Pre-School and Daycare

Not pooping on the potty?

My 3 year old was basically pretty easy potty training to pee on the potty about 2 months ago.  But we're having real issues with her not using the potty to poop.  Typically she runs off to a corner or her room and we find her after she has gone in her pants.  I have tried getting her to the potty when I can tell she needs to go but she is very resistant to it.  I'm not sure if she just is scared, not comfortable or what.  I don't know what to do to try to facilitate her going on the potty but i'm tired of cleaning out her undies all the time.  Anybody have any suggestions or have the same issues with their toddler?  TIA

Re: Not pooping on the potty?

  • I did with kid #2 and oh man is it soooo frustrating.  It was especially difficult for DH and I because kiddo #1 poop trained first, and he initiated pooping in the toilet at 14 months.  #2 pee trained a tad after 2 and 6 months later he was still pooping in his pants, the floor ect.  For awhile he would poop first thing in the morning in his diaper so we left it on until he did, and then he'd poop again at nap, then we were hit or miss for a 3rd poop of the day. Well he dropped the nap before he poop trained and I was so sick of poop.

    Honestly we had gotten to a point where we just backed off, talked about where poop went every time but didn't ask him, didn't offer the toilet.  Then one day I saw him crouched in the corner, snatched him up and put him on the toilet.  I got lucky that he couldn't hold it at that point (which was what happened every.single previous time) and after that we made such a huge deal.  Wasn't it so easy, we were so proud.  It just clicked, his eyes were so wide, "mama that was sooooo easy".  He was thrilled with the easy clean up.  That was it, other than a few very random accidents from that day forward he was totally trained.

    I know you'd rather hear some magic here is exactly what worked for us but if she's at all regular with her poops I would hover like crazy and catch her and just race her to the toilet.  If she's really proud of underwear I'd  talk to her about going back to diapers or pull ups.  Also if you haven't tried character underwear, dora, princesses ect would she respond to not pooping on the princess?

    Good luck, it sucks I know.

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  • DD potty/pooped trained and then regressed to holding for her overnight pull up. I battled for a little while but then thought - it's her BM. she can choose where to do it. She asked for a diaper for a little while, then eased back on the potty without issue. Honestly, it took a LOT for me to not to make an issue out of it ... but boy am I glad that I let it run it's course for a few weeks/months. At most, it cost me a pull-up a day. Hardly an issue to cause conflict. Now, at almost age 4, she is completely idependent.
    My darling daughter just turned 4 years old.
  • DS pee trained at 3y1m, but is only poop training now. He insisted on using a diaper and was a major witholder--he once went 5 days without pooping when we tried to take diapers away. We backed off, bought him a toy of his choice, and told him that when he pooped on the potty he could have it. He did it once, got the bulldozer, and then requested a diaper the next time. The bulldozer went back up on his closet shelf. This week, he has been trying for it again, and finally got it back this morning. Maybe he will get to keep it this time. I would have the diapers make a return for poop. She would still have to ask for them, so she would get in the habit of telling you when she needs to go, and then work the reward method. Some people also have success with using diapers but also standing in the bathroom and then ultimately sitting on the toilet with a diaper before moving to the real thing. DS couldn't ever do that second part though b/c he was too scared, so that is when we backed off. Everything has to be on his own terms it seems.
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  • We are dealing with this issue now. Like some of the PP said, DS would hold it until his nighttime pull up, which I found it REALLY frustrating. I have tried to back off about it but what has worked best for us is to take away the diaper and offer underwear, he says no to the underwear, then  goes naked. He will then beg for a diaper until he can't hold it anymore and at which point we are coaxing (sp?) on the toilet.(I guess I should add it never occurred to me that he might go in a corner or on the floor- he never did that so I am realizing we are really lucky to have not had that issue :-/ ) There was a great deal of nakedness around her for a while but it seems to have really helped.  I feel like we are 90% of the way there now. hth
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