Importance of Using a Potty Chair When Potty Training

This is a potty training tip. I never realized the importance of using a potty chair.

My nephew was taught to use a regular toilet, not a potty chair. As he grew older, he was having trouble moving his bowels. His mother, thought nothing of it, and assumed he would eventually grow out of it as kids sometimes do. In fact, her younger twins were fine "going potty" on their own chairs without having any issues.

He would sit and sit without any bowel activity. Once he did relieve himself, the movement was hard and not normal in size. His diet was fine, he ate plenty of vegetables, fruit, and high fiber. His mother was getting frustrated thinking he was "holding back" and causing his own discomfort. Also, the toilet he used was often becoming clogged. They had a plumber come and he could not find anything wrong with the toilet.

When he was six, she finally talked to the pediatrician hoping for some advice about curing his emotional problem with moving his bowels. She was surprised at what she was told.

As a child learns to potty train, their feet should have leverage, they should not hang. There are special muscles that "push out" bowel movements. Pushing down on your feet help develop these muscles.

Since my nephew never used these muscles because his feet would hang, they never developed properly. This made it physically difficult for him. His mother was so upset that all this time she felt it was him, never knowing it was a physical problem.

She was given exercises for him to do so he could develop the muscles. After a few months, he is getting better. She was told that a child should use a stool for their feet if they do not use a potty chair. This way they have leverage when they "go".

I have never heard of this but I have known many other children who have had this trouble and wonder if that was their problem. I hope this helps anyone who is in process of potty training their children.

Source: My niece

By it's.only.me from NE PA