When EC Stops Working: How to Address an Elimination Communication “Potty Pause”

Ok. So you’re doing Elimination Communication with your baby and everything was going great for the last few weeks or months. You caught every poo and almost every pee, or the majority thereof. You may not even have studied up on infant potty training…you’ve just had such great beginner’s luck!

But now…oh my. Now. Sheesh. Your baby pees right after you take her off the potty. On the floor. She arches every time you try to put her on the mini potty.

Hello, potty pause. (Or call it a potty training strike. Because it darn near is!)

Before she happily went along with you. You were in harmony. But now…let’s just call it the opposite of harmony, and it’s gone on for several days.

You are royally frustrated (understatement?). You need help. So here it is.

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Have you heard of the “potty toys” distracting from the task?

Q: Have you heard of the “potty toys” distracting from the task? My son will sit on his potty chair playing and not pottying. But then I’ll take his toys away and he seems to give in almost and finally go. ~Sheena T., Atlanta, GA, USA

A: Thanks for your question Sheena…glad you asked. :)

Yep, potty toys can absolutely distract from the task.

I think it’s great to keep a basket of “potty only” toys next to the mini potty for those who are just starting to become mobile and are less inclined to sit down for a moment to pee or poo.

But, I also think that (like you’ve illustrated) potty toys can backfire and the child believes that potty time is play time, not potty time.

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My baby is withholding poop: Is it better to stop EC, wait out this extreme potty pause and constipation, and wait until she is older for potty training?

Q: I have been on this EC journey since the birth of our daughter. All was going peachy until around 9 months. Since then she has pretty much flat out refused to go and has stopped signaling. We did the re-set per what we read on your forum. And we have done the reintroduction to the letter and all very compassionately and easy-going.

The problem we are having, beyond her refusing the potty and not signaling anymore, is constipation! We did the reintroduction about one month ago and ever since we have been dealing with the constipation.

It seems there is so much apprehension around the potty that she will hold it for days, then it is hard and painful, which is setting up its own cycle of avoidance of bowel movements. The few times I could tell she had to poo and I ignored her and allowed her to go in her underwear she went just fine.

Help, Andrea! I am about to give up for the sake of my daughter’s bowel health.  Please let me know if there is anything I can do to turn things around, or is it better for some babies to (cloth) diaper them up and wait until they are older for potty training? ~R.C., San Diego, CA, USA

A: R.C….thank you so much for sending in your question. This can’t be easy and I really feel for what you and your family are going through right now.

Let’s first look at a few things that affect constipation. But my overwhelming feeling is that she is withholding poop due to some emotion-based reason.

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My baby goes poop while in her car seat. / My baby goes poop while in her high chair. How do I help her not go in her car seat/high chair?

Q: I have been practicing EC with my  7 month old daughter, June, for 2 months. I provide a number of pottytunities during the day, before nap, after waking, before and after most feedings, before and after car rides, etc and we have many pee catches during the day. She only poops once every other day, and we often miss this catch because she goes when she is in her car seat, while I am driving. Do you have any suggestions for how I can help her become more comfortable “going” outside of the car seat? ~Amy Compani, Hayward, CA, USA, @junebugbliss

A: Hey Amy! Hey Melina! Great questions. Totally annoying when they go in the car seat or high chair. Been there, overcame that!

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