I know a lot of you have had kids who seem to get pee down pat, but struggled with pooping on the potty. If you've gotten over that hump, what has helped you? My son turns 2.5 next month and we started training a few days ago. He's doing pretty well with pee, and has had three successful poops in the potty. However, he is mostly holding out for nap diaper/ pull up and goes then. Or he has an accident in his undies right before nap/night because he's held it all day. Any advice is appreciated, as I don't want to create a constipation problem since he's never had one before. Thank you!
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My daughter was 26 months and we had dropped the diaper cold turkey following the Oh Crap Potty Training method. She was scared to poop in the potty and was even panicked/crying about it but I asked if she wanted privacy. The second I left the bathroom she relaxed and was able to poop on the potty and that was the end of the poop drama. Might not work for everyone but thought I'd share our experience.
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We used gummy bears. After a few weeks he finally got it, we did still have the occasional accident because he would wait too long or just didn't feel like getting up to go. But we just deal with it and move on.
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@danda: It's great you mention this because he's been "hiding" to poop for well over a year, so asking him if he wanted privacy and leaving is one of the first things I did. It doesn't seem to help at this point, but I can keep trying! Thanks for sharing.
@KT326: Yeah, my kid rarely gets M&Ms but loves them, so think I might have to try a bribe...thanks for the advice! -
@ChiCalGoBee: We tried other ways first, but after a month of cleaning poopy underwear I finally gave in and said lets use gummy bears. DS was also a lot older, he didn't potty train until almost 3.5.
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DS potty trained at 25 months, but he mostly saved his poop for naps. Since he napped in a pull up anyway, I just let it go. When he was closer to three we told him that he could poop in his pull up if he wanted to, but he had to go into the bathroom to do it. Then we told him when he was 3 he would poop in the potty, and he did!
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I trained my DD2 in Mar when she was 28m. I think she was holding her BM a bit, but it's also just difficult to catch them at the right time and reinforce it with the smaller sample size! I made sure that we kept giving her lots of fiber-rich foods (esp berries, pears, pouches with similar) and even a fiber gummy every day (which we don't normally do). I wanted to make sure she had to go fairly regularly and that it definitely didn't hurt scare her off when/if she did. It took about 7-10 days before she was good.
I let her go in the little potty (feet on the floor seemed to be more comfortable), we did a silly dance whenever she had success, AND she got to watch a show after she had success during that first training week.
Oh, and we also did the playdough thing from the Oh Crap! book. I don't think it really helped, but it was kinda hilarious
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@MrsSRS: I like the progression you did. I feel like it's such a huge thing-to go from diapers to the potty, that I don't want him to feel any more stress than he already is!
@KayKay: Thanks for all these tips. I know he has to go, and before he was potty training he was on a pretty regular poop schedule, so I feel awful that he's clearly holding it in when he has to go. I will try and up the fiber, too! -
@chicalgobee: if it's any consolation, it didn't take long after we caught a couple in a row for DD2 to figure out how to *make* herself poop (not just have to go and get to the potty). basically a week or so. and then she literally pooped everytime she went to the bathroom and was like: i get dora! sooooo we had to cut that out real quick. hahahaha
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My DD has never pooped in the potty. Ever. She is 3.5 and has been potty trained for pee for months. I recently decided to just take the pull-ups away and I'm just gonna pack an extra pack of wipes and clothes for her- we will just leave wherever we are if she poops and I'll change her in the car and go home. I figure she will get uncomfortable pooping her pants and having to leave activities at some point. So basically- no advice except don't drag it out as long as I have.
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@KayKay: One of my best friends is a pediatrician, and she also encouraged fiber-rich foods. I know it's also SO early in the potty training process, and I'm so proud of his success. I just don't want to constipate my poor kid!
@caterw: Thanks for that advice. I feel like it's a hard line between not wanting to rush him if he isn't ready, but also not letting it drag out forever. Hoping he figures it out soon! -
@ChiCalGoBee: It's been a while, has this issue been fixed for you?
My LO has this same issue, so we drew back from potty training because she was so upset about pooping and was withholding for 3+ days at a time. Well, she's now potty trained thanks to a very helpful teacher. We've pulled diapers except for sleeping. And last night she was upset asking for a diaper to go poop. I really don't want to give in, but I don't want her to be backed up either.
I'm hoping she goes poop at daycare today, but I'm not optimistic given our past experience.
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@MamaG: I honestly believe that every kid is different. My daughter did exactly what yours is doing and asked for a diaper to poop. Nothing worked - we tried bribes, privacy, you name it, nothing worked. And we had constipation issues before she was potty trained, so we really did not want to exacerbate them, so we just kept giving her diapers for poop. Right after she passed 3 and a half, a friend recommended the Daniel Tiger Stop and Go Potty game. We bought it, gave it to her next time she showed signs of needing to go, she sat on the potty and was engaged enough that nature just took its course. After that we just kept reinforcing the behavior, and now she's fully out of diapers. I don't think it was so much the game as it was just her finally not being scared of sitting down (seeing poop can be scary for kids, and because we did have constipation issues, I think there was a pain association for her there as well), and sitting down long enough to let things work themselves out. When the experience became normal, everything started working just fine. My recommendation is to just give her time, and go with her cues. If she wants a diaper, let her have it. She'll get there eventually.
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@Mrs. Carrot: Thanks. It seems like her fear originally stemmed from making a mess. One time we caught her in the middle rushed to the bathroom and when I took her diaper off some fell on the floor. I cleaned it up and tried not to have a negative reaction to it. But she kept saying no poop on potty, no mess. We've had her come with me and her big sister and showed her how there's no mess.
We've been dumping her diapers for awhile and sometimes I don't have great aim. I overdo the not making it a negative situation. "OH darn, momma missed, let me clean that up. Whew! All clean, no big deal."
I know it's ridiculously common. And my older kiddo is atypical, but she pooped on the potty before she did anything else and this is just a new experience for us.
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@MamaG: Thanks for checking back! About a month after he was pee trained he slowly started pooping on the potty. He now goes poop on the potty 2-3 times a day (just like he was doing in diapers). Sometimes he'll still poop in a diaper for night or nap but more often than not, he's going on the potty. The M&M reward helps (while he's pooping we discuss what color he's going to pick
). He decided when he was ready and went with it. I think when it comes to PT they kind of make up their minds, and do it in their own time. All things considered, I'm thrilled with how easy the process was overall, especially since so many people told me "little boys take FOREVER to train!" I hope your girl finds her comfort and is able to do it soon!!
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DS was scared and started holding it. We gave him prunes for snacks (he loves them!) and started using lollipops as a reward. The lollipops were major motivation. He was definitely getting too much sugar for a while, but it worked.
). He decided when he was ready and went with it. I think when it comes to PT they kind of make up their minds, and do it in their own time. All things considered, I'm thrilled with how easy the process was overall, especially since so many people told me "little boys take FOREVER to train!" I hope your girl finds her comfort and is able to do it soon!!
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