EC is a quartet

A lot of people ask me, how do I have more success with EC?

My response doesn't always thrill them, because they're looking for something "deeper" than simply managing the potty opportunities so that the child is learning to release their bladder when asked to rather than holding it longer. Perhaps they feel that it will in some way nullify the fact that they think they're some kind of magical "baby whisperer" and that EC is less about spiritual connection with their baby "talking to them" (and baby IS talking to you but there's more to it) and more about science and good management. But it's true.

So here's an analogy of a music group- A quartet. Four singers, the lead singer who gets all the lime light. And the back up singers who help to carry the tune and when lead singer slips up and forgets their lines- they carry the performance while the lead quickly regroups and the audience doesn't even notice the mistake.

Now in the world of EC the lead singer is "Baby Signals" this is the road to pottying that gets all the glory all the time, yet if we ONLY rely on signals I'd say you'd catch around 35% of babies eliminations because you're so busy waiting for a clear signal you misjudge or the baby doesn't signal and oops.. miss.

the back up singers are Intuition, Generic Timing and Natural Timing. Not using these roads to potty is like making the lead singer do all the work. A solo, which is lovely they didn't become the lead for nothing, instead of the beautiful harmonies and melodies that can carry further and louder and brighter than just one voice.



If you only use one of the roads to pottying you won't get as far. Yes you will still be doing EC but it will be a lot messier, more frustrating and longer drawn out than it needs to be and when baby is between 10 and 15 months old and reaches the major milestone of walking- it often all falls apart completely.

This doesn't have to be only the case for using Signals as your "lead singer" if you swap out ANY of the four roads to potty as your lead and ignore the back up singers it yields a very similar result. EC doesn't work too well if you are "only going off the clock" or "only going by intuition" or "only at certain natural times" anymore than only waiting for signals does.

Using all four takes practice and you'll often feel like an octopus trying to manage them all but after a few weeks it becomes something that isn't even really thought about. A reflex to put them on the potty a few minutes after a feed or directly after waking, it feels normal to notice the unique signal and take them potty and it is second nature to get that intuitive "it's been a while and I feel like I just got peed on" sensation.

Just like playing an instrument in a band or singing a four part song- you need all the players to play it your best. So give it a go, don't be afraid to ask them "do you need to go?" by offering them the potty. Listen to your intuition and off the clock timing can be a total LIFE SAVER during a potty strike.

So there you go EC is a quartet not a solo.