Natural Birth and Baby Care.com

EC'ing at Nightime and Naptime

If you wonder how to respond to your baby's elimination communication at nighttime you're not alone. It can seem overwhelming to think about helping your baby to potty at night!

But there are many options for you to choose from and you may find that reading your baby's cues becomes even easier at night than in the day!

Nighttime Options

Perhaps the simplest choice for the night is to diaper your baby - and it is one that some parents make. But even diapered babies will leak at night. Some people also believe that nighttime diapering leads to later bed wetting (though I don't know of any studies confirming or denying this).

You may want to have your baby in a diaper and offer to help them eliminate whenever they awaken. If they wake wet, you can offer the potty and quickly change them. You may find that a diaper without a cover works if your baby wakes frequently at night.

One option - pocket diapers - wick moisture away from your baby's skin so that baby always feels dry. If you're using diapers at night this could be an advantage because your baby won't get used to the wet feeling against her skin.

Many babies will not wet in their sleep. They always begin to stir when they need to eliminate. Some parents have even found that once they potty their baby, he goes back to sleep without a fuss or even nursing - he just needed to eliminate!

Potty in the Dark

Decide how you're going to potty your baby at night. Some babies won't mind you carrying them to the bathroom. In the bathroom you can help them to potty over the toilet, their own little potty, or in the sink. Some parents find that the bathtub works well for nighttime - no worrying about aim in the dark!

Some babies (and parents) don't want to have to go all the way to the bathroom at night. If this is the case for your family you may find that a wide bowl on the floor works well. Simply sit up and swing your legs over the side of the bed. Then hold your baby over the bowl - for instance, a large mixing bowl - and let him go.

You can also have a bowl available on the bedside table. Sit up and cradle your baby close to you as you let her go in the bowl sitting in your lap. A small bucket with a wide opening (such as a big ice cream tub) works well for this.

If your baby is still a newborn or in the early months, you may find that you can hold your baby over a prefold diaper and just toss the diaper into a little bucket until morning.

You'll likely find a workable situation for yourself and your baby pretty quickly. Experiment with what works the best for your family.

You may want to pay close attention to your baby's nighttime rhythms. If your baby eliminates early in the night and then stays dry keep your baby in a diaper for the first part of the night and then leave him diaper free the rest of the night. Ingrid Bauer describes how she did this with her son in Diaper Free!

Dry Beds

Of course you'll want to keep your baby's bed - or your family bed - dry at night. An absorbent pad can make a big difference for you and for your baby. Having a pad under both of you will also absorb leaking milk at night, allowing you to sleep comfortably.

You can find absorbent bed pads at most discount and department stores. You can also use a lambskin or fleece puddle pad. The Cozy Bunny is a good place to look for wool puddle pads, mattress protectors, and other baby woolens.

If you decide to leave your child diaper free at night you may want to have a blanket to go over him. Simple receiving blankets work well for a small baby. For an older baby you may want to get a larger blanket. Having a separate blanket over your baby will protect the top bedding in case you have a miss.

Your baby can sleep with you, skin to skin, if possible. If it's cold and you want your baby to be diaper free you can dress your baby in a warm top and thick baby socks. Her legs will be under the covers. Put a hat on your baby - a pilot cap not only looks sweet and classic, it also stays on your baby's head at night. The very best way to keep your baby warm at night is to keep her cuddled close to you.

Naptime

Naptime can work in much the same way as bedtime. Keep your bed or baby's bed protected with the same waterproof mat that you use at night.

You may find that your baby does not wet at all during naps. One of the best ways to get to know your baby's timing and cues is to watch his elimination patterns around sleep. You can cue your baby to pee as soon as he wakes up from his nap. This can help you both get used to ECing!

If you lie down to take a nap with your baby during the day (a great idea!), you can use the same bowl or bucket that you use at night. Or you may find that your baby wants to wait a few minutes after waking to go. You'll quickly get to know your baby.

Sleeping Diaper Free - What a Pleasant Dream!

With a little patience you can probably figure out how to help your baby sleep diaper free - or at least with a dry diaper - at night and through naps. If your baby does wet at night, simply change the diaper when she wakes to nurse. Otherwise, enjoy some sweet sleep with your diaper free babe!