xp-holding poop

bluesunshine00

My dd just turned 3 and will not poop at all.  If she feels the urge to go she will do everything in her power to make sure it does not come out.  She usually crosses her legs and squeezes her cheeks together.  Its amazing how to can contort her body so that she does not have to poop.  I dont know how to make her stop doing this and its starting to get out of control.  She has always been constipated but we had finally regulated it with diet so she was in a pattern.  About 6 months ago she got really constipated again and I know that it hurt her to finally go.  I called her doctor and they told me to give her milk of magnesia and miralax.  I know for a fact that she has not been constipated in the last 4 months or so but she refuses to go.  Up until about 10 weeks ago she would hold it but she would sit on the potty and she would poop but now there is no way she is going to sit on the potty.  She screams bloody murder.  I don't want to traumatize her to the potty.  Its getting out of control because its starting to interfere with her life.  She cant do anything without stopping to hold her poop.  She probably screams and holds it 30 plus times a day and tonight she could not go to sleep because she kept having to get up.  I know she is uncomfortable but I just dont know how to make her go.  We have tried reinforcments, treats, stickers, no diaper, naked, pull ups, not mentioning it and just letting her do her thing, and getting upset.  Nothing works.  I'm 28 weeks pregnant and I lost it tonight and just cried.  I hate that she saw that and felt bad about making me sad but I just hate that she is hurting and I cant do anything about it.  Anyone gone through this?  Any suggestions or light at the end of the tunnel stories would be great.  THanks!!!!

StarryNight39

We have been going through the same thing for about 3 months. For Ella it is all about control. She also will not sit on the potty, she just screams and screams and screams. She gets 1 capful of Miralax every single day. When she is "backed up" she gets the cap ful, then some Milk of Magnesia with prune juice and if all else fails, a glycerin suppository. Once she goes she is good and then the poop is very loose so she can't not hold it. It will get better. It really started happening when we brought Drew home form the hospital, it's the only thing she can control. I don't force her n the potty and just remind her to go when I see her holding it. She won't be doing it when she is 30 Good luck!

amiamish

DS1 started doing this a few weeks ago, it is sooo frustrating! We tried everything good and bad to get him to stop, nothing worked. The pedi nurse said to give him 1cap of Mirlax daily to loosen it because it probably hurt once and now he doesnt want to go. So i told him this med would help him poop so it wont hurt. He was happy about that and drank it all then pooped 10min later with no issue (coincidence) hopefully it keeps him worry free and he keeps going.