Potty training poos is impossible!! When navigating potty training there is nothing worse than a poos that does not make it to the potty and for us this a daily occurrence! Since starting potty training, our almost 3 year old, around 2 weeks ago (this is the second time round see earlier posts for details) we have not had any poos in the potty. This is not an accident either he actually tells me that he has no intention of doing a poo in the potty. He just says no mummy not in the potty. If you ask him where a poo should go he says the toilet and that it goes plop and has sat on the toilet saying he is trying to poo, but then after about 1 second says no the poos won’t come. I think he is for some reason stopping himself as often he goes for a poo in his pants literally seconds after having successfully weeing in the potty.
I will readily admit I am at a loss as to how to fix this. I know I shouldn’t be getting irritated or telling him off, but nothing I have tried is working. We have a nanny two days a week for when I am at work and he won’t even poo in the potty when she is there it still goes in his pants (usually he is perfect at everything when he is with her and just saves negative behaviour for me ;)) She assures me that this is totally normal especially with boys and that it will just come with time. Her suggestion is ignoring it so no reaction to the poo, but simply taking him to the toilet and cleaning him up and then afterwards reminding him where we should do poos using books. We have Pirate Pete’s Potty (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pirate-Petes-Potty-Ladybird-training/dp/1409302202/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397678432&sr=1-1&keywords=pirate+petes+potty+book)
I do trust her, but I also feel like I need to do something to help this along as I am not enjoying cleaning this up repeatedly. Even if he would just try I would thrilled… With that in mind I have been doing some research and here are the suggestions I have found:
- Make sure they are not constipated
If they are then it will hurt to poo so try giving them extra water and dietary fibre for a couple of days to rule that out as a possibility and avoid foods and drinks that can cause constipation such as fried or high fat foods, crisps, green bananas, too much dairy
1. Put the poo in the toilet
- Even if they do a poo in their pants or wait until their night time nappy goes on then take off the pants and get them to watch you putting the poo in the toilet.
- Encourage them to flush the toilet and even be the one to put the poo in the loo
- This should help them to connect the two and then eventually encourage them to go themselves on the toilet
- This can also help if they are just scared of the sounds of flushing etc
2. Try to get your toddler to tell you when they are going to do a poo even if they will only do it in their pants and take them to the bathroom to do it again trying to get a connection made between the toilet and poos
3. If you think it has become a power struggle take a step back and go back to being really encouraging about progress made and ignore the pooing issue until you think they have relaxed again
4. Try sitting them on the toilet or potty with a balloon or trumpet as it uses the same muscles so can help to get them to poo.
- I have also read that getting them to blow bubbles can help as it uses right muscles and they all love bubbles
5. Try reading books such as Liam goes poo (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Liam-Goes-Poo-Toilet-Training/dp/184310900X) and Everybody poos (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1845072588/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=479289247&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=184310900X&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=03CY6VE59E8FFHFCXYPK)
6. Make up silly songs about poos (I have already tried this and so far no joy, but this is what I have come up with: Poo Poo where are you we need you down the loo, Wee come and play, come and see INSERT NAME today)Â The indignity of it all!!!
7. Use rewards and/or stickers for poos. (Again I already do this and he just would rather do without the reward than do the poo, but this did work a treat for wees)
8. Be patient and wait it out…
If you have any other ideas I would love to hear them and I will update you soon with any progress.
Kx
