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Is your child ready for potty training at nursery? Here's the place for all your toilet training questions.

Potty training

If your child has taken MORE than 4 months to get pooing, how long did it take?

14 replies

reup · 11/08/2010 19:46

Am on support thread for people having trouble with the pooing aspect of toilet training. I wanted to be given a bit of hope so how long did your child take if it was over 4 months?

It's feeling hopeless for me at moment as we have tried star charts,stickers charts,magnets charts, stampers,presents, chocolate. He is on medication and we have read about 4 story books on subject and the witholding book too. Have run out of ideas and pants! Have a 5 week deadline now as he starts a school nurseryin sep.

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reup · 12/08/2010 18:05

No one?
Maybe title is unclear

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nowwearefour · 12/08/2010 18:10

do you mean more than 4 months after successful 'wee' potty training to start doing poos in the loo or potty? if so, then yes for me. it took 18 months. but we got there in hte end. i used a combination of outright bribe and a bit of being a little firm. but i tried a few times and failed before she was finally ready to give it a go.

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TheUnmentioned · 12/08/2010 18:11

You mean when theyre out of nappies but wont poo in the loo / potty right?

Ds was out of nappies Aug last year (2y8m). He mastered pees no bother at all.

He mastered poos (ie no poos anywhere other than toilet / potty) since End of May this year thanks to a couple of months of ignoring and a sticker chart and instant rewards.

Does that give you hope or not?

Ds has been at a school nursery since Jan btu he only ever poos at home!

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Cathpot · 12/08/2010 18:11

It took us coming to a full stop after about 4 months, then finding a useful HV, then putting into place some of the things she said, from there about 6 weeks. I have wrote out her suggestions on here about 3 years ago I think, as they were fab for us- if you are interested and you cant find them in the archive I can post again. Good luck.

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Cathpot · 12/08/2010 18:13

'written out' sorry

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reup · 12/08/2010 18:44

yes he did wees ok but only one poo in toilet in 4 months. He has also now stopped telling us he needs to wee and after 50 or so pants on the bin we have gone back to pull ups.

Thanks cathpot. That list would be great.

Was that 18 months of pooey pants nowearefour? Or nappies?

Theunmentioned. 9 months seems an age but as long as it's not 9 years it's good! My son ususally poos on eve with current mess but sometimes has crazy 8 poos in one day. Or has the odd leak if constipated


Thanks for all the replies

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reup · 12/08/2010 18:46

I meant poos in eve with current meds.

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Cathpot · 13/08/2010 12:42

The main thing for me was that the HV helped me see that what I was asking my DD to do (ie come out of the towel cupboard where she would retreat with a nappy on to poo) and poo in the toilet was just too much of a leap for her, regardless of how many shiny things I tried to bribe her with. She said lots of kids dont like the feeling of space beneath them when they poo and for whatever reason they feel more secure pooing in the nappy. So her suggestions:

To completely de-stress the toilet experience itself with lots of relaxed 'practise pooing'- ie sitting on the toilet for a certain length of time eg while you read a story, which absolutely no pressure for anything to happen poo-wise. She suggested after tea pre bath, as the gut contracts after eating, and it was an unhurried part for the day for us. This sitting was rewarded with a sticker and lots of praise. DD was then given a nappy to go and poo.

(Our situation also involved edging DD closer to the loo so in addition we had to very gently get her out of- but next to the towel cupboard, nappy on, then closer and closer to the loo)

Then once you are up and running with practise pooing she suggested giving blowing games on the loo during that period- bubbles and balloons or harmonica etc as what you are after is an accidental poo really so you can almost pass out with praise and excitement etc.

Then we moved to - 'practise pushing' where I put my hand on her tummy and she pushed say 5 times before she could get off.

Eventually- by keeping her poo soft with fruit juice and lactulose etc she accidently went. She cried briefly, I more or less tap danced, she got her shiny things and made a decision to poo every night. If she hadnt made this decision we would have just continued as before.

She also suffered hugely from constipation in the year before all this and I think that can really contribute to poo issues- often in a cyclical way as they withhold through fear and then get more constipated etc. We used lactulose every day as well to make sure that she didnt get constipated at all when we were trying this. Stay patient- it will come right!

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oooggs · 13/08/2010 12:48

dt1 (dd) was weeing in potty at 2.4yrs and poos took another 8 mths - messy pants every day sometimes more than 1 pair

dt2 (ds2) poos & wees in potty at 3.0 years and also dry at night at the same time

No idea why!

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Cathpot · 13/08/2010 12:49

I have just remembered that for months after this I also had to tell her the story of the daddy bear who went for a poo in the woods- (the first leaf was tooo prickly/ the second leaf was tooo shiny/the third leaf was juuust right) and at points where he was grunting and straining in the woods she would try and get her poo out to time with the poo in the story.

I was also not above pretending to be a poo stuck in her bum looking for a way out (go to the light!) etc, although my husband had to leave at this point.

I cant tell you how long ago this all seems even though it is only 3 years- but I do remember how hugely irritating it all was. Hang in there, one day you will be saying remember all that trouble we used to have with poos...

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nowwearefour · 13/08/2010 12:53

my experience was that dd1 was totally dry but requested a nappy for donig a poo for 18 months after being dry. now she still requires a toy or book to play with or read (but who of us wouldnt take a book in if we had the time?!). no pooey pants ever, just witholding unless a nappy was provided.

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reup · 13/08/2010 12:57

Thanks for that. Have done the blowing toys thing and trying on the loo thing but I will try to make it a more routine thing with no pressure to perform! Also yr stories are new so will try them too

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nowwearefour · 14/08/2010 20:58

have you read poo goes home to pooland? it is just brilliant. happy to find my copy and email it to you if you would like it.

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reup · 15/08/2010 13:22

yes I have and "it hurts when I poop" and "liam goes to the toilet" and another similar whose name has escaped me! I have a poo section on my bookshelf!

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