My son will go pee in the potty but he won't poop in the potty and he won't poop in a diaper. He cries holding himself and eventually poops on the floor after many trips to the potty. What can I do? I tried putting a diaper on him so he could do his business in that but he just takes that off too and cries. I don't know what else to do. Please help.
Nicole from Pennsylvania
I have 2 boys who are luckily now potty trained. The first was really hard, but my younger son was really quick and easy to train. I have heard that some children see their poop as a part of them, they get scared and don't want to lose any part of them, and they commonly try to hold it in. It's pretty normal, and frustrating i know. Have you tried a reward system? Give him something every time he sits on the potty and tell him that he will get something really nice when he poops in it. It took a trip to Chuckie cheese for us. Teach him what poop is, i explained about how when we eat food, it goes in our mouth and goes into our stomach and gets all squished, then it goes bye, bye. Help him understand it's old food and like the stuff in the back of the fridge it needs to go to it's "home" We also had him watch when we went to the bathroom to see that we were okay with it too.
By me
Don't worry and stress. My daughter is 33 years old with a Master's Degree and three kids of her own. She was the same way she would poop in her pants. She even stayed dry at night. I remember stressing about it when other moms would say my child was trained at such & such age. I knew my daughter was very smart so I could not understand.
By mawmawto4
My experience:
Time it.....it is a pain for you... but will pay off. Put him on the potty every hour or every 2 hours....until he poops. Is he holding it in? give him stool softener(maybe he is constipated) either way it will make it easier to go. Once he poops on the toilet... shower him with PRAISE! Potty treats? My son got anything from candy to frozen go-gurts. My grandma once told me: potty training for boys....you aren't training him, you are training yourself. my son has been potty trained for over a year and we still have to remind him to go! good luck to you, it is a difficult time.
By Heather
My daughter over 19 years ago did the same thing. I read in a Parents magazine to make a game out of it. I filled a brown paperbag with little objects that she liked. Back than it was New Kids on the Block Cards lol. Anyway, she was able to take a prize out of the bag everytime she went poop. Well let me tell you this child pooped all day long to get all 10 prizes out of the bag. From that day on she went herself. Worth a try if you want. Good luck!!
By dadstiger
Have him use a little stool (or even a stack of books!) to put his feet on to raise his knees a little higher than his bottom. Sometimes if there is a solid stool it will help the elimination process. (I had to use this method with my son some 40+ years ago.)
By jsham
If offering a reward doesn't work, talk with your son's doctor to make sure there is no physical reason for his aversion to the toilet. For example, if pooping is painful for him, he may associate it with the toilet.
By Cresanna
We kept a "poop" book. I bought a composition book from the dollar store and a whole bunch of small stickers that my daughter liked. Every time she pooped in the potty successfully we put a sticker in the book. She was very proud of that book!
By GoodAndCheap
everyone has lots of great tips. mine for my boy was all the following. he knew he could wear big boy undies when he got potty trained, so that spurred him on. I bribed him. I gave him one skittle candy for peepee and two skittles for poo poo!! Sounds so little but it worked.
This happened to my little one too. Turned out she was constipated and it hurt to let it out. So she held it in as long as possible until it came out. We put her on a stool softener, Miralax, and once the poopie was soft she was ok with letting it out. The doctor told us if constipation is allowed to continue it can stretch out their rectum and make it even more difficult to treat. They also suggested more fiber, more liquids and regular sitting times on the potty after each meal with a stool under their feet to aid in "pushing".
By Timmie
My daughter was actually afraid of the little potty chair. I found out that it did not seem sturdy to her. I bought a little seat that fit on the regular toilet. Also a small stool so she could get up there like big people. No more problem after that.
By Marjorie
Hi just thought this might help to get my son to go in the potty I wrapped up in old Christmas paper some of the old McDonald toys and little toys that he hadn't seen for a while then I put them in a box and told him every time he when he could have a prize so he went to the toilet. Don't get upset I remember being on my hands and knees begging my son to go in the potty he couldn't have cared less but the prize got his attention. Also I put the potty on a plastic sheet where he could see the TV and then he would forget he was even sitting there and just do it without relishing it. Hope these tips help. bye Melinda, Australia.
By Melinda
I am glad to read this feedback! I was beginning to think I was alone in this journey. My son just turned 4 and he will pee in the potty, stay dry all night long, he can write and spell, he can read and add; BUT for the life of both of us he will not pooh pooh in the POTTY!! Stickers don't help, treats don't help, so could someone please offer help!!!
By Distressed mom
I went through this same thing with my first daughter, and she grew out of it by age 3. I am now dealing with the same issue with my son, but the only problem is that he is almost 4, and he only started this less than a year ago, so I don't know when he will grow out of it. The only time he was good, was around Halloween time, when I told him the only way he is getting to have a candy is if he go poop in the toilet without crying. This only worked for a while. I get extremely frustrated, because he cries like it is really paining and I do not think it really is. He has his 4 year check up in a couple weeks so I will ask the doctor for some advice on this problem.
By Lee
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