DS is having potty training "issues!" Help!

[lfeikert]

My DS3 has been doing really well with going to the potty lately. I think we're finally over the hump. However, he's not doing so well with, you know, #2. Now I think we are to the point where he won't go in his underwear, but also doesn't want to go in the potty so he's just not going. That can't be good! He hadn't gone #2 for several days, then he went once yesterday and not at all today. Should I be worried or since he went yesterday do I start over counting the days!

Any tips on how to help him go? My DH always calls me the poop patrol because I'm overly concerned with making sure my family is regular (even the dogs!) Maybe if I relax and quit talking about it to him all the time, he'll go I welcome all tips, suggestions, and experiences

 

[tevagirl]

My DH always calls me the poop patrol because I'm overly concerned with making sure my family is regular (even the dogs!)

I'm sorry, I can't get past this part!

 

[CEDmom]

I would definitely not make a big deal about it. Kids love having control and will use stuff like this to drive Mommy crazy - I think it's training for the teen years .

If you think he might be holding it in that could cause problems. You could consider putting some Benefiber in juice when he's not looking.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

OMG I hate to break it to you but


you are being my Mother.

 

[freckles and boo]

It took my older daughter almost a full year after mastering peeing to master the poop thing. It is VERY COMMON! And very frustrating for the parents. She would ask for a Pull-up to poop in instead of using the toilet. We finally resorted to a Poop Chart. Every five poops in the toilet and she got a Thomas DVD (we bought them in sets). After about ten DVDs we just faded out the rewards. Don't worry too much about it but don't pressure him either. There is always a reason kids do what they do, even if we don't understand it. He may be constipated so it hurts (or he remembers a time when it hurt and he is associating the toilet with pain), he may worry that he is flushing away a part of himself, who knows.

 

[Samandmom]

My DD was just like this. She had no problem going pee in the potty. But she would go poop in her undies. It really scared her. We did the reward thing also. She finally started to go poop in the potty. For awhile she would NOT go poo in public potty. She would hold it till she got home.

 

[HeatherH]

You do really have to be careful that he is not getting constipated...I had a constipated toddler and it was NOT pretty. It's common in potty training for it to take longer for them to master the #2 in the potty.

Is he totally in underwear now, no pull ups? I know my oldest would only do #2 in a pull up for the LONGEST time, past the point where she had mastered #1 in the potty. She had a VERY bad constipation problem as a younger child and I just didn't want to make it worse by having her NOT go.

Maybe just add a little more juice and fruit to his diet, ask your pediatrician about mineral oil (it's tasteless) and hopefully that will get him moving...so to speak.

You are NOT out of line to be monitoring this, it is a health issue, and as his mother, you are right to be concerned.

 

[bookgirl]

Buy some benefiber and cook it into his food or stir it in his drink it is completley undetectable. It'll help ummm move things along, and the more he goes the more he'll get comfortable with the sensation (which can scare kids when they become aware of it) and learn his own body signals the more he'll feel in control.

 

[redshoes]

Oh, don't just just love the potty training stage (see my tag for my opinion ).
On to my advice, here is the one thing that I've found with both of my boys when it comes to overtalking (I refuse to use the word nagging when it comes to my kids or then I'd be my Mother ) to them about doing or not doing something- if they feel like they can manipulate you or gain control over you they will. I'm no child expert, but at this age it seems to me that sometimes it doesnt matter if it's good attention or bad attention- attention is attention. Encourage him to use the potty, don't give him an out, tell him that you expect him to do both in the potty, and then prepare yourself for the fact that he is going to mess his pants a few times. Watch his diet and make sure that he's getting enough fiber and stuff to keep him moving. One thing that I wish I would have known before I potty trained my first DS (my second one I was a little more prepared for) was that for the first six months it will not be easier than having them in diapers. It's a pain, but it will get better. Hang in there.

 

[lfeikert]

Is he totally in underwear now, no pull ups? I know my oldest would only do #2 in a pull up for the LONGEST time, past the point where she had mastered #1 in the potty. She had a VERY bad constipation problem as a younger child and I just didn't want to make it worse by having her NOT go.

He's in pull-ups at night and sometimes for public outings where I won't be able to deal with an accident too easily. He has pooped in the potty a few times and some in his underwear, too. Usually, he'll do it after he puts the pull-up on before bed or he'll do it in the morning before we take the pull-up off. The last few days I've actually been leaving him in a pull-up more than usual hoping that he'll go. I've never really had a constipated kid so I don't know when I should be concerned or what I should do. Can you give me any tips on that? DH thinks that we're probably OK as long as he's still eating and acting happy. He doesn't seem uncomfortable at all. He is very much an "on my own terms" kind of toddler so I think that's definitely coming into play here. I've been giving him more apple juice lately. I like the idea of the benefiber. I hadn't thought about that.

Training my DD6 was SO easy. I really hate potty training. It's one of those times I wish I had a magic wand!

Oh and BTW everyone--I'm concerned about the dogs' habits because I want to make sure they do it OUTside and not INside! That's why I want to know for sure if they went!

 

[clh2]

Luckily for me, I haven't had to worry about the potty training thing in years. DD is almost 13.

I can so relate to the dog pooping though, we watch that one closely. We just like to make sure that if he doesn't poo early in the morning, that I let him out with enough time to "take a business trip" before I go to work.

 

[Hannathy]

I would quit harping on it and I would stop using the pull ups. Is he in a toddler bed with a plastic mattress. If he is I would just use underwear at night and wash the sheets if I had too. If a reg bed I'd get some good pads. He is old enough to last the night. I definitely wouldn't put them on during the day at all. It sounds like a control issue to me if he is doing it while he has his pull up[ on and since he knows you dwell on it. I would like some one else said tell him you expect him to use the potty and there are no more diapers.

Not everybody goes everyday! Some people are normal going every other day or once every 3 days, it is individual When he does go are they "normal" or are they little rabbit pellets? if he goes every day or so and they are softly formed I wouldn't worry about it. Rabbit pellets can be a sign of constipation. With your BM fixation you'll be all set for the geriatric cummunity-it's their favorite concern