How does your toddler poop? not joking...

ESTH2000

So ..the more I have been analyzing DD's constipation issues..the more I come up with these reasons why she is having issues..one of them is the fact that when she is trying to poop ..she will is standing up and trying to go but I think she is clenching her butt cheeks making it hard for the poop to come out...I usually let her try for a good 5-10min and then there is nothing but a little poop on her diaper...when I see her straining again..I rush her to the potty and as soon as I sit her down ...she takes the biggest poop ever!!!!  

The problem is she had started using the potty for #1 but not #2 so I just didn't push the potty anymore but now it is sometimes the only way to get all the poop out. Sometimes she asks to go to the potty when she  has to go #2...sits and nothing comes of it..other times she clearly has to go #2, I ask her and she starts crying no...and thats when I have to take her anyways to get the poop out...I think the position of her squatting on the toilet because we have a step stool in front is what gets her bowel moving..so if she is just standing..nothing comes out and then she doesn't try again and then we have constipation...ugh

So how does your toddler poop? Standing, squatting, laying??

Do you have tricks to get them to squat?

SeaSoul

Cal poops standing up.  Fortunately, he doesn't seem to ever have any trouble, and goes multiple times a day.

oct11bride03

K has been very regular since birth, going multiple times a day. I've seen her poop sitting down and standing up. She doesn't seem to care.

I'm sorry she's having constipation issues, poor thing.

ESTH2000

guess I can throw that theory out the window...ugh

things are getting better but still have to use miralax and I want so desperately not to rely on it...

thanks ladies!

Magoy

Lately she's been pooping at nap time in her crib, so I haven't been able to actually see her go.  But before, I could tell she was pooping because she'd 1) freeze and get this far off look in her eyes... like she was concentrating, and 2) she bend forward slightly at the waist while standing.

Other times, she just poops sitting in our laps while reading a book or something.  Now warning on those because we're not really looking at her, kwim?

We've been successful on the potty only a couple times.  No tricks, just timing.  I'm trying every day before nap but it's not happening.  I'm going to try an earlier nap today and see if we can catch potty time after nap.   

We do make sounds... I'll say, "how do you go potty?" and then do the gross sound like I'm holding my breath and bearing down, "eeeeee!"  She thinks it's funny and will repeat it.  I was trying to get her to associate that feeling of bearing down with going potty... but I'm not sure if it's caught on. 

ESTH2000

Magoy:

  But before, I could tell she was pooping because she'd 1) freeze and get this far off look in her eyes... like she was concentrating, and 2) she bend forward slightly at the waist while standing.

We do make sounds... I'll say, "how do you go potty?" and then do the gross sound like I'm holding my breath and bearing down, "eeeeee!"  She thinks it's funny and will repeat it.  I was trying to get her to associate that feeling of bearing down with going potty... but I'm not sure if it's caught on. 

she does the same thing too and we also do the sounds ..she repeats but basically thinks its funny...

at one time she would bend forward holding on to the portable potty or I would squat down holding on to the potty ..she would do the same and would go but suddenly she stop doing that and just cries if I try to show her to squat..its like she is scared

browneyedgrl4282

Preston gets in the sitting position! Well Jordana....we all know she doesn't poop but when she does she is stiff as board standing up!

howleyshell

The potty training books I read said that its easier for them to poop sitting so they can relax the rest of their bodies and refocus the effort to their anus. They also said that its easier to use the necessary muscles if they can plant their feet while pushing.... so use a stand alone toddler potty or provide a stool at the regular potty so their feet are not dangling. So that's what we did but my guys.could poop upside down if need be so I'm not sure the position was crucial for them.

dundasgirl

I have a niece with constipation issues (she is 9) and she has had these problems since she was a young baby.  She has a fear of going potty now and is seeing several specialists.  She has been in and out of the hospital for this.

I think if your daughter is having large bowel movements, it more than likely hurts her to go and she probably doesn't want to.  Do not stop the miralax until she gets over that fear. 

Penny squats to go...Reed just does it when/however he wants.

Neither of my kids have constipation issues but just from my experiences with my niece...it is awful.

It is going to be a trial and error thing for you...but her doctors have given us some good advice.  The bowel is most active 20 minutes after eating so that is a good time to go sit on the toilet or on the potty.  Some kids respond really well to a reward system...if she does, then reward her for even sitting.

I am not saying that she should be potty trained by now (Reed is no where near trained) but just thinking ahead to when you do train.  If she has constipation issues, it can be tough.

 

ESTH2000

howleyshell:

The potty training books I read said that its easier for them to poop sitting so they can relax the rest of their bodies and refocus the effort to their anus. They also said that its easier to use the necessary muscles if they can plant their feet while pushing.... so use a stand alone toddler potty or provide a stool at the regular potty so their feet are not dangling. So that's what we did but my guys.could poop upside down if need be so I'm not sure the position was crucial for them.

We have the stand alone potty and stool for the actual potty. She used to be good at sitting on the stand alone but now wants nothing to do with it. She will sit at the real potty but usually nothing happens....

Looks like the position may not have anything to do with it but for her it certainly does help get things moving..thanks!

nicolita14w

Standing up-- he has constipation issues though too.

So far he's afraid of his potty. Whenever I asked him if he wants to sit on it he says "NO!"

He's obsessed with flushing the real toilet, though. 

ESTH2000

dundasgirl:

It is going to be a trial and error thing for you...but her doctors have given us some good advice.  The bowel is most active 20 minutes after eating so that is a good time to go sit on the toilet or on the potty.  Some kids respond really well to a reward system...if she does, then reward her for even sitting.

I am not saying that she should be potty trained by now (Reed is no where near trained) but just thinking ahead to when you do train.  If she has constipation issues, it can be tough.

thanks! I may try just putting her on the potty 20 min after eating...this kid does not fall for any reward system..booooo...