Most of us grew up assuming babies need years in nappies before toilet learning begins. Elimination communication (EC) offers a gentler, earlier path — noticing your baby’s cues, offering the potty or toilet at natural times, and working with their body rather than waiting for a later “training” battle.

Elimination Communication Babies exists to make that path clearer for New Zealand families. Created by Papamoa author Rebecca Larsen, the site is a practical home for parents who want fewer blowouts, more connection, and a steadier route toward toilet independence — without pressure, shame or rigid rules. You can also find Rebecca’s wider work through Chatterbox and Author Direct.

What elimination communication actually is

EC is not about forcing a newborn onto a schedule. It is about communication: learning the signs that your baby needs to go, offering a place to go, and responding with calm consistency. Many families use nappy backup while they learn. Many start after the newborn months. It is never presented as all-or-nothing.

That soft, realistic tone is the point of the site. It treats EC as something that can sit inside ordinary family life — feeds, cuddles, walks, rainy afternoons — rather than as another performance to get right.

What you’ll find on the site

The site is built around what parents actually need when they are curious, overwhelmed, or ready to begin:

• ✓Clear explanations of what EC is and how the stages of toilet learning fit together
• ✓The Elimination Communication Babies book — a step-by-step guide from birth toward independence
• ✓A video course with lessons and handouts for families who learn better by watching
• ✓A shop for books, ebooks, courses and related resources
• ✓A blog and FAQ answering the questions parents ask most — nappy backup, timing, starting later, clothing, and everyday practicalities
• ✓Testimonials and community links so you can hear from other parents walking the same path

If you only have five minutes, start with the FAQ or the About page. If you are ready to go deeper, the book and course are there when you are.

Why this matters for Tiny Steps whānau

Tiny Steps is about small, gentle invitations — noticing, connecting, and supporting your child without turning parenting into a scorecard. EC sits in that same spirit. It asks you to pay attention to your baby’s body and signals, and to respond with care rather than control.

You do not need to adopt every idea at once. You can read one article, try one cue, or simply learn that another way exists. For many families, that alone is a relief.

A resource worth visiting

Toilet independence arrives on different timelines for different tamariki. What Rebecca offers is clear, practical guidance without turning it into a competition — knowledge, tools, and community for families who want a gentler option from the earliest days through to the toddler years.

If you are curious about elimination communication, start with Elimination Communication Babies. Rebecca’s book and course are an excellent place to begin, and her FAQ answers the questions parents actually ask. For more of her work and writing, visit Chatterbox and Author Direct. We warmly recommend her resources to Tiny Steps whānau looking for a calm, NZ-rooted path toward toilet independence.

Meet Rebecca Larsen, New Zealand author

Rebecca Larsen is a best-selling New Zealand author based in Papamoa, and the creator of Elimination Communication Babies. Parents looking for gentle infant potty learning, bilingual picture books, or practical whānau resources will find her work clear, warm, and rooted in real family life.

About Rebecca Larsen

Rebecca Larsen grew up with a love of art. Born in Whanganui and given crayons early, she later moved with her family to Feilding and attended Feilding Agricultural High School, where she took as many creative classes as she could. She studied Contemporary Māori Design at Wellington Polytechnic, then completed a four-year Visual Communications Design degree at Massey University.

Her career in advertising agencies included publications, rebrands, and campaigns across New Zealand and later in Toronto, Canada. When Rebecca had young children of her own, she brought together art, writing, and design to create picture books for them. While living in Canada, she sang the songs of her childhood to her babies and was inspired by Piatarihi Beatrice Yates, known as Aunty Bea, whose waiata mixed te reo Māori with English and actions, including the well-loved song One day a taniwha.

Following that path, Rebecca Larsen wrote fun songs with actions so her Canadian-born children could learn basic te reo kupu. Her first book, Row, row, row your waka, became an instant hit with tamariki and reached the Nielsen bestsellers list. The Row, row, row your waka series is now a family project, with her brother Richard on music, her brother-in-law Paul on vocals, and friends Tania and Justin on translation and cultural consultation. Her bilingual te reo Māori and English song-and-action picture books are loved by children in Aotearoa New Zealand and overseas.

That same practical, playful approach shapes Elimination Communication Babies. Rebecca Larsen offers clear guidance for New Zealand families who want a gentler path toward toilet independence, without pressure or rigid rules.

Contact Rebecca Larsen

• ✓Elimination Communication Babies — books, course, and infant potty learning resources
• ✓Chatterbox — more from Rebecca Larsen
• ✓Author Direct — Rebecca Larsen, New Zealand author

To enquire about Rebecca Larsen’s books, course, school visits, or community work, visit her sites above. Enquiries go through to Rebecca and her team, who will respond directly.

How the site was built

The Elimination Communication Babies website was rebuilt by Te Puke Digital as part of Vector Group’s digital work in the Bay of Plenty. If you want the story behind the build — design choices, structure, and how it supports Rebecca’s books and course — you can read more here:

• ✓Elimination Communication Babies for Rebecca Larsen on Vector Group
• ✓Elimination Communication Babies website rebuild on Te Puke Digital