There has lately been an increase in EC workshops by DiaperFreeBaby. Lisa in Montreal will be presenting a workshop at Bebessimo on Nov. 17th. Please visit their website for more information. In the Greater Boston,Massachusetts area there are two upcoming workshops. On Nov. 28th there will be a workshop at the Harvest Co-op Market in Cambridge. On Dec. 3rd I will be presenting at Life Alive, an organic cafe in Lowell.

These types of workshops are a wonderful, grassroots way to introduce the concept of EC. If you know of a venue that would be perfect for a DiaperFreeBaby workshop, please send your suggestion to Elizabeth or call (978)318-9935.

The DiaperFreeChallenge

In the last issue of Infant Pottying Today a "challenge" was issued to learn more about EC, try EC for a day, or try out letting you baby go diaper-free. Kath, a DiaperFreeBaby Contact in the UK, took the challenge and here is what she had to say about it:

I think that getting my mind into thinking we can do it is the hard part. L tries to tell us when he needs to go and I thought it was about time I trusted him better. Reading the latest Infant Pottying Today I thought to myself, "stop being a wuss and just try it." The DiaperFreeChallenge inspired me to go to the next step. Really, training pants aren't that different from a diaper; they hold a pee for a little bit but just aren't waterproof.

So that's where we're at at the moment.We keep on gradually learning and I keep having to remember that L is adjusting all the time. He can hold it much longer now and I need to alter how often I offer him a pee so he doesn't get annoyed with being taken when he's not ready to go yet. Now that he can hold it it makes it a little bit easier to find potty places when we're out. I also need to take into account that he doesn't like to be interrupted from playing to go to the potty.When I get it right he pees and settles down again quickly afterwards. It's fascinating seeing the process of toilet learning unfold, and he's keeping comfortable as we go along too.

To read more about Kath's experiences visit her blog. If you took the challenge we'd love to hear from you. Please send your feedback to Elizabeth or Rossana, or call (978)318-9935.

clean Earth, happy baby(TM)

clean Earth, happy baby(TM) is our environmental campaign. It highlights the benefits of EC for babies and the Earth. A couple of "mini-brochures" have been developed, one called "clean Earth, happy baby" and one called "EC for the Environment". The text for both will appear on the diaperfreebaby.org website as well as on a brand new website created for this campaign, www.cleanearthhappybaby.org.

We would love to hear your thoughts on this! We are looking for:

• Testimonials.Was concern for the environment the reason you started ECing? Has practicing EC led you to be more environmentally conscious? Has EC made your baby happier?
• Tips. Do you have a suggestion on how to use those old pre-folds? Do you know of a great, environmentally-safe cleaning product? Any tips related to EC and the environment?

If you would like to contribute please contact Elizabeth or call (978)318-9935.