By Ariane Blais-Lacombe from *Le petit pot plus tôt*

🌿 You love your cloth diapers.

Not only are they super cute, but they help you save hundreds of dollars every year, while easing your eco-conscious mind by avoiding the creation of tons of waste.

But sometimes… there are little hiccups.
Your baby gets rashes. The diapers leak.
Or your babe’s massive booty no longer fits in your favorite leggings.

And then there’s the laundry.
It’s not that you hate it, but if you could do it less often… that would be… kinda awesome.

🎉 The good news?

There’s an amazing solution that can make your life easier and help you fall even more in love with cloth diapers.
It’s an ancient method, still relatively unknown today, but slowly being rediscovered by thousands of parents around the world.

It’s called: Elimination Communication (EC).

🧐 Diaper-free babies… really?

If you’ve heard of Elimination Communication, you probably know it as “diaper-free baby”. I get it—it sounds kind of scary! 😅

Thankfully, EC can be done alongside diapers, whether cloth or disposable. Throughout history, humans have been resourceful in managing baby poop—using things like animal skins or dried moss.

🚽 But the most common method for dealing with babies’ elimination needs was to learn their signals and offer them an appropriate place to go.

That’s what Elimination Communication is all about.
A gentle, intuitive alternative to using diapers exclusively for your baby’s hygiene needs 💚.

Earlier societies were able to engage in intensive parenting: constant babywearing, bed-sharing, extended breastfeeding, and elimination communication. It wasn’t just a choice—it was a survival strategy for the species.

While these practices still make sense today, modern parents can’t always commit to them fully. Family isolation and lack of support often mean choosing your battles—and sometimes prioritizing sleep and mental health.

Thankfully, babies benefit from attachment parenting practices even when they’re done occasionally.
✨ Same goes for Elimination Communication. You can choose to do it full-time, part-time, or just once in a while.

For example, a mom might choose to offer the potty only at home where she’s more available to notice signals. Another parent might bring baby to the potty every morning after waking up and before bathtime. A working parent might practice EC evenings and weekends only—whatever works best for them.

Just like you can breastfeed and bottle-feed, babywear or use a stroller, you can absolutely use the potty and diapers together—in a way that’s realistic, gentle, and right for you.

In my opinion, every parent should know about Elimination Communication. I see it as one more tool in our parenting toolbox. But parents who already use cloth diapers? They stand to benefit the most.

Here are just a few of the benefits of offering your baby the potty—whether they’re 6 days, 6 weeks, 6 months, or older!

Do laundry less often… without buying more diapers
Less pee in diapers means fewer diapers to wash.

Imagine this: You offer the potty first thing in the morning. Baby pees. You put on a diaper while you nurse or serve breakfast. After the meal, you check the diaper—it’s dry. Second potty visit: baby pees again. You reuse the same dry diaper.

Repeat that routine a few times a day, and your baby stays clean and dry longer. As long as the diaper is dry, you can reuse it. By day’s end, you’ve saved one, two, maybe even three diapers!

I know it’s hard to believe, but many parents stop changing poopy diapers altogether just weeks after starting EC.

Your baby will quickly realize it’s way more pleasant to poop in the potty than to have it stuck to their bum (relatable). They’ll start to signal more clearly, and you’ll get better at noticing their cues and natural rhythm.

No poop in the diaper means... no liners, no pre-rinsing, no 45 wipes. Done with all that! Sending poop where it belongs—why not give it a shot?

Tailor-made benefits

With Elimination Communication, you’ll discover benefits that are unique to your situation.
✨ Maybe it’ll reduce your baby’s rashes, or you’ll have no more leaks.
✨ Maybe you’ll finally feel confident using your cloth diapers while out or overnight.

And if you haven’t started using your cloth diapers yet (you know, the ones from your baby shower collecting dust next to the changing table), this could be your chance to try. With EC, cloth diapers become so much easier to use. And if you already use them, you’ve got a head start on learning EC.

❤️ These two really are the dream team for managing your baby’s elimination needs in the most eco-friendly, budget-friendly, natural, and loving way possible.

Ask yourself honestly: why not start the potty journey… a little earlier?

Ariane is the mom of 4 kids who all started using the potty within their first few weeks of life. A certified instructor in Elimination Communication and potty learning with Go Diaper Free, she helps parents introduce the potty from birth through toddlerhood. Since founding...

Want to learn more? It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3:

🌐 Visit Ariane’s website: http://lepetitpotplustot.com/

📥 Download the free EC Mini-Guide, already used by over 1000 parents: https://lepetitpotplustot.com/mini-guide-hni/

📺 Don’t miss her Earth Day Webinar: https://lepetitpotplustot.com/webinaire-jour-de-la-terre/