https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:23:16 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2650662 Thu, 10 Nov 2016 10:13:46 +0000 Ajsmommy 2650662@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Washi Tape: awesome update!! gives me hope for my almost 3yo DD </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2650586 Thu, 10 Nov 2016 00:15:19 +0000 Mrs Green Grass 2650586@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>That's awesome! For all other reading this thread and you, there really is something about age 4 for these boys that have trouble. We had a bear of a year but are at about 85% poops in potty at age 4. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2650578 Wed, 09 Nov 2016 23:08:21 +0000 Mrs. Washi Tape 2650578@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wanted to share an update with you all - my son is finally pooping in the potty! Hallelujah! </p> <p>I don't know that this would work for everyone, but in the end this is what worked for us. </p> <p>He was very against even sitting on the potty to try to poop because he really didn't want to poop in it. At first I just made him sit on the potty around the time he usually poops and then started setting a timer, gradually increasing the time he was on the potty. </p> <p>Then I started letting him use the ipad when he sat on the potty. (Weird I know but it was a good distraction and it helped him like going potty instead of hating it.) He started staying there longer and longer and I would just leave the room and do other things. Yesterday, he came and found me and said I think I pooped on the potty! And he did - I'm sure by accident. He was so excited because he knew I was really happy about it. Today he pooped again, much faster. </p> <p>He still has to learn to recognize when he has to go and other things but he is finally willing and on board with pooping in the potty. Without turning it into a big power strugge. Hooray. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2642327 Wed, 26 Oct 2016 08:37:22 +0000 looch 2642327@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Washi Tape: Also after meals....that is a time that is recommend by a gastro for my son (he had some constipation issues, a blockage and is undergoing "retraining").</p> <p>The doc's rec is to sit on the toilet after every meal, no more than 10 minutes. She says this is usually the time that people go. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2642325 Wed, 26 Oct 2016 08:30:30 +0000 Anagram 2642325@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Washi Tape: Yeah, I think pooping on the floor is kind of part of the learning process. If he's comfortable pooping in the pullup now, I would totally take those away. Put a rubber sheet on the mattress and be prepared to clean up a poop or two from the floor--but it's really better if you catch them in the act and get the potty under the bottom in the moment. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2642271 Wed, 26 Oct 2016 06:54:45 +0000 irene 2642271@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Washi Tape: He is going to school for a few mornings, right? I would bring it up to the teacher and ask if she can do a favor for you, and talk to your child about this. That was one of the big turn around moment for us because s*** just got real when other people are involved lol. Give it a try! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2642203 Tue, 25 Oct 2016 23:02:14 +0000 dolphin 2642203@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No help here but my friends son is exactly the same! He turns 4 next month and poops in a pull up. He said he can't poop in the potty because his poop doesn't know how to swim. :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2642180 Tue, 25 Oct 2016 20:54:39 +0000 Mrs. Washi Tape 2642180@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Carrot: Thank you. You too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2642178 Tue, 25 Oct 2016 20:54:08 +0000 Mrs. Washi Tape 2642178@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: I have talked to the pediatrician. Her recommendation was to have him sit on the potty at the same time everyday. Unfortunately, that hasn't helped. We have another check up coming up next month. My thought was that if things haven't turned around by then, I may ask for a recommendation to a counselor or other specialist who might can help. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2642175 Tue, 25 Oct 2016 20:49:26 +0000 Mrs. Washi Tape 2642175@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ajsmommy: I sympothize - it stinks. Literally. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2642174 Tue, 25 Oct 2016 20:48:43 +0000 Mrs. Washi Tape 2642174@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: I may have to try that as a last resort. One of the problems is he could care less about pooping in his pullup or underwear or even the floor. Even as a baby, he never cried about dirty diapers. Which makes me worry I will be doing a lot of cleaning and he just won't really care. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2642172 Tue, 25 Oct 2016 20:46:39 +0000 Mrs. Washi Tape 2642172@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsMini: Ugh, the past two days I have made him clean himself up afterwards. Of course I still have to clean him up afterwards but it is the only natural consequence I could think of. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2642168 Tue, 25 Oct 2016 20:43:15 +0000 Mrs. Washi Tape 2642168@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@GreenThumb: I feel for you. I have been waiting it out too, just getting so tired of it!</p> <p>@2peasinapod That is something I might consider doing. I am just afraid it would turn into an hours long stand off. He does generally go at the same time everyday though so it could work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2642167 Tue, 25 Oct 2016 20:40:05 +0000 Mrs. Washi Tape 2642167@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@purplepeony thank you!</p> <p>@caterw: That is basically what I have been thinking. He will do it when he does - I'm just starting to wonder if that will ever work. I never would have thought he would hold out this long! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2641899 Tue, 25 Oct 2016 11:38:59 +0000 Mrs. Pickles 2641899@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@2PeasinaPod: to be honest we did the same thing a few months before he turned 4 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2641886 Tue, 25 Oct 2016 11:21:29 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2641886@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My almost 3.5 year old is like this too. We had a 2 week streak where she finally started going, and then she had surgery, got a little rattled by the whole experience, and now we're back to diapers for poop. She specifically asks for a diaper, so she's making a choice not to go. I admit, I've been using the wait-it-out approach with her. She's prone to holding poop in, and I didn't want to force the issue and have her avoid going entirely, so we encourage it as much as we can, but if she wants a diaper, we let it be. Going to check out some of these recommendations too. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2641845 Tue, 25 Oct 2016 10:12:55 +0000 irene 2641845@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Have you talked to your pediatrician about it? And school teachers?</p> <p>We had a different problem (he would NOT use a public bathroom or bathroom that is not at home or school, and he would NOT go in his diaper anymore) back then and I thought it was never going to turn around. I was in a time crunch as we had to travel in 2 weeks. I talked to our school teacher, and she was so nice about it and she basically talked DS's ears off. She said if you didn't xyz, I am going to know because mommy is going to tell me. Then I talked to our pediatrician and he gave us some recommendations (small dollar-tree toys every time-- but you said it didn't work for you). I was going to take him to see the pediatrician, or a child psychologist just for that if it still didn't turn around, but luckily all that turned the ship around before we had to do that.</p> <p>Sometimes I think it takes an external "authority" to convince them of the norm. Otherwise they just don't understand - it's been working why change it?</p> <p>(And no, kindergarten is way too late for poopy training? I have not seen anyone wearing daytime pull ups anymore after 4 years old...) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2641839 Tue, 25 Oct 2016 09:54:37 +0000 Ajsmommy 2641839@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are in the same boat with our almost 3 yo DD. 100% pee trained, even during nap and over night but still requests diaper to poop. Can hold it or go when needed and knows the poop goes in the potty but just won't do it. We have books and she sees us do it... I guess I'm just going to be in the camp of waiting until she decides she's ready... oy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2641834 Tue, 25 Oct 2016 09:51:15 +0000 Anagram 2641834@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Washi Tape: hmm...if he normally poops in his diaper at nap time, what about laying him down for a nap totally bottomless, while you watch on the monitor (or after he's asleep, you creep in the room and sit silently in the room) for when he wakes up and starts pooping. And when he starts the pooping motions, rush in and plop him on the small potty.</p> <p>I think it will probably only take 1-2 times to go, and then he'll get it.</p> <p>We did the Oh Crap method, and LO actually got poops first--she was totally bottomless for a few days and when I saw her starting to "go", I just brought in the small potty and put it under her bottom to catch the poop. And then made a big deal over it saying she did a great job, she pooped in the potty (even though I was doing all the work). And then she started sitting on the potty voluntarily to poop. Pees took a little longer because she didn't recognize the feeling of needing to pee until she was actively peeing. And I'm not that quick, haha </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2641802 Tue, 25 Oct 2016 09:19:16 +0000 BKCaribBaby 2641802@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Following 3.5 year old who won't as well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2641749 Tue, 25 Oct 2016 08:26:29 +0000 Miss Flamingo 2641749@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 2 year old daughter was the same. What we did was have a "bye bye diaper party." For about a week or two we really hyped up this party, we told her that she was going to have a party and that afterwards she wouldn't have any more diapers. We talked about how fun the party would be, we baked a cake together, she decorated it, we had her grandparents over and played games. We said goodbye to the diapers and got them out of the house. We then made sure to give her prune/pear juice the following week. She was reluctant for a few days but then just started using the potty for poop. My mom was so skeptical and thought there was no way it was going to work, but it did. Although I will admit it seems silly no incentives were working. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2641685 Mon, 24 Oct 2016 23:34:00 +0000 MsMini 2641685@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have a friend who had a similar issue and she made her son wash out his poopy underwear every time. He eventually picked up on the idea that if he pooped in the potty he wouldn't have to scrub poopy undies. I don't know if I could personally do that ... but if you are desperate it might be part of a solution. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2641640 Mon, 24 Oct 2016 20:38:01 +0000 ShootingStar 2641640@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Washi Tape: Yeah, we had kind of the same thing, only with food rewards. I thought they'd motivate him, and they kinda did for peeing. But when it came down to it he just didn't want them enough. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2641622 Mon, 24 Oct 2016 19:58:39 +0000 Mrs. Washi Tape 2641622@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ShootingStar: I totally agree the reward needs to be motivating to him. At the time we got the toys, he was really excited and talked a lot about pooping on the potty. But it clearly didn't work. I will have to brainstorm and see what else might truly motivate him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2641592 Mon, 24 Oct 2016 18:45:29 +0000 ShootingStar 2641592@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We got DS to do it by promising something he REALLY wanted. In his case it was playing outside with his t-ball set. He kept asking for it and we never had time. Finally one day I told if he pooped on the potty at school we'd do it that night. Well he still pooped in his pull up that day and came home asking for t-ball. I told him no, since he didn't poop. He went right in the bathroom and managed to get some out! It wasn't perfect after that, but much less of a struggle. </p> <p>So I say you need to find something *he's* motivated by, not something you think makes a great reward. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2641591 Mon, 24 Oct 2016 18:32:50 +0000 Mrs. Washi Tape 2641591@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Bluebonnet: Thank you. I will definitely read that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2641555 Mon, 24 Oct 2016 16:23:33 +0000 2PeasinaPod 2641555@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am in no way condoning this approach, but we had a stand off with my older son. He was on the potty and knew he had to go but was very afraid. I sat him on the potty until he pooped on it. It was a 45 minute standoff the first time and 30 minutes the second time. Since then, he has had no issue going. </p> <p>I'm not sure if it was the fear of doing it once on his own and on purpose or what it was, but he seemed to understand that it's really not that bad. We also rewarded him with something afterwards, but it was just getting him to go to begin with that the standoff occurred. I probably traumatized him forever! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2641553 Mon, 24 Oct 2016 16:19:48 +0000 GreenThumb 2641553@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a similar thing with DD (almost 3.5). She has been pee trained forever, but usually poops in her diaper overnight. I'm not sure that she is scared of pooping on the potty exactly, but she definitely does not like it and it only happens a 1-2 times a month (even though she is pretty regular). We are trying rewards, but honestly I don't think she is all that motivated by rewards either. I'm going wait it out without pushing too much, but I don't feel like we have made any progress in the last 6+ months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2641551 Mon, 24 Oct 2016 16:17:25 +0000 caterw 2641551@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have the same problem. DD is 3 and has only ever pooped in the potty by mistake. She understands how to go and when she needs to poop but she won't. She told me "Only grownups poop in the potty, Mommy". I have tried taking her pullups away when she normally poops in the morning and she will just poop in the pullup. My pediatrician told me she just wants to have control over the potty and she will do it when she feels like it- not comforting. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-my-3-yr-old-is-never-going-to-poop-in-potty#post-2641539 Mon, 24 Oct 2016 16:00:29 +0000 PurplePeony 2641539@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are dealing with the same thing but are just waiting it out for now (DD is almost 3, so not as old as your LO). The other day, my DD told me she can't go poop while sitting down, so I know she gets the concept of using the potty but it's still physically too awkward for her. No advice, but I sympathize because it would be soooo nice to be done with poopy diapers! </p>