One of the most common things parents say when their baby pees in the potty is: "Good job!" I used to say it too.

In fact, if you watch some of my old videos, you'll hear me praising my first baby all over the place. But after a lot of research, thought, and experience, I changed my mind.

Should we praise our babies when they use the potty? What about stickers? M&M's? Reward charts?

This is one of those topics I feel pretty strongly about, and in today's episode I'll share why I no longer praise during EC or potty training, what I do instead, and how our words can either support or undermine a child's natural motivation to use the potty.

Get full show notes and add your comments or questions here: https://godiaperfree.com/121

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

Clean-up, clean-up, everybody do your share...

Let's talk about the thing nobody wants to talk about when starting EC:

The pee on the floor. The surprise poop.

The giant mess you're imagining when you hear someone say "naked observation time."

Today's question comes from a first-time mom who is starting EC with her 10-month-old and wants to know:

How exactly do you clean up all this pee and poop while observing your baby?

The good news is that if you're doing observation correctly, you shouldn't be cleaning up nearly as much as you think.

In this episode, I'll share how to prevent most messes in the first place, how much observation time you actually need, and my favorite tricks for making clean-up quick and painless.

Get full show notes and add your comments or questions here: https://godiaperfree.com/120

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

Still using onesies?

Okay, who else has a drawer full of adorable onesies that suddenly became...annoying?

Maybe you've started EC. Maybe you've switched to Tiny Trainers.

Maybe you're just tired of dealing with all those snaps every time your baby needs to pee.

The good news? You don't have to get rid of those favorite outfits just yet.

In this week's episode, we're sharing a super simple DIY that turns old onesies into tiny t-shirts—no fancy sewing skills required. It's an easy way to make potty access simpler, get more use out of clothes you already own, and save a few favorite outfits from the donation pile.

Get full show notes and add your comments or questions here: https://godiaperfree.com/119

Get my free easy start guide for EC https://godiaperfree.com/start

Start EC with your baby today with my popular book, Go Diaper Free: https://godiaperfree.com/thebook

Many parents tell me, "I'd love to start EC, but I'm just too busy."

And honestly? I get it.

Between multiple kids, work, travel, errands, and everything else life throws at us, it can feel impossible to add one more thing to your plate.

But I say, "Baloney!"

In this episode, I'm answering a question from a mom who wanted to know how to start EC when life is busy, schedules are packed, or travel gets in the way.

We'll talk about the beginning phase of EC, how much observation you actually need, and how to get started without letting EC take over your entire life.

Because you don't need a perfect schedule to start pottying your baby.

Get full show notes and add your comments or questions here: https://godiaperfree.com/118

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

If you've ever thought, "This sounds cool but… does EC actually WORK?" — you're not alone. Because from the outside, elimination communication can feel a little… out there.
No diapers? Tiny babies? Listening to cues?

In this episode, I break down 4 simple reasons EC works so well — and why it actually feels way more natural than most people expect. We're talking common sense stuff. Biology stuff. Parent intuition stuff.Nothing complicated. Nothing crunchy. Just why this approach clicks for so many families.

Get full show notes and add your comments or questions here: https://godiaperfree.com/117

Get my free easy start guide for EC https://godiaperfree.com/start

Start EC with your baby today with my popular book, Go Diaper Free: https://godiaperfree.com/thebook

Okay…so does your baby HAVE to use the same potty spot every single time?

Like…same bathroom
Same little potty
Same exact setup every day?

Not necessarily.

But there are some really helpful reasons why having a familiar potty location can make EC easier — especially in the beginning.

In this week's episode I'm talking all about potty location, routines, cues, and how babies actually learn where to go. Because sometimes switching things up constantly can make potty learning feel way harder than it needs to.

Get full show notes and add your comments or questions here: https://godiaperfree.com/116

Get my free easy start guide for EC https://godiaperfree.com/start

Start EC with your baby today with my popular book, Go Diaper Free: https://godiaperfree.com/thebook

This is a guest post from Natalie Robbins, our certified coach serving Indianapolis and surrounding areas.

Enjoy! xx Andrea

Whether you work full time or part time, working from home adds an extra challenge to the already-demanding task of caring for a baby. Or is it the other way around? Caring for a baby (or toddler) can make work extra challenging....

Either way you put it, I would argue that practicing Elimination Communication can actually make your working and caretaking struggles easier. Less time-consuming poopy diapers to deal with, a happier baby, quick and easy diaper changes, and early potty independence, among other benefits. But, it's quite the balancing act, trying to figure out how to practically insert it into your work day, especially if you're just getting started.

Here are a few things I've learned from practicing EC while working full time (as a virtual teacher) from home.....starting during the newborn stage, to a crawling baby, and now entering early toddlerhood.

Get full show notes and add your comments or questions here: https://godiaperfree.com/115

Get my free easy start guide for EC https://godiaperfree.com/start

Start EC with your baby today with my popular book, Go Diaper Free: https://godiaperfree.com/thebook

Ever found yourself wondering…"Was that a signal…or just random fussiness?" Or maybe you've heard "watch for signals" but you're like…what does that actually mean??

In this episode, we're clearing up the confusion between signals vs signs—and why it matters (or doesn't) Because once this clicks…EC gets a whole lot easier.

Get full show notes and add your comments or questions here: https://godiaperfree.com/113

Get my free easy start guide for EC https://godiaperfree.com/start

Start EC with your baby today with my popular book, Go Diaper Free: https://godiaperfree.com/thebook