he stopped using them entirely. Alison noted that this was especially helpful during long flights to visit family. The method also reduces diaper usage, saving money and benefiting the environment.
However, not everyone was supportive. Alison’s husband had low expectations initially, but after two months of consistent success, he joined in. Loved ones were skeptical but curious.
Alison emphasizes that EC is not about catching every pee but about understanding the baby’s needs. She created a digital tracker to record Ethan’s signals and patterns. “He knows that the toilet is the place to eliminate waste,” she said.
Expert Opinions and Historical Context
EC is not new; it was mentioned in the 1950s book Teach Yourself Mothercraft. Comedian Kathryn Ryan also successfully potty trained her son at eight months using this method. Despite some criticism, Alison believes EC is a valuable parenting tool.
“It’s another tool in the parenting toolbox,” she said. “If he’s antsy or unsettled and I know he isn’t hungry, sleepy, hot or cold, I can offer the toilet.”
Inspired by her success, Alison created a course called Bare Bum Baby to help other parents. “I’m very proud that it’s just ‘normal life’ for us now,” she shared.
This article was originally published in March 2024 and has been updated.
