Why wait to potty train?

I came across a website about EC (Elimination Communication) - http://diaperfreebaby.org/. I had never heard of EC before this. I didn't realize that children do not have to wait until they are 2-4yrs old to be potty trained. It is possible for children to learn how to control their urge to use the bathroom and for parents to understand their children's needs. I did more research on the subject and discovered that EC is a normal way of life in many countries around the world. It is a practice that has been around for ages.

I wondered why it is not a normal practice in the US and the only conclusion I can come to is that it is not convenient or easy. A lot of the changes in maternity care and parenting seems to have been shaped around convenience. It might be more convenient and easy to have children in diapers but it is probably not the best way for children to understand their elimination needs. We teach children to eliminate in their diapers but then at a young age try to change that teaching and teach them that it is wrong or an accident to eliminate in their pants. That has to be confusing for a child. Besides being confusing for children diapers are a pollutant to nature. An infant can use as many as 10 diapers a day - that is a lot of trash. If parents are able to reduce or completely eliminate diapers then it is one step closer to saving the earth from unnecessary trash. Another solution to the use of diapers is cloth diapering (I will discuss this in another post). However, limiting the time and use of diapers all together is not only better for nature but also easier for the child to understand their elimination needs.

I plan to practice EC once I have children. I know it will be a challenge like most things when it comes to raising children but I feel that it will be worth it for many reasons.

Do you EC? Would you consider it now after learning about it?