OT - #2 Issues...

[PatricenPete]

DS will be 3 in October. He has been making peepee on the potty pretty regularly for the last few months, but we are having a MAJOR problem with #2. Part of me thinks that I should just deal with it and he'll do it when he's ready, but it is so frustrating because he KNOWS when he has to go poopoo and will usually run to another room and hide. I know all the signs now, but even when I KNOW he has to poo and I put him on the potty, he will still give me a hard time about it. Once I take him off the potty and let him go on his way, he runs and poos the second I turn my back. Any tips or suggestions? We have tried books, letting him watch us go (gross, I know!), new underpants, time out for pooing in his pants, etc, etc, etc.....HELP!

 

[Perditamarie]

Here is my 2 cents...hope it is a little helpful. First of all, I think he is doing great to take care of as much business as he his, all before 3.

I wouldn't make a big deal about the #2 business, or it could become a control issue/power struggle between the 2 of you. Even if you know he's gonna sneak off and do his biz, don't make a big deal out of it or it may become one. I would also make sure he is comfortable sitting on the seat -- does he feel like he is going to fall in, or does he teeter up there? Maybe an insert seat will help him feel more comfortable, or maybe he needs a step stool to get up there.

Ask him why he doesn't like to poop on the potty and see if he needs anything explained. I found it really helpful to tell my kids to "listen to their body" and if they didn't make it, we just quickly cleaned up and decided we would know how to listen to our body better next time. I also shamelessly bribed them with dumdum lollipops for a successful mission -- that really worked well!

Hang in there!

 

[princesssfws]

I have had this issue with all 3 of my kids. They did fine #1 on the potty but were scared to #2. With the first 2 I tried to push them and then they would either hold it till they got a diaper or longer so that it became a serious constipation problem. Then we used Miralax, which is now OTC, which makes it so they can't hold it and they did use the potty then. With my third I just told him to tell me when he needed to go #2 and I would put a diaper on him rather than him holding this. I had about 20 diapers left and told him when they were gone then he had to use the potty. This worked wonderfully for him and has had no problems at all.
So I think I've finally learned, on my last child, to let have some control over it so it doesn't become a battle.
Good luck. I know that this can be very trying.

 

[tweedlemom]

Been there! Don't worry, this too shall pass! (Literally!) Our guys did the same thing. So we started by rewarding them if they went poo in the potty--any amount, even if it got on their underwear. Then when they did well with that, we started to reward them only if they did it in the potty and did NOT get it in their underwear. Sooner or later they realized they had the power to earn the treat and they came around. Also, my kids LOVE to flip through toy magazines when they're sitting on the toilet, so we sign up online for the fisher price, step 2, thomas the tank engine and other toy type catalogs/flyers so it occupioes them while they're "busy." Stay positive! Good luck!

 

[Gretchen]

Delt with this too, agree with the other posters. Just back off, reward the good, let him clean himself up and pretty soon, you have a totally potty trained little boy. My ds was such a pill about everything! He finally got tired of being pooped on, and went in the toilet. It's really no fun having to clean up, as he soon realized. Now, if I could get him to wipe himself...always something new....
G

 

[oldbay]

I found the same issue with my son when he was almost three and letting him use the bathroom alone helped. I just shut the door part of the way and then he had his privacy. It worked like magic! Good luck!

 

[Whosemom]

My boy had #1 under control for 6 mo, but I kept him in diapers for the #2 issue. Finally he decided "what the heck, I might as well pee" So I just went "cold turkey". I decided he'd gross out before I did and just put him in undies. I did not punish or reward. I just said, "We're done with diapers." It took about three days - I had planned to go no where for a week, so it was all good!