Look at my poo list and tell me where Im going wrong..

[guggenheim]

Hi,
I'm hoping that there is a magic poo guru out there who can help. Ds is 3.6 and we have been toilet training for over a year. He's fine with wees but has only managed a poo on the potty twice in all this time.
We have tried:

Being calm,
being positive
being slightly passive aggressive but not cross
books
singing and signing
loads of praise
stickers
reward charts
Poo goes to pooland story which really helped with attitude but produced no results.
poo prizes in sight
phoning Nanas

I'm happy to try both prayer and Voodoo by now. I am keeping Sainbo's afloat by buying all stocks of small boy pants on a regular basis.

I think we may need a trip to the Dr's next. He is a normal bright little boy in every other way. He is very strong willed but then that's normal for 3. At wits end here.

Thank you in advance for help /support/ flaming/arse kicking- anything.

[Pasanna]

With Ds it took a while for him to poo without his nappy, and he never pooed in a potty. He actually ended up constipated for a few days because we'd taken off the nappies and he used to wait until he had a nappy on at bedtime before he'd poo and by then the moment had passed. Sorry for all the info. Anyway, what got him pooing was a seat that was placed on the toilet instead of the potty, and being left to poo in peace. I also explained the digestive system with the food going through various bits of the body til it finally goes plop, he finds this very amusing. Hth

[guggenheim]

Thanks pasanna

Ds won't poo in nappies either. I think he really can't tell when it's coming and is quite loose bowelled (is that a real term???) He's been in and out of nappies a couple of times over the course of the year and nothing has made any difference.

We have a couple of toilet seats and he will use one of them for wees. I might try explaining the digestive system though. I'll keep going with the poo goes to pooland story for a bit while beating my own brains out on edge of toilet seat

[ConstantCraving]

My DD is 3.6 now and poos in her pull up ay night. She will hang on all day. She says she can't poo in the potty because it will look 'too brown' and she doesn't feel right sitting up on the loo. Wee's are fine but poo's seem to be a real problem for her. She has constipation and is on medication for that which probably doesn't help. Have tried all on the list above and working on bribery now - but no luck so far. Will watch this with interest!

[TexMex]

Oh, thank the lord I am not the only one. In addition to your list OP today I nearly had a nervous breakdown and just wanted to shout at poor DD. she can only poo standing up in a nappy. I have managed to get her to poo like this in the bathroom, but she can't or won't sit down on the loo (even with nappy on). I am at my wits end. Sorry I have no suggestions, only masses of sympathy.

[noblegiraffe]

Blowing bubbles on the toilet? My DS never pooed in the potty, he would only do it on the toilet. We ended up sitting him on the loo when we thought he needed to go (wind!) and holding his hand, but not letting him off until he'd produced the goods. Just told him he needed to do it until he did.

[FeelingHip]

Tex, feel your pain...in totally the same position. And no books seem to even mention this as a problem! Argh! Hope it sorts itself out for you soon x

[Mutley77]

My DS sounds similar to yours in that he doesn't seem to have much warning. He is now 4.5 and can hold on for a max of about five mins in dire emergencies - but does still occasionally (maybe 2 x a month max) soil himself. I must say it is v stressful, e.g. in supermarket.

My DD is the opposite - takes her forever to go and she absolutely refuses to go anywhere remotely public, e.g. school.

[TexMex]

FeelingHip - that makes me feel so much better! If you ever get a solution please PM me!! I have hit the gin tonight! X

[FeelingHip]

Will do Tex...though you may well hear me shouting from the rooftops if a miracle does occur! Keep in touch x

[lawyerpenny1974]

My son had this issue and in the end, I would wait until I knew he was desperate and then sat him on the loo holding him tightly or blowing bubbles. I also made up a story about a Mr Mucky who needed to get out and that is why he started blowing bubbles! It worked in the end but did take a long time as my son too is very strong willed! Best of luck!

[TiredyCustards]

Dd was like this for months. I had a thread in behaviour with loads of suggestions - I'll find it and post a link.

What worked for us was, she would wait until I was out of the room before pooing, so I gave her a bare bum, left the potty in her bedroom, explained what it was for, and left her to it. We had 2 or 3 poos on the floor before she got it.

There's also 'Liam goes poo on the toilet' by Jane Whelan Banks which puts it very simply, I think it helped dd to understand a little better.

Good luck!

[TiredyCustards]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/behaviour_development/1736016-Leftfield-ideas-needed-to-help-stop-dd-pooing-in-her-knickers

[RNJ3007]

We had the same issue! DD was dry in the day at 22 months. The pooping in the pants...argh! Went on for a long while. We tried a lot of things, including charts, prizes, praise, singing, books etc etc.

Used to have my hubby put her on the potty whilst he was on the loo in the morning, and I'd done the same in the evening, and would distract her with a book or her toothbrush. Finally, with a few weeks of that, she got the message that everyone poops on the toilet or potty, and she's been fine ever since.