Held & Heard: Infant potty training, elimination communication & postpartum motherhood

Struggling with elimination communication or wondering whether to give up on infant potty training? If your baby once used the potty consistently but now resists, you're experiencing more misses, or EC feels harder than it used to, this episode is for you. Discover what successful EC moms do differently, why setbacks don't mean failure, and how to keep making progress toward diaper freedom with your baby.

Keywords: elimination communication, EC potty training, infant potty training, baby potty training, potty resistance, elimination communication struggles, EC setbacks, diaper free baby, early potty training, potty training before 18 months.

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🧭The Born Ready Course (for babies 0-12 months)

Know that EC is for you? Get it right from the beginning without the guesswork, start with the Born Ready course and get my complete, stage-by-stage process from birth to toilet independence by ONE, no matter when you’re starting.

🐥Ditch the Diapers (for babies 10-18 months)

Starting with a mobile baby? Already pottying your baby successfully, but wondering how to finish the journey? If your baby is cruising or walking, they’re ready to potty independently. Ditch the Diapers shows you how to get there.

☎️ Get help now:

Struggling with EC? Book a private Clarity Call with Heather to get your EC practice back on track. Book a call

💌 DM Heather on Instagram @readyfrombirth.ec or email [email protected] to connect!

You're ready to start elimination communication with your baby, but there's just one problem: how do you get your husband on board with EC when he doesn’t believe it actually works?

In this episode of Held and Heard, I'm sharing five practical ways to help your husband understand the benefits of elimination communication and become an active participant in your baby's early potty learning journey.

We'll also explore research on early toilet training, assisted infant toileting, and the benefits of introducing the potty before 12 months.

Whether you're pregnant and considering EC from birth, navigating newborn diaper changes, or already practicing part-time elimination communication with your baby, this episode will encourage you to approach your husband's skepticism with confidence, patience, and practical strategies.

Because sometimes the most convincing argument isn't what you say. It's what your baby can already do.

Are you the only mom you know who's pottying her baby?

Come connect with other moms practicing elimination communication at our FREE live Community Listening Circle on Friday, November 6, at 1:00 PM Eastern.

Bring your questions, share your wins, talk through your challenges, and find encouragement from moms who understand your journey.

Save your seat

Sometimes all it takes is one successful potty catch to turn a skeptic into a believer.

That's why I created First Catch Weekend, a simple, beginner-friendly introduction to elimination communication that helps you recognize your baby's potty signals and experience your first catch.

You'll receive three practical emails over one weekend, with step-by-step instructions to help you get started, even if you're a busy working mom or your baby has only ever worn diapers.

Join First Catch Weekend

For the research-minded parents who want to explore the evidence behind elimination communication, early potty training, and infant toilet learning:

• Jia-ting Yu et al, Frontiers in Pediatrics, January 2023. “Delayed elimination communication is a crucial factor in disposable diaper dependence in Chinese preschool-aged children.”
• Ping Chao Xu et al, Scientific Reports, June 2021. “Delayed elimination communication on the prevalence of children's bladder and bowel dysfunction”
• Sears, Maccoby, and Levin, Patterns of Child Rearing. Row, Peterson and Co., 1957. Table IV:1, p. 109.
• Kiddoo, Darcie. Canadian Medical Association Journal, March 2012. “Toilet training children: when to start and how to train.”

Keywords: Elimination communication (EC), Baby potty training, Early potty training, Potty training with your husband, Infant potty training

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🗓️Your First Catch Weekend

Just learning about Elimination Communication? Seeing is believing, try it with your baby and discover what’s possible with the First Catch Weekend, sign up by Fridays at 5pm to be included!

🧭The Born Ready Course (for babies 0-12 months)

Know that EC is for you? Get it right from the beginning without the guesswork, start with the Born Ready course and get my complete, stage-by-stage process from birth to toilet independence by ONE, no matter when you’re starting.

🐥Ditch the Diapers (for babies 10-18 months)

Starting with a mobile baby? Already pottying your baby successfully, but wondering how to finish the journey? If your baby is cruising or walking, they’re ready to potty independently. Ditch the Diapers shows you how to get there.

💌 DM Heather on Instagram @readyfrombirth.ec or email [email protected] to connect!

Can your baby really be potty trained by 18 months—or is that simply too early?

If you’ve been researching early potty training, baby potty training, or wondering when to start potty training your toddler, you’ve probably heard some version of: “Wait until they’re ready.”

But what if our definition of “ready” has changed?

In this episode, I’m digging into historical and current potty training data to look at how dramatically the age of toilet training has shifted over the last several generations—and whether babies themselves have actually become less capable.

I’ll also take you into real life with my own 18-month-old: what potty independence looks like at home, at Montessori school, running errands, and even when accidents happen. Plus, I’m sharing the story of another mama who didn't begin elimination communication until 9–10 months and is already seeing remarkable progress at 14 months.

If you have a baby or young toddler and you've wondered whether early potty training is actually possible, this episode will give you a very different picture of what your child may already be capable of.

Ready to help your mobile baby move toward toilet independence? Ditch the Diapers walks you through exactly how to start with a crawling, cruising, or walking baby. Click here to get started.

📌And don't forget! If you are already practicing EC with your baby, you're invited to join me for a FREE Community Listening Circle on Friday, November 6th at 1pm ET.

You might be the only one in your mom group whose diaper bag includes a potty, but you're definitely not alone. This is your space to share the journey. Save your seat!

Keywords: early potty training, baby potty training, 18 month old, toddler development, potty training readiness

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💡Just learning about Elimination Communication? Discover the basics with my free Quick Start Guide to EC for babies 0-12 months.

🧭The Born Ready Course (for babies 0-12 months)

Know that EC is for you? Get it right from the beginning without the guesswork, start with the Born Ready course and get my complete, stage-by-stage process from birth to toilet independence by ONE, no matter when you’re starting.

🐥Ditch the Diapers (for babies 10-18 months)

Starting with a mobile baby? Already pottying your baby successfully, but wondering how to finish the journey? If your baby is cruising or walking, they’re ready to potty independently. Ditch the Diapers shows you how to get there.

💌 DM Heather on Instagram @readyfrombirth.ec or email [email protected] to connect!

Is there a way to get your baby out of diapers faster than waiting for conventional potty training “readiness” and an ultra stressful three-day weekend?

In this episode of Held and Heard, we’ll question some of our most basic assumptions about babies, diapers, and potty training—and look at what might change when we approach these everyday parts of motherhood with more intention.

We’ll talk about what previous generations may have understood that modern parenting culture has forgotten, why the timeline we’ve come to accept for potty training isn’t necessarily inevitable, and the biblical motherhood principle that totally transformed my potty training strategy after three babies of my own.

If you’re pregnant, caring for a newborn, navigating the early postpartum months, or simply wondering whether potty training really has to be as difficult as everyone says it is, press play.

Because there’s one simple shift that can completely change the way you think about your baby and diapers—and once you see it, you’ll never look back.

Keywords: newborn, postpartum, biblical motherhood, potty training, pregnant moms

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💡Just learning about Elimination Communication? Discover the basics with my free Quick Start Guide to EC for babies 0-12 months.

🧭The Born Ready Course (for babies 0-12 months)

Know that EC is for you? Get it right from the beginning without the guesswork, join the Born Ready course and get my complete, stage-by-stage process from birth to toilet independence by ONE, no matter when you’re starting.

🐥Ditch the Diapers (for babies 10-18 months)

Already pottying your baby successfully, but wondering how to finish the journey and Ditch the Diapers? If your baby is cruising or walking, they’re ready to potty independently. Ditch the Diapers shows you how to get there.

💌 DM Heather on Instagram @readyfrombirth.ec or email [email protected] to connect!

If you want a positive natural home birth, how can you overcome the fears you might have grown up with to experience the birth you desire and believe is possible?

In this episode of Held and Heard, I sit down with naturopathic doctor and Rewire for Birth co-founder Dr. Cindy Tahhan to hear the story behind her two incredibly positive natural home births.

Cindy didn't grow up assuming she would give birth at home. In fact, even after becoming a naturopathic doctor, much of what she had learned about birth still followed the conventional model.

Then she watched two highly trained medical professionals choose home birth for their own family.

It made her wonder: What do they know that I don't?

That question began a much deeper journey into physiological birth, the nervous system, intuition, fear, surrender, and what can happen when we learn to work with our bodies instead of assuming they're something we need to control.

We talk about how to prepare your nervous system for birth, why surrender matters, the role your birth environment can play in physiological labor, how to recognize fears and beliefs you've absorbed about childbirth, and why Cindy believes we should prepare for the birth we desire without attaching our worth or success to a particular outcome.

If you’re hoping or preparing for a natural unmedicated home birth, Cindy’s positive birth stories are exactly the encouragement you need.

Learn more from Dr. Cindy Tahhan:
Visit CindyTahhan.com or find the Rewire for Birth podcast to learn more about Cindy's work around birth preparation, nervous system regulation, and motherhood.

And if Cindy's story about elimination communication made you wonder what your baby might already be trying to tell you, you can learn more about my work right here on Held & Heard ;)

Connect with Cindy on Instagram @drcindytahhan

Keywords: positive birth stories, natural home birth, free birth, midwives, matrescence, unmedicated birth

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💡Just learning about Elimination Communication? Discover the basics with my free Quick Start Guide to EC for babies 0-12 months.

🧭The Born Ready Course (for babies 0-12 months)

Know that EC is for you? Get it right from the beginning without the guesswork, join the Born Ready course and get my complete, stage-by-stage process from birth to toilet independence by ONE, no matter when you’re starting.

🐥Ditch the Diapers (for babies 10-18 months)

Already pottying your baby successfully, but wondering how to finish the journey and Ditch the Diapers? If your baby is cruising or walking, they’re ready to potty independently. Ditch the Diapers shows you how to get there.

💌 DM Heather on Instagram @readyfrombirth.ec or email [email protected] to connect!

Why does early motherhood change you so deeply?

You’ve probably heard the word matrescence—the profound physical, emotional, neurological, and identity transformation that happens when a woman becomes a mother. But what if there’s more to this transformation than biology?

In this episode of Held and Heard, Heather explores a question she’s been asking about her own journey through motherhood: What if God is using early motherhood to shape us for His purpose?

From pregnancy and birth to breastfeeding, sleepless nights, toddlerhood, and all the ordinary, exhausting work of caring for a child, motherhood has a way of confronting our need for control and teaching us things we might never have chosen to learn on our own.

Heather explores the connection between matrescence, Christian motherhood, sanctification, and spiritual growth, looking at how early motherhood can cultivate the six central traits that our children - and God - require of us.

Looking for the Fix the Fuss workshop? It's being rescheduled - but you can still join me for a FREE Community Listening Circle on Friday November 6th at 1pm ET.

If you're practicing EC with your baby, this is your space to share the journey. Save your seat!

Topics covered: matrescence, early motherhood, postpartum motherhood, Christian motherhood, motherhood and faith, sanctification, becoming more like Jesus, spiritual growth, motherhood transformation, pregnancy and motherhood, postpartum identity, conscious parenting, infant potty learning, elimination communication.

If you're the kind of woman who researches everything, makes the list, gets organized, and likes to feel prepared before a big life change… pregnancy can turn into one very big project.

And motherhood doesn't exactly cooperate with project management.

In this episode, I'm joined by Nina Spears, founder of Baby Chick and author of The Baby Chick Guide to Positive Pregnancy, to talk about what high-achieving women actually need to prepare for as they enter motherhood.

Nina has spent more than 15 years supporting women through pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and early parenthood—as a baby planner, birth and postpartum doula, childbirth educator, and perinatal educator. She has attended more than 350 births and works with the exact kind of woman who is used to being capable, prepared, and in control.

We talk about why preparing for birth is only part of the preparation you need, why postpartum deserves far more attention during pregnancy, how the invisible mental load begins long before your baby arrives, and why so many capable women find themselves completely overwhelmed once they're suddenly responsible for another human being.

We also get into the uncomfortable reality of what happens when birth doesn't go according to plan—and what it can look like to prepare deeply while still leaving room for the things you simply cannot control.

If you're pregnant and already making lists, reading the books, researching your options, and trying to make sure you do everything "right," I think you'll especially want to hear this conversation.

Because preparing for motherhood isn't just about knowing more.

It's about becoming the mother who can meet what actually comes.

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Connect with Nina Spears on Instagram @thebabychick

Prepare for pregnancy and postpartum at baby-chick.com and grab your copy of The Baby Chick Guide to Positive Pregnancy today!

Can you really potty train a baby before one? If you're practicing elimination communication (EC), you may already know that babies can communicate their need to eliminate long before conventional potty training says they're “ready.” But what happens when your baby is using the potty successfully at home and suddenly refuses when someone else is caring for them?

In this episode of Held & Heard, Heather shares a recent experience with her 17-month-old while visiting family—and what the experience revealed about elimination communication, potty training before one, baby potty signals, and the difference between following your baby's communication and simply putting them on the potty according to a schedule.

If you've been doing EC and wondering whether you're relying too much on timing, struggling to recognize your baby's signals, or wondering whether it's still worth continuing when your baby spends much of the day in diapers or daycare, this conversation is for you.

Heather Medlin is a mother of three, infant potty learning educator, and founder of Ready From Birth. She teaches elimination communication and early potty learning from birth through toilet independence, with an emphasis on listening to your baby's communication rather than waiting for conventional “potty training readiness.”

Get started the right way with the Born Ready course, and put your baby in control of potty time with Ditch the Diapers.

Learn more about infant potty learning, elimination communication, and potty training before one at readyfrombirth.com.

When should you start potty training your baby?

Most parents are told to wait for “potty training readiness”—usually somewhere in the toddler years, when their child can walk to the bathroom, communicate that they need to go, handle clothing independently, and physically use the toilet.

But what if we’ve confused being ready to START potty training with being able to do the entire process independently?

Potty training isn't actually just one skill, it's a collection of over 40 different skills that must be independently mastered - and are best learned over time.

What if everything you thought you knew about when to potty train your child - is actually making it HARDER to potty train instead of easier?

In this episode, I’m breaking down the foundational skills behind potty training mastery and explaining why toilet learning can begin long before your baby can walk or talk.

We’ll talk about:

• When you can actually start potty training

• The difference between potty training readiness and toilet independence

• Why walking and talking aren’t prerequisites for beginning

• How babies communicate the need to pee or poop before they can speak

• The role of interoception and the brain-body connection in potty learning

• How elimination communication (EC) allows babies to build these skills gradually

• Why my experience potty training my first child at 26 months was completely different from starting EC with my younger two at birth

If you’re been feeling like your baby might be ready long before "they say" she is, this episode is for you.

Pregnant or starting with a newborn? Born Ready walks you through exactly how to begin elimination communication and build these skills from the start.

Already practicing EC, but your baby is still wearing diapers? Ditch the Diapers shows you how to make the shift from you being responsible for pottying your baby to helping your baby take over the process themselves.

Because the goal isn’t for you to get better and better at pottying your baby.

The goal is toilet independence.

Every baby is signaling.

But what if you can't figure out what your baby's signal actually is?

What if you offer the potty and nothing happens…only for them to pee five minutes later?

What if they used to poop in the potty consistently—and suddenly they're refusing altogether?

In this week's episode of Held and Heard, I'm answering real elimination communication questions submitted by listeners, from the newborn days all the way through the transition toward toilet independence.

We're talking about:

• Whether EC is still worth doing if you can't identify your baby's pee signals
• How long a newborn or older baby should actually sit on the potty
• The surprisingly simple way babies tell you they're finished
• What to say when your baby needs to potty in public—and you need to make a quick exit
• Why some babies seem easier to “read” than others
• Why potty signals can actually get stronger when you respond to them
• What may be happening when EC suddenly starts falling apart around 10–12 months

Because successful EC isn't about watching your baby every second of the day or getting every catch right.

It's about building communication.

And when you understand how that communication develops as your baby grows, pottying can become something your baby actively participates in—not something you have to manage entirely on your own.

If you have a newborn or young baby and want the complete roadmap for building that communication from the beginning, Born Ready walks you through the process from first signals to increasing independence.

And if your older baby was doing beautifully with EC but you're suddenly dealing with refusal, regression, missed poops, or pee right after offering, Ditch the Diapers will help you understand what's changing and gently guide your baby through this next developmental stage toward toilet independence.

Five days after giving birth to her first baby, Kate Vazquez decided to try something she'd learned about while she was pregnant.

She fed her newborn. Noticed her getting a little squirmy and fidgety. Remembered that this could be a potty cue.

So she offered her the potty.

And her baby peed.

"Oh my gosh. I caught her first pee!"

But what surprised Kate most wasn't that it worked.

It was how EASY it was.

In today's episode, I'm sharing a conversation I originally recorded with Kate during her first 12 weeks postpartum. Kate was a first-time mom who had never heard of elimination communication before we met while she was pregnant. Through our conversations, she became curious about what babies might actually be capable of from birth—and when her daughter arrived, she decided to try it for herself.

We talk about:

• What made EC make sense to her before her baby was even born
• The newborn cue that led to her very first catch
• How she began recognizing the difference between hunger, sleep and potty cues
• Why her initially skeptical husband eventually started taking their daughter to the potty too
• The connection between meeting a baby's needs, fussiness and feeling more confident as a new mom
• How to start when you're exhausted, learning to breastfeed and already feel like you can't possibly add ONE MORE THING
• Why starting can be as simple as choosing one predictable moment in your baby's day

If you're pregnant and thinking, This sounds amazing, but will I actually be able to do this with a newborn?—I especially want you to hear Kate's story.

Because you don't need to wait until you're in the fog of postpartum to figure this out.

You can learn what to look for, understand what to do when you see it, and feel prepared to simply try when your baby arrives.

That's exactly why I created Born Ready.

Born Ready takes everything I've learned from practicing elimination communication with my own babies and teaching other families and turns it into a simple, step-by-step method you can learn before birth or begin with your newborn.

Kate had something most pregnant moms don't: close proximity to someone who was already doing this and could show her what was possible.

Born Ready gives you that education before you're trying to figure it out on your own.

So if you're pregnant or holding a brand-new baby and Kate's story has you thinking, Okay...but how do I actually do this?—Born Ready is your next step.

Learn more at readyfrombirth.com.

And if you know a pregnant or brand-new mama who needs to know this is possible, send her this episode. 🤍

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Connect with Kate Vazquez:

https://www.instagram.com/thekatevazquez

https://radiantbydesign.com/

The Radiant & Resilient Podcast

Start and save on your sustainable diaper subscription with Hiro Diapers

One of the most important things to learn before your baby arrives is how to change a diaper.

But has anyone ever taught you what to do before you change it?

In this episode of Held and Heard, I’m breaking down one of the most overlooked parts of newborn care: your baby’s natural potty cues.

Just like newborn babies communicate when they’re hungry or tired, they can also communicate when they need to pee or poop—often before it happens.

Inside this episode, you’ll learn:

• What a newborn may do right before they pee or poop

• How responding before your baby goes is different from simply changing a dirty diaper afterward

• Why newborns may actually wait for you to respond

• The brain-body connection that develops in a newborn when you do this

• How I used this with my own babies from their first weeks of life

Because what if diaper changes were never supposed to be your first response?

Learning your baby’s potty cues is part of elimination communication (EC), sometimes called infant potty learning—and it can be much simpler than it sounds. You don’t have to throw away your diapers, watch the clock all day, or wait until your baby is a toddler to begin.

You can simply start learning another way your newborn communicates.

Want to know exactly how to do this from birth?

Inside Born Ready, I teach you my complete step-by-step process for recognizing your baby’s signals, offering the potty, responding confidently, and building this communication from the newborn days toward toilet independence.

Whether you’re pregnant and preparing now or already holding your newborn, you can start from the beginning with a simple plan instead of trying to figure it out as you go.

Join Born Ready here.

Your baby is already communicating. Join the conversation.

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Learn more at Readyfrombirth.com

🐣Preparing for birth? Know what to do from Day One, start the Born Ready course today!

🐥Ready to get on with toilet independence? Help your 10+ month old baby graduate from EC with Ditch the Diapers

📱Follow along on Instagram @readyfrombirth.ec

Have you ever watched another mom with a peaceful, content newborn and wondered...

"What is she doing differently?"

Maybe you've convinced yourself she just got lucky. Maybe her baby is naturally easy.

But what if the difference isn't the baby at all?

In this episode, I'm sharing the five basic needs every newborn has—and the one that almost every parent is taught to ignore. We'll talk about why babies cry, why "colic" often leaves parents feeling helpless, and how learning to recognize your baby's communication can completely change your postpartum experience.

Inside this episode you'll learn:

• The five basic needs every newborn is trying to communicate
• Why a crying baby isn't a "bad" baby
• The surprising biological need almost every newborn care class leaves out
• Why some babies seem calmer—not because they're easier, but because they're better understood
• How learning to recognize your baby's cues builds confidence for both of you

Whether you're still pregnant or holding your newborn in your arms right now, this episode will help you stop guessing and start understanding.

If you're ready to learn exactly how to recognize your own baby's communication—including the elimination cues almost nobody talks about—the Born Ready course is the complete guide from birth through walking. Learn more about Born Ready.

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Learn more at Readyfrombirth.com

🐣Preparing for birth? Know what to do from Day One, start the Born Ready course today!

🐥Ready to get on with toilet independence? Help your baby graduate from EC with Ditch the Diapers

📱Follow along on Instagram @readyfrombirth.ec

When my 15-month-old caught a virus from his new daycare, everything changed overnight.

His rash was so severe that he couldn't comfortably wear a diaper. As I cared for him through fever, blisters, sleepless nights, and a week at home, I found myself unexpectedly grateful for one decision we'd made from the very beginning: learning to listen to his potty signals.

He didn't suddenly become capable because he got sick. He had been communicating all along.

In this episode, I'm sharing the story of one difficult week that completely reinforced why I believe the best time to begin elimination communication isn't "when life settles down"—it's from the very beginning, when your baby is already wired to communicate.

We'll talk about:

• Why waiting until "later" often makes things harder, not easier.
• What my son's illness revealed about babies' natural awareness.
• The surprising benefits of building communication long before potty independence.
• Why the fruit of EC comes from the practice, not just the end result.

If you've ever thought, "I'll start when things calm down," this episode is for you.

And if listening leaves you wondering what your own baby's signals might look like, I'd love to help you experience your very first catch. Join me inside The First Catch Weekend, where I'll walk you through exactly how to recognize your baby's natural timing, make your first catch in the potty, and discover just how much your baby has been communicating all along.

Because once you see your own baby's signals, you'll never look at them the same way again.

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Learn more at Readyfrombirth.com

🐣Preparing for birth? Know what to do from Day One, start the Born Ready course today!

🐥Ready to get on with toilet independence? Help your baby graduate from EC with Ditch the Diapers

📱Follow along on Instagram @readyfrombirth.ec

You wanted to start elimination communication from birth...

...but life happened.

Maybe postpartum survival took over. Maybe you only recently discovered EC. Maybe your baby is already crawling, cruising, or even walking, and you're wondering if you missed your chance.

The good news?

You didn't.

In this episode, I'll walk you through the exact 3-step framework I use to help parents successfully start potty learning with babies 6-18 months and beyond—even if they've never used a potty before.

You'll learn:

• Why timing matters more than anything else (and how to stop guessing)
• How to help your baby feel comfortable with the potty instead of resisting it
• Simple ways to keep even the busiest mobile baby engaged long enough for a successful catch
• Why older babies are still communicating their need to pee and poop—even if you think they've stopped signaling
• How to build confidence one catch at a time without pressure, rewards, or forcing the process

If you've been waiting for the "right time" to start, this episode is your reminder that today is the right time. Your baby is still communicating. You just need to know what to look for.

Ready to get your first catch this weekend?

Join First Catch Weekend, my guided experience that walks you through exactly how to recognize your baby's signals, offer the potty with confidence, and experience your first successful catch—often in just one weekend.

Learn more at readyfrombirth.com.

You started elimination communication because it felt right.

But now you're wondering...

Am I offering too often?

Am I missing her signals?

Why does this still feel so hard?

If you've ever felt overwhelmed trying to figure out your baby's subtle potty cues - on top of everything else - this episode is for you.

Today I'm answering a thoughtful question from one of our podcast listeners who asked how I stayed grounded during those early weeks of trial and error. The truth surprised even me: my confidence didn't come from getting every catch right. It came from something much deeper.

In this episode, I'll share:

• Why learning EC with your first baby feels completely different than your second.
• The mistake almost every new EC parent makes when trying to build confidence.
• Why your baby—not a book, not social media, not even me—is ultimately your greatest teacher.
• The subtle shifts that helped me stop guessing and start recognizing my babies' signals with confidence.
• How I adapted EC to fit a busy working mom life with daycare, disposable diapers, and three kids.

If you've been trying to piece together EC from Instagram posts, AI searches, or free tips online but still feel like something isn't clicking, this episode will help you understand why.

Ready to stop guessing and start recognizing what your baby has been communicating all along? Inside Born Ready, I'll teach you the exact framework I developed after years of practicing EC with my own children—so you can learn to see your baby's signals clearly, build confidence faster, and make early potty learning fit your real life as a busy mom.

Learn more at Ready From Birth and join us inside Born Ready.

What if your baby's biggest "problems" aren't actually problems at all?

What if they're communication?

In this episode, we're unpacking five everyday parenting struggles that almost every family encounters—from "colic" and bedtime battles to constant nursing, unexplained fussiness, and babies who just won't settle.

Most of us have been taught to treat these behaviors as sleep issues, feeding issues, or digestive issues.

But what if we've been misreading the signals all along?

I'll walk you through five real-life examples of baby communication that are hiding in plain sight and explain why understanding what's really happening can bring more peace, more confidence, and a much deeper connection with your baby.

Whether you've never heard of elimination communication before or you've been curious but don't know where to start, this episode will challenge the way you think about your baby's behavior—and help you see your little one with fresh eyes.

• Why "colic" isn't always what it seems.
• The surprising reason some babies fight sleep.
• What your breastfeeding struggles might actually be telling you.
• Why timing isn't the same as understanding your baby's cues.
• How recognizing one simple pattern can change the way you respond to your baby every day.

If this episode leaves you wondering, "What if my baby has been trying to tell me this all along?" I'd love to help you experience it for yourself.

First Catch Weekend is a simple, low-pressure way to recognize your baby's communication and get your very first potty catch (and the signal behind it)—without changing your lifestyle or giving up diapers overnight.

Learn more at readyfrombirth.com

For years, I believed elimination communication worked because I had mastered the "right" techniques and was so in tune with my baby and my intuition.

I don't believe that anymore.

In this deeply personal episode, I'm sharing a simple realization:

The evidence for EC can be found right there in the Bible itself - and it will change the way you see your babies forever.

Together we'll explore passages from Genesis, Deuteronomy, Psalms, Jeremiah, the Gospels, and more as we ask a simple question:

What if the awareness and capability that makes elimination communication work...is intrinsic to God's design for babies?

Whether you're already practicing elimination communication, you're simply curious about infant potty learning, or you're wrestling with questions of faith and motherhood, I hope this conversation encourages you to slow down, look again, and consider what your baby may already be trying to tell you.

In this episode:

• Why biblical life makes me question modern assumptions about babies
• What Scripture says about God's design for children
• How my own birth story strengthened my faith
• Why I believe elimination communication is ultimately about relationship—not potty training

If you're curious how to see YOUR baby's signals, the First Catch Weekend will help you catch not just your baby's first poop, but the signal behind it.

Want the complete roadmap? Learn the full path to communication with your baby from birth to toilet independence inside the Born Ready course.

If EC has been feeling harder as your baby grows, and now they're refusing the potty?

In this episode, you'll learn why relying on timing alone eventually stops working, why "easy catches" become less reliable as babies grow, and how learning your baby's communication completely changes the experience.

You'll discover:

• why potty refusal is usually an accuracy problem—not a behavior problem

• the difference between offering too early, too late, and just in time

• the two foundational skills that make elimination communication dramatically easier

• how to recognize the subtle body language your baby is already using before they pee or poop

• why mobile babies often appear to "regress" even when their awareness is increasing

Heather also shares the simple shift that helped one First Catch Weekend mom go from frustration to catching two pees in a single day after months of struggling.

If you've started EC but feel like you're losing momentum, or you've wondered whether your baby has simply outgrown it, this episode will help you see what's actually happening—and once you see it, you won't be able to unsee it.

Ready to finally catch a signal...not just a poop?

Join First Catch Weekend, where Heather walks you through exactly what to watch for with your own baby over one weekend so you can experience your first confident catches together.

→ Learn more at Ready From Birth.

What do you do when your baby has missed naps, missed bedtime, been stuck on an airplane for hours, and is melting down in a hotel room at 3 a.m.?

Most parents would assume the answer is sleep.

That's exactly what I thought, at first.

In this episode, I'm sharing the most stressful travel day I've ever experienced as a mom of three. Flight delays, missed connections, airport chaos, a packed hotel room, and a toddler who absolutely would not settle down. By the middle of the night, I was exhausted, frustrated, and completely out of ideas.

But there was one detail I almost missed...

And once I saw it, everything changed.

This story isn't really about travel. It's about what happens when you stop guessing and start recognizing what your baby is trying to communicate. It's about the difference between reacting to behavior and understanding what's underneath it. And it's a reminder that the "knowing" experienced EC parents talk about isn't magic, intuition, or a special gift—it's a skill you can learn.

If you've ever wondered:

• How do EC parents know when their baby needs to go?
• What does it actually feel like when it clicks?
• Can this really work outside of a perfectly controlled environment?
• How do I become more confident reading my baby's signals?

...this episode is for you.

This Friday, June 26, I'm opening the very first First Catch Weekend.

Over one simple weekend, I'll help you learn how to recognize your baby's signals, make your first potty catch, and experience the confidence that comes from truly understanding what your baby is trying to tell you.

Because once you experience that moment for yourself, you'll never see your baby the same way again.

Sign up now for the First Catch Weekend

We start Friday, June 26th at 5 PM ET, and I can't wait to show you what's possible with YOUR baby.

Can a potty-trained baby really succeed in daycare?

If you've ever worried that returning to work, using childcare, or having other caregivers would undo all of your elimination communication progress, this episode is for you.

When my 14-month-old son started daycare, I expected a smooth transition. After all, he'd been practicing EC since birth, communicating his potty needs for months, and was fully potty trained at home before his first birthday.

Then something happened that almost made me give it all up - three poop accidents in a single day.

Was daycare going to undo everything we'd worked for? What happened next completely changed the story.

In this episode, I'm sharing:

• What those daycare accidents were really telling me
• The simple adjustments that turned things around almost immediately
• Why EC works even when you're a full-time working mom
• Why successful infant potty learning has nothing to do with perfection
• The hidden skill that matters far more than having a perfect routine

Most importantly, you'll discover why elimination communication is less about potty training and more about learning to understand the unique rhythms, patterns, and communication your baby has been showing you all along.

Whether you're practicing EC already, curious about starting, or simply looking for a more connected way to respond to your baby, this episode will help you see what's possible.

Enrollment is now open for First Catch Weekend, a live guided experience designed to help you get your very first catch—even if you've never tried EC before.

In just one weekend, I'll show you exactly when to offer the potty, how to recognize your baby's natural timing, and how to experience that moment when you realize your baby has been communicating with you all along.

No special equipment. No complicated routines. No lifestyle overhaul.

Just one catch that changes how you see your baby forever.

Learn more and make this your First Catch Weekend.

You've learned your baby's signals.

You're catching pees and poops.

Maybe EC is working beautifully.

But now you're wondering:

When is my baby actually ready to move beyond diapers?

This is where many EC families get stuck.

Some parents wait for dry diapers before introducing underwear. Others continue using diapers long after their baby has the mobility and communication skills needed for greater independence. And many discover that the transition they assumed would happen naturally... never quite does.

In this episode, I'm breaking down:

• The 3 signs your baby may be ready to stop relying on diapers
• Why consistent dryness is not a prerequisite for underwear
• The surprising connection between mobility and toilet independence
• What potty refusal is really telling you
• Why many EC families struggle after crawling begins

You'll also hear why we transitioned our own baby out of daytime diapers at just 7.5 months and what happened once he became mobile enough to communicate his potty needs more independently.

If you've ever wondered whether your EC baby is truly on track for toilet independence—or you're worried about ending up in a stressful toddler potty training battle later—this episode will help you understand what comes next.

Ditch the Diapers is my step-by-step program for babies who are already communicating their potty needs and are ready to begin the transition toward daytime dryness and toilet independence.

Inside, you'll learn exactly how to reduce diaper dependence, introduce underwear strategically, handle accidents without frustration, and support your baby's growing independence without pressure.

Learn more and Ditch the Diapers.

Wondering which diapers to use for the early months?

Look no further than Hiro diapers, the only truly non-toxic disposable diaper on the market made of blanket-soft unbleached cotton and sustainable wood pulp, paired with Hiro's proprietary friendly fungi that break down the entire diaper and contents in just months in the landfill. Best yet? It's perfect for EC - a slower wicking core protects your baby's sensitive skin while also keeping the feedback and letting them know that something happened, so you don't lose your EC progress while they're at daycare or on the go.

Use the code READYFROMBIRTH to claim your lifetime discount on a 🍄Hiro diaper subscription. 🌱

Why would a working mom choose to ditch diapers before her baby is even walking?

And what’s the actual downside of keeping babies in diapers until age 2, 3, or beyond?

In this episode, I’m diving into what I call “The Diaper Effect”—the hidden developmental and behavioral impact of modern diaper dependence, and why our family chose to transition both of our younger children out of daytime diapers around one year old (with our youngest beginning the transition at just 7.5 months).

We’re talking about:

• Elimination communication (EC) for working moms
• Early potty learning and infant potty training
• Why modern disposable diapers “mask the moment”
• How diapers affect potty awareness and communication
• Research on diapers and walking development
• Why babies in underwear learn differently than babies in diapers
• Responsive vs reactive potty learning
• And how we made this work with two full-time working parents and three small children

If you’ve ever wondered:

• “Why start potty training so early?”
• “Can EC work for working moms?”
• “What’s the benefit of ditching diapers before age 2?”
• “Do diapers affect walking or potty awareness?”
• “Can babies really learn to use the potty this young?”

This episode is for you.

Because this isn’t about pressure, perfection, or forcing independence early.

It’s about helping your baby connect:
👉 bodily awareness
👉 communication
👉 and response

So that potty learning becomes something gradual, relational, and intuitive—instead of a battle later on.

In this episode, I also share:

• the studies linking bulky diapers to altered gait patterns and increased falls
• why wetness feedback matters
• and how responsive parenting changes the potty learning process entirely

Whether you’re fully practicing EC already, just EC-curious, or somewhere in between, this conversation will completely change the way you think about diapers.

✨ Is your baby already cruising? Learn how to Ditch the Diapers here (without stress, pressure or perfection)

✨ Ready to make potty learning work in real life?

Inside my courses and support community The Listening Circle, I help postpartum and working moms build a practical, responsive approach to EC and early potty learning—from birth through toilet independence.

You can learn more at:
👉 readyfrombirth.com

—

If this episode resonated with you, send me a DM on Instagram @readyfrombirth.ec or email me at [email protected].

If you're a working mom, preparing for a too-short maternity leave and already lining up daycare - this episode is for you.

You want the best for your baby, you're setting up the premium diaper subscription (by the way, do you know about Hiro? They're my number one pick for disposables to use with EC), and you're wondering how you're going to juggle it all.

But did you know, elimination communication can work for YOU too?

In this episode, I’m sharing how we used EC to potty train both our youngest two children by one (and why you'd even want to) — while working, using childcare, juggling multiple kids, and living very normal busy modern lives.

Not by “training” a newborn.
Not by forcing independence.
And definitely not by sitting at home staring at our baby all day.

We’re talking about:

• how elimination communication actually works in real life as a working mom
• why early potty learning can make postpartum easier, not harder
• why misleading guidance about “readiness” often delays toilet learning longer
• how to lay the foundation during maternity leave before returning to work
• what to do about childcare for EC
• why consistency matters more than perfection

If you want a simpler, more connected and more sustainable way forward than diapers as usual — and you’re tired of being told to just wait until your child is older — this episode will open up an entirely different possibility.

Especially if you’ve ever caught yourself thinking:

“I would love this… but there’s no way it could work for someone like me.”

Friend, I work too. And this episode is for you.

And if this episode resonated with you, here are two more episodes to listen to next:

→ Why EC Makes the Newborn Phase Easier
If you’re pregnant, newly postpartum, or wondering how on earth you could add something “extra” during the newborn stage, start here.

→ How We Make EC Work as a Working Family
Curious how we make EC work with childcare? Here I share the behind-the-scenes logistics of how we’ve made early potty learning sustainable as a working family.

And if you’re ready to stop guessing and learn exactly how to start potty learning with your baby from birth to 12 months, the Born Ready course is the place to start.

Inside Born Ready, you'll discover:

• how to recognize your baby’s potty signals
• how to respond confidently without stress or obsession
• how to make EC work in real life with diapers, work, daycare, and modern motherhood
• how to lay the foundation for easy, natural potty independence from the very beginning

--------

🐣 Learn more about natural infant toilet learning and elimination communication at readyfrombirth.com

🌱 Check out Hiro Diapers, the healthiest diapers you can buy (for your baby AND the earth)

📲Follow along on Instagram @readyfrombirth.ec

This week’s episode is unlike anything I’ve shared before.

We’re talking about the parts of postpartum motherhood that rarely make it online: the disconnect, the loneliness, the strain on marriage after children, and the quiet search so many women find themselves in after becoming mothers.

I’m sharing pieces of my own story — including a rare VBA2C birth after two emergency C-sections, postpartum separation, rebuilding a relationship that I thought was over, and the unexpected faith journey that changed everything for me.

This episode explores:

• postpartum marriage struggles
• motherhood and identity loss
• reconciliation after separation
• faith, healing, and forgiveness
• choosing repair over “starting over”
• rebuilding trust after conflict
• and what happens when postpartum cracks open every part of your life

Whether you’re walking through tension in your relationship, processing your own birth story, navigating early motherhood, exploring faith, or simply feeling overwhelmed by this season of life — I hope this conversation makes you feel less alone.

And while this episode is only loosely connected to elimination communication, it is deeply connected to the heart behind this podcast: connection, listening, healing, and learning to build strong families in a culture that often tells us to walk away instead.

✨ If you want ongoing support and real conversations about motherhood, postpartum life, EC, relationships, and family rhythms, you can join us inside The Listening Circle community.

Learn more here:
Ready From Birth

If you’ve ever thought:

• “It was working… but now I’m missing everything”
• “My baby was signaling, but now they’re resisting”
• “I don’t know what to do at this stage”

This episode is for you.

Because this is the part of elimination communication that almost no one talks about.

Not the first catch.
Not the highlight reel.

But the messy middle—where your baby is learning, growing, changing…
and things stop feeling clear.

In this episode, I’m sharing a real, unfiltered excerpt from one of my Listening Circle coaching calls—where I talk through what actually happened when:

👉 my baby clearly needed to poop…
👉 I gave him the space to get there on his own…
👉 and he did THIS instead...

But that doesn’t mean failure.

It means the process is working.

We’re talking about:

• Why misses and messes are part of learning
• What “progress” actually looks like in EC
• Why independence comes after awareness and communication
• And what to do when you’re no longer a beginner—but not fully confident either

Because EC isn’t something you learn once and master.

It’s something you live with your baby—and it changes constantly.

—

✨ This is exactly why I created the Listening Circle.

A space for moms who are already practicing EC and need support in the real-life moments:

• when your baby stops signaling
• when they resist the potty
• when you’re thinking about ditching diapers
• when you’re not sure what to do next

Inside, we get on live calls together and work through what’s actually happening with your baby—in real time.

Not theory. Not guesswork.

Real support, so you can stop second guessing and make this work in your life.

You can join us here:

👉 Join the Listening Circle

What if your baby is already showing you exactly when they need to pee or poop… and you’re just missing it?

In this episode, I’m walking you through 5 clear, everyday signals that your baby is already communicating—some of which probably happened today without you even realizing what they meant.

We’re talking about:

• The moment your baby suddenly goes quiet (and why it matters)
• What squirming during feeds is really telling you
• Why babies lose interest in food mid-meal
• The truth behind fussiness in the carrier
• And one of the most overlooked sleep disruptions that’s actually a potty cue

These aren’t advanced techniques or complicated routines.
These are real-life moments—things you’re already seeing—that can completely change how you approach elimination communication.

If you’ve ever felt like:

• “I don’t know when my baby needs to go”
• “I think I’m missing the signals”
• “I don’t want to guess and get it wrong”

This episode will give you a whole new lens to see what’s already happening.

Because EC isn’t about doing more.
It’s about noticing what’s already there.

—

✨ Ready to stop guessing and actually understand your baby’s signals?

Inside my Born Ready course, I walk you step-by-step through:

• How to recognize your baby’s unique signals
• How those signals change by age and stage
• And how to build a simple, repeatable rhythm that actually works in real life

So you can move from “hoping you catch it” to confidently knowing exactly when your baby needs to go.

👉Learn more about Born Ready here

—

If this episode gave you an “aha” moment, send me a DM on Instagram @readyfrombirth.ec—I’d love to hear what you’re noticing with your baby.

If you’ve been curious about elimination communication (EC) but feel like you don’t have the time, energy, or consistency to do it “right”… this episode is for you.

Because here’s the truth no one talks about:
EC is not a perfect practice.

In this episode, I’m sharing a real, unfiltered look at what infant potty learning actually looks like in a busy, working-mom life—with three kids, early mornings that don’t go as planned, missed cues, messy moments, and yes… poop on the floor.

You’ll learn:

• Why you don’t need to catch every pee or poop for EC to “work”
• How to practice elimination communication while still using diapers
• What it looks like to follow your baby’s signals without pressure or perfection
• Why missed catches still build your baby’s awareness and communication
• How to approach EC with confidence—even if you work or your baby goes to daycare

If you’re pregnant or newly postpartum and thinking,
“I want to do this… I just need a clear, simple way to start…”

👉 Born Ready walks you through exactly how to begin EC from day one (or wherever you’re starting), without overwhelm
You’ll learn what to look for, when to offer, and how to make this feel natural in your real life

[Explore Born Ready here]

If you’ve gotten a few catches, but you’re still wondering:

• “Am I doing this right?”
• “Why did signals disappear?”
• “Why does it feel so hit or miss?”

👉 The Listening Circle is where you get real-time support, troubleshooting, and reassurance
This is where we take everything from “I think I get it…” to “I feel confident doing this every day”

Join us for our next live call + ongoing support:
[Join the Listening Circle]

If your baby is standing, cruising, or walking—and you’re starting to think about life without diapers…

👉 Ditch the Diapers shows you how to transition from assisted pottying to true independence
(without power struggles, pressure, or waiting until age 2+)

[Learn more about Ditch the Diapers]

If you’ve ever thought:

• “I love this idea, but I could never do it like that”
• “I tried EC and it didn’t go perfectly”
• “I don’t have the capacity for one more thing”

I want you to hear this clearly:

You can do this imperfectly—and it still matters.

Because EC isn’t about being diaper-free.
It’s about learning to listen to your baby—and trusting yourself to respond.

What happens after your first “catch”… and how do you actually get to a potty-trained baby?

In this episode of Held and Heard, I’m walking you through the exact 3-part framework I used to support my baby in becoming dry, aware, and communicating his need to go by just 10 weeks old.

Whether you’re starting elimination communication (EC) from birth or finding this later with an older baby, this episode will show you what actually makes early toilet learning work.

Inside, we cover:

• How to build body awareness from birth (and why this is the foundation of EC)
• How babies naturally communicate potty needs—even without words
• How to support your baby in holding, signaling, and initiating potty use
• Why waiting until age 2–3 often makes potty training harder—not easier
• And how to begin, even if you feel like you’ve “missed your window”

If you’ve ever felt like:

• “I got a few catches… now what?”
• “My baby isn’t signaling clearly”
• “I don’t have time to sit around hoping they’ll go”

This episode will give you a clear, simple path forward.

And if you’re ready for step-by-step support, you can learn exactly how to apply this framework inside:

• Born Ready (for newborns and early postpartum)
• Ditch the Diapers (for mobile babies 10–18 months)

Start where you are. It’s not too late—and it doesn’t have to be complicated.

If you’ve ever thought, “This sounds amazing… but I don’t know where to start,” this episode is for you.

In this episode, I’m walking you through three simple, natural moments that are already built into your day—where your baby is very likely to pee or poop… and how to respond in a way that feels easy, intuitive, and doable (even in the newborn stage).

We’re talking about:

• Why your baby almost always poops during or after feeding—and how to use that to your advantage
• The subtle “waking up” cues that actually mean your baby needs to pee
• What to do right when you take your baby out of the car seat (this one is a game changer)
• How to start EC without pressure, perfection, or doing it “all day long”

This is not about doing more.
It’s about noticing more—and responding just a little sooner.

You don’t have to wait until things feel easier.
You can start right here—with what your baby is already showing you.

Let's do it together: get real time support, encouragement, and troubleshooting inside The Listening Circle , a global community of EC mamas learning to listen to our babies, together.

______________________________

🐣 Learn more about natural infant toilet learning and elimination communication at readyfrombirth.com

🌱 Check out Hiro Diapers, the healthiest diapers you can buy (for your baby AND the earth)

📲Follow along on Instagram @readyfrombirth.ec