From suite101.com (http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/infant_potty_training/59212/1)
Written by one of the leaders in bringing this practice to the Western world.

© Laurie Boucke

Feb 1, 2001

David was in a shopping mall and had to pee. Since he could not speak, he raised his hand and made the ASL (American Sign Language) sign for “toilet” as he looked at his older brother Joseph. Joseph noticed the sign and took David to the nearest rest room.

A similar scenario took place with Rosette, and her mother immediately responded. The difference is that David can hear while Rosette is deaf.

Aside from both using sign language to communicate their needs to go to the toilet, another thing David and Rosette have in common is that they are both babies who started infant potty training at or before the age of 3 months. David is currently 7 months old. Rosette is 10 months.

Amazing and unbelievable as it may at first sound, babies are aware of elimination from birth and can learn to signal their need to go in infancy, if we but observe and respond to them. Parents using infant potty training soon learn that the key to this method is communication. In fact, some people even refer to it as “elimination communication” since communication between baby and caregiver is so crucial to progress and eventual success.

Imagine the feeling of fulfilment and empowerment for a preverbal baby to be able to communicate his or her need to poo or pee, to have someone understand and respond to this communication, and in this way remain clean and dry. Why should a baby have to wet or soil himself if his parents are open to avoiding this? Many toddlers brought up using full-time diapering methods are desensitized to feelings of wetness since we train them to go in diapers. But if a baby never learns to use a diaper as a toilet in the first place, toddler toilet training as we know it is not necessary.

Parents using toilet sign language with their babies can either use an established sign language such as ASL or invent their own signs. Sometimes a baby will invent signs on his own. It doesn’t matter what signs you use as long as you are communicating. For those who prefer to use the ASL sign for “toilet,” it is formed by placing the thumb between the index and middle fingers (this forms the letter “T” in ASL), then quickly twist or shake the hand from side to side. Note that this sign doesn’t always specifically refer to an actual toilet. It can be used in a generic sense to convey meanings such as “bathroom,” “toilet place,” “elimination,” “need to go,” “pee” and so on.

Although babies do not generally make their first clearly recognizable signs until about the age of 8 months, some are able to make crude yet readable signs around 6-7 months of age. Also amazing is that most babies quickly learn to associate a sign with its meaning. David’s mother started using the toilet sign when he was 6 months old and in just a few weeks, he imitated the sign to the best of his physical ability when he needed to be taken to the toilet. Visitors would think he was waving at them since he was unable to twist his hand back and forth at this young age, but his mother could distinguish between a “bye-bye wave” and a “toilet wave” and respond accordingly.

It is very exciting and satisfying for preverbal children to be able to communicate their basic loves and needs. Other early sign language communication is typically about nursing, loved ones, animals or favorite toys.

To teach a baby to sign his elimination needs, whenever you feel he needs to go, ask him, “Do you have to go potty?” or “Do you need to pee?” as you make the toilet sign. You can also point towards the bathroom, toilet or potty as you signal and continue signaling when he is on the potty, toilet or other receptacle. Your baby will soon make the association between all these things–toilet, elimination and sign language. As your baby grows and develops new motor skills, he will improve his signing abilities and make signs which are more clear and evident.

Here are some typical situations, reported by mothers of preverbal babies at different stages of development.

- I can “feel” my baby signing (feel the movement as she signs) when she is in my arms, looking over my shoulder.

- When I make the toilet sign while asking my baby if he needs to pee, he pats the hand I am using when he needs to go. If he doesn’t need to go, he ignores the sign.

- When she awakes (from a nap, at night or in the morning), in addition to vocalizing her need to pee, she also makes the toilet sign.

- When I give the hand signal and then ask, “Do you have to go potty?” my baby looks at my hand, crawls to the toilet, pulls himself up, lifts the lid and waits for me to undress him and help him go.

- When my 10-month-old hears a toilet flush or hears someone say the word “toilet,” he begins to make the toilet sign, proving there is a clear understanding of the sign and its meaning.

- My baby makes the “toilet” sign while walking towards the bathroom when she needs to go.

We spent this sunny yet cold day at Mass, then off to NDG for Easter pig out at the Handinero’s. They sent us home with leftovers, which ended up being dinner. *groan*…Filipinos+holiday+get together=PIG OUT!!!

Sophie, as cute as she is, is going through a shy stage. So she spent the afternoon crying off and on, particularly at the men. There were two Filipino ladies there that are nannies (bad stereotype, but it is TRUE! Filipinos are the most loving, nurturing group of people I have EVER met!) so they scooped up Sophie, so I could eat. They were the only two other people who could hold her without a fuss!

This egg, was painted by my dear friend and co-worker, Robbie. She gave it to me as a Christmas gift a couple of years ago. This Christmas, I decided to give it a permanent place so I could enjoy it year round. I thought it would be appropriate to share these photos for Easter. Miss you, Robbie! Especially our laughs in our back office at Tourism! :) Honeymoon Suite: Extra person $25. Ha ha ha (or the uninhibited Islands…my bad…hee hee).

It feels so wrong for it to be this cold & Easter! The last time it was ever this early was 1913! We will never see it this early again in our lifetime. Thank goodness; Easter usually falls around my birthday in April, so I can take advantage of long weekend birthday celebrations. Hee hee…

Sophie’s Lola sent this jacket up from Windsor as an Easter gift. I am impressed that my mother was listening. I don’t like pink, but this is a nice sorbet kind of pink, unlike baby pink. Plus the jacket has a cute kitty on the back, somewhat like Hello Kitty. :) Even better, it’s size 24 months so she can wear it next year as I have a spring jacket for her this year. Good job, Mom!

Spring is upon us, even with all our snow, spring is definitely in the air! The air is different…hooray! I feel like a bear coming out of hiberation…celebrate the renewal, the new life! I can’t wait for the ground to thaw so I can plant the seedlings I have started in our mini-greenhouse!

Meanwhile, the Easter Lilly blooms bright on the dining room table…

To new life! And a Renewal of yours & mine!

By Friday last week, Sophie was peeing on cue; and I have Rock as a witness to prove I am not crazy! Say, pipi sssssssssssssssssss….. and low and behold, pee in the potty. If I know she has to poo (don’t ask me how I know, it’s one part observing her past elimination habits and one part intuition), I say poo-poo and voila! I even find myself feeling like I need to pee, so I put her on the potty and she goes (it turns out I really didn’t she did). She is waking up from naps with a totally dry cloth diaper, and pees in the pot when she wakes up. I have only had to launder cloth diapers once in the past week and we usually do them once every 2-3 days.

It’s not always perfect. Today I couldn’t seem to tune into her elimination, as I have a headache. Distractions always fog the practice, but I still caught all the poos, which is really what I care about. Esp. as she starts to eat solid foods…those are NASTY diapers to change, and then to launder as well. :)