Raising diaper-free babies, also called Natural Infant Hygiene, is a new trend that questions everything we ever believed about toilet training.
I met little Finley at a friend's house at a celebration for their daughter's first birthday. The place was crawling with babies. I found a chair on the deck and watched several delightful toddlers playing in a sandbox. A woman next to me introduced herself as Nancy Jean. Pointing to a little boy in the sandbox, she said, "That's my son Finley. He's a diaper-free baby."
All the parents near us became interested, and their eyes turned to 11-month-old Finley. Sure enough, he was just wearing shorts without a bulky diaper. His shorts were dry and he looked very comfortable. Everyone wanted to know how it worked, how you could train such a young baby, and about accidents.
Nancy Jean was only too glad to explain. "He's never worn a diaper in his life," she said. "It's a myth that babies before the age of 18 months cannot control their elimination. They are aware of and able to exercise their sphincter muscles almost from birth."
She continued, "When I was eight months pregnant with Finley, a friend gave me a book entitled Diaper Free! Natural Infant Hygiene by Ingrid Bauer. My husband and I read it to each other in bed at night. Rather than teaching a baby to eliminate into his or her clothing and cleaning up after the fact, mothers and fathers learn to listen and respond to the baby's needs and communication."
"The book's message made total sense to us," Nancy Jean said. "We decided we would do it. I had raised three children with cloth diapers because that was the best choice I thought I had. The only alternative I knew was 'disposable' diapers, which aren't disposable, because they never really go away; they make enormous piles in landfills."
Nancy Jean said there are many advantages to having and being a diaper-free baby. You save thousands of dollars, and you can travel light; you don't need to carry a bag full of diapers, wipes, and a changing pad. The baby enjoys greater comfort and ease of mobility. His body is free to move, he can turn onto his tummy, crawl and walk unencumbered, because there's no bulky wet or messy diaper between his legs. In addition there are psychological factors involved in having access to his own body and control over its natural functions. So how does it work? How does one train or communicate with a baby?
Nancy Jean said that observation and close bonding help the parent understand the baby's signals, body language, and timing rhythms, and many parents find that their intuitive responses also become enhanced.
Nancy Jean said she started communicating with Finley about elimination needs from day one.
"On Finley's first day," she said, "I held him in 'elimination position' with his back resting against my abdomen, his thighs in my hands, so he's in a natural squat pose, holding him over a bowl in my lap. I made a cueing sound "psssss," and to our excitement and amazement, he peed! It was that easy and immediate. The cueing sound I use for pooping is a bearing down sound, which creates a tightening of my abdomen, and because Finley is resting against my abdomen he too will intuitively bear down and tighten his abdomen if he has to poop."
This early interaction and communication on a nonverbal level nurtures good communication skills and an advanced level of bonding and closeness. It also creates trust and respect.
Through this method little Finley learned very quickly, easily and naturally about hygiene. Are there ever accidents? "Sure," said Nancy Jean, "but it's only a little baby pee—it's totally sterile."
Nancy Jean explained that in the beginning, while learning about their baby's rhythm, many mothers prefer to use diapers at least part-time, but it's easier to notice the baby's elimination patterns when they are diaper-less. If the baby is young and not mobile yet, it can work well to have the baby on top of an open diaper. The important thing is to always make the cueing sound every time they go.
Nancy Jean is now teaching parenting classes with her friend and partner Corina Acosta-Rodriquez. They can be contacted for more information at: NaturalParentingOptions@hotmail.com
Feeds