The poop thing

mrsmikey

DS is doing really well with PT, with pee at least.  But the poop.  I just don't know what to do about it.  He has pooped on the potty before, and occassionally still does.  But he just does not want to.  And he knows he needs to go, he'll go hide and do it.  And if I catch him hiding I'll take him potty and he won't poop.  He doesn't mind pooping in his underwear at all.  I have offered him all sorts of rewards for pooping in the potty, but he just doesn't seem to care.  Is there anything I can do or do I just need to be patient?

augs06

Coming in to commiserate, we're having the same issue.  She has a poop chart partially filled with stickers, plenty of offered bribes and can't be bothered enough to go on a regular basis.  I'm interested to see the replies.

mrsmikey

augs06:

Coming in to commiserate, we're having the same issue.  She has a poop chart partially filled with stickers, plenty of offered bribes and can't be bothered enough to go on a regular basis.  I'm interested to see the replies.

Thanks.  I realize it's a common problem and even daycare says not to worry about it.  But it just sucks knowing he knows and he can but he just won't.  Especially when you're cleaning the mess every day.  And last night he decided it was time to poop in Mattress Firm, which was awesome to say the least.

marie&david1028

I don't have advice, but also just commiserating!  DD didn't even like pooping around us when she wore a diaper!  She would hide and if we approached her, she'd yell "NO! NO! NO!"  If we didn't leave her alone, she would just hold it - until the next day if she had to!  We're on day 2 of panties and there's been no poop so far, but I can tell she needs to go.  I've been giving her lots of fruit and high fiber stuff so she won't get constipated, but I just wonder how long she will keep holding it on purpose!

FroggyFarts

Our biggest obstacle for PTing was pooping. Here's how we worked around it:

 DS used the adult potty to PT. He'd stand on a step stool for peeing and we had a spiderman toddler seat to put on it. After two successful poops, he refused to sit for pooping and would cry and have an accident on himself.

- We found, first and foremost, that letting him see that Dad sat to go poop and him knowing that everyone sits to go poop, helped.

- We took him to the store and let him pick a second toddler seat out. He picked one and we asked if he'd poop on that and got a positive answer.

- We offer a sugar-free chocolate for a successful poop

- We let him put a BIG sticker on the reward chart instead of a small one like normal. (The big ones also have things he's interested in)

- We get down to his sitting level and hold his hands while he goes

- Lastly, we hold up both potty seats and ask which he wants to poop on and he'll pretty much hop on happy now

 

The very first poop after the new seat was the roughest. He was very stressed out and we held up both toddler seat options and asked him which one he'd like. He sat down without an issue when he got to choose but the stress leading up to going into the bathroom "to poop" was a pain.

I don't think you need to do all of these and we definitely don't anymore. He has no problems pooping now, but still likes to pick his potty seat for it. He only gets a chocolate on request now but rarely asks. No sticker chart or hand holding anymore.

augs06

Thanks, Froggy.  We've definitely explored most of these, even bribing with the beloved dum-dum lollipops hasn't gotten the fire started.  I've got a bullheaded LO on my hands.

Score one for F today though!  She had one successful poop trip today - woohoo!  Maybe just venting about her not going here will be the boost she needs to prove me wrong?