Trickle Treat (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

Does the idea of babies who don't need diapers seem impossible? Well it's not, according to Laurie Boucke, mother of three.

Boucke says she was initially skeptical but decided to try the infant potty training with her third son. This was the beginning of her impetus to research diaperless infancy in other cultures and to write the book. She reports that her son never needed a diaper (unless he was ill) after the age of three months.

What about sphincter muscles? Can babies really control this function? Boucke says that although the ability to HOLD isn't developed until two or three years of age, the ability to LET GO is developed much earlier than that.

The parent is totally responsible for everything in this technique. It takes some time investment at first... Boucke emphasizes that any mistakes are part of the parental learning experience and anger should never be directed at the child. -- Lisa Reid, PurseStrings, Sept 1997

Doing Without Diapers Each year approximately five million tons of disposable diapers accumulate in the US landfills.

In a detailed, easy-to-read book called Trickle Treat, Laurie Boucke explains how to practice what some Indians, Africans and Asians have done for centuries--toilet-training from infancy. Until the 1990s, infant potty training was common in the US and was, in fact, even advocated by the federal government.

Boucke emphasizes that, while "a baby cannot voluntarily retain or hold in with the muscles, it can learn to release the natural tension upon conditioned response."

A baby's body language and natural timing indicate when the child needs to "go." Then the parent places the baby over the designated receptacle, gives a standard verbal signal and lets nature take over.

Boucke believes that returning to diaperless days will not only be good for the environment and for the kids, but it will also save parents time, money and work in the long-run. -- Earth Island Journal, Summer 1996

While the debate over cloth versus disposable diapers still rages in some parts, Laurie Boucke advocates a method to bypass the whole issue.

Ms. Boucke's first two children were toilet-trained in the conventional Western manner. Shortly before the birth of her third son, she became friends with a young mother from India who told her they don't rely on diapers "back home." The friend pointed out that there was no reason to get children accustomed to wearing diapers only to then turn around and show displeasure if they soiled them. Ms. Boucke was skeptical, but after seeing it work with her friend's baby, she started the mostly diaperless training on her three-month-old son. He was completely toilet- trained shortly after he learned to walk.

Trickle Treat shows how to teach your own baby to go the diaperless route. Laurie Boucke takes phone calls and provides free advice to anyone who gives it a try. -- Green Living, Summer 1995

From the Publisher

This book is out of print and has been superseded by "Infant Potty Basics" also available on Amazon.com. "Infant Potty Basics" is a much-expanded version of "Trickle Treat," with many photos and much updated info, including a chapter for late-starters! Or if you want an even more comprehensive book, search for "Infant Potty Training" on Amazon.com.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 85 pages
• Publisher: Colin White & Laurie Boucke (September 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0962500623
• ISBN-13: 978-0962500626
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #911,015 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It Really Works!!!!, March 17, 2002

By A Customer

The whole idea of infant potty training seemed crazy until i thought about all those countries where no one uses diapers. Sure, it's a little different here, but the basic principles are still working. We decided to do attachment parenting, which has made it easier to infant potty train. My 3 month old goes diaperless everynight. Days when we stay home, he goes diaperless. I won't say there aren't a few accidents, but i will say it's amazing how few of them there are. This whole process depends on the parents putting in a lot of care and being really patient. We started at around 3 weeks old and now our son cues us on when to take him to the potty. He pees in public restrooms, in the bathroom sink, and in our baby bjorn potty (which is great for a 3 month old!).
There is a much larger (and more expensive) book out by the same author on the same subject, but that book really isn't all that necessary: this book covers it all. All you need to know to do it if you are sure you want to do it. If you aren't sure, the other book "Infant Potty Training" will convince you that it can be done. I've heard that most babies who are trained as infants take themselves to the potty as soon as they can walk...well, we'll see about that!

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It worked for me!, May 17, 2002

By A Customer

We started when my son was around 1 month old. He's been cueing us to take him when he has to go as of a couple weeks later. What's even better- we do it part-time. If we're at the park or out-and-about, he's come to understand that he has to go in the diaper- but we always go potty at home. He's never had diaper rash and we've got a great system. There's no doubt in my mind that as soon as he can physically get himself to the potty himself, he will. He even tries to hold it if I'm slow to respond!

This is so much easier & nicer than "conventional" toilet training!