This might seems like an unusual or even a funny question. I guess it is, specially if you are only a spectator.
So I have 2 kids, my older boy is 3 years old, and my youngest is 15 months old. I have been giving them their bath together since the small one was 2 months, I find they enjoy their time together in the water, and so far all has been good.
Several months back, when my second was 6 months, he poop in the water once or twice. I did not make a bit deal of it - clean everything, kids, tub, toys included - end of the story.
Now it has happened again, but this time it has been repeatedly. I am really at my end's wit, not knowing how to deal with this. Over the last 2 weeks, my little one has now pooped at least 5 times in the bath. Usually he would eat his dinner, play a bit and do it in his diaper. For a couple of times, I caught him on time, starting to do his special little face (an indicator for me) a few minutes after I put him in the water. I had time to take him out, put a diaper on and let him roam a bit until his job would be done. Now, for the last 2 days, I did not catch him on time, and got a dirty tub - and my 3 year old screaming - plus all the dirty work coming with it. Tonight, just a second after I put him in the water, I heard him fart, so I took him out, put a diaper. He played around for about 15 minutes with no "production", so I put him back in the water. I was not even standing straight (after bending down to put him in there) and there! he did it again!!! Pooped again!!! Sigh!
I really do not really know on what to do. I feel he is too little to be discipline. Furthermore, he is a sweet kid, quiet in general. But he has a strong personality, usually if I say no to him, he laugh and to it again. I have no other idea. I do need them to get a bath - together is the easier option (usually) as my husband is often away, and do not really want to leave one of the two out of my sight for too long...
I also have tried to put him on the toilet (we have a little seat) after his brother goes, but he is not interested or happy either. Over the last week, I have waited to put them in the bath, but at a certain point I need them in bed - I work and need my time to get ready for the next day...
Any suggestion is appreciated!!!
Thanks
I.
The warm water is relaxing. If he doesn't go before bathtime then he gets a good sponge bath while the 3 year old is playing in the tub. That's what I would do till he gets back on his routine of going before bathtime.
There is no discipline in this issue. You can't discipline a 15 month old for going poo. He has no control over it.
The warm water is making him go. It is actually true. Water is an amazing force. The reason you can even get people to urinate by putting their hands in warm water or running the water when they sit. I do not think he is doing it on purpose, so no need for punishment. I think you just need to change bath times or do not put him in the bath until after he has already gone. If you are bathing after dinner, between the food starting to digest and the warm water he just has to go when the mucles relax. Can you bath them and then have dinner? Try that and let us know. You are right it is a big deal, because to prevent ecoli you do have to go through a drain the water, was the tub, wash the toys and then back to start over. That is a lot. That would make you miss your "get ready" time. Not to mention if you start to be mean or angry around him pooping then that no longer is an enjoyable time as you are stating is the reason you give them a bath together in the first place. Getting angry will just create more work as well as negative feelings. Good luck with the change in routine. BTW, many kids tighten muscles when you place them on the potty, so will not go. The water trick is a trick I know some pediatricians even do with constipated children. I have an old school pediatrician that tells parents to fill a warm bath and take the top of the potty off and place the kid on the potty in the tub to makee them go. Good Luck!
Can you give them a bath before dinner? Or can you feed dinner a little bit earlier so he has time to get that poop out? Who knows he may enjoy pooping in the water and if that is the case ... NO CLUE!
Could you put a clean diaper on him with one of those plastic thingys over it, and when when he does is "job" pull him out change him and put him back in? Or even better why not a swim diaper! I know they aren't the best, but they do keep things in, enough to keep it from ruining the bath time. At least until he's over this phase...Good luck...our kids seemed to be around the same age.
Taking a bath is one of the best things to do for a constipated child, they tend to relax and let it all go, lol.
It's a phaze, but I'm thinking you are already doing everything you can to stop it from happening..... hopefully it will pass soon. Maybe dont put big brother in till after the toileting has been completed by little bro?
What I used to do: take the floater out, and refill the tub.
The "floater in the tub" makes for hilarious memories when they are older. I always knew one was there by the screams of my other two kids. It still cracks me up remembering how they would try to get away from it.
No discipline needed. Obviously the hot water is relaxing his bowels.
I've heard when this happens the best thing you can do is change the bath time. If this is at night, do morning baths instead, or afternoon baths. Might help.
Although, I'm sure almost everyone on here can share of floaters. I'm sure ultimately n time he will outgrow it.
My son has always had trouble with his movements and we used the warm water to help him relax and go. He isn't doing it to be naughty, just when he can relax and go.
About 6 months ago my ds got into the habit of it everynight when I put him in the bath so I changed bath times. I began bathing him before dinner and it stopped. He has now changed his "time" of the day to morning/mid-day so I was able to go back to bath time after dinner and before bed.
Try adjusting your timing since that seems to be when he needs to go. It will be less stressfull on all of you.
It seems funny to me that you know your child is about to go poop, and you put a diaper on him.... Why not put him on the potty? I have been putty my children on the potty at about 10 months. We don't make it every time, but it's so much fun when we do!
And if you don't like cleaning a pooy bathtub, who wants to clean a pooy diaper.
The toilet won't fly, he is too young to understand that concept in my opinion. There is something about the water that relaxes the anal sphincter in some babies and makes them have to go. I doubt he has control over it or realizes what he is doing. My son had a phase when he did this. The bath would just end early and for a little while I gave my 3 yo a separate bath. Separate their baths for a while and don't stress over it. It will pass.
i went through the same things with my second one. It Never happened with my first so it was so frustrating for me. After a while i realized that if he hadnt had a bowel movement before bath, it was almost guaranteed that he was going in the tub. I really didnt do anything different because my work schedule didnt allow for an earlier bath time. So i just kept a close eye on him and would yank him out and put him on the toilet. I would sometime give them showers in stead of baths to avoid having to do all the cleaning and recleaning of the bath, especially when it was late and i had to get them in bed.
Good luck!
You could sit him in a separate toddler bathtub - I put my DD in one (she is around 23 lbs or so but fits in it well, but she is a bit younger than your son) - it uses less water and I am kind of a control freak and empty the 'dirty' water and put clean water in after she gets soaped up so she can play with her toys in fresh water....maybe if you put your younger one in the toddler tub he won't upset the older one and it will be easier to clean up....?
Also, if the warm water is making him go and you can't bathe before dinner, maybe you can try using a sitz tub for him and just fill it with warm water and have him sit on the potty so it will make him go before getting in the tub....then the tub and toys, etc won't get poop on them and you can just dump it in the toilet. Not sure how long it will take for him to go, but I imagine the same amount of time it is taking him in the bathtub. Also, it may be difficult if your little one is as squirmy as mine! :)
I am confused about the age. The youngest is 15 months, but this is the middle child? If so, he may be quite ready age-wise to start eliminating in the potty, and also to understand that the tub is not the place to be eliminating. On the other hand, if it becomes a power struggle, he'll win.
I know I'll probably reap the whirlwind for this one but...eh....I'm old fashioned.
I had a friend who's son started a habit of this exact thing. She spanked him - three times for each of the three times he did it - and he NEVER did it again after that.
And, just for the record, 15 mos. old is plenty old enough to understand consequences for actions. I think he's playing you (laughing when you say no is something else you should put a stop to - it's only gonna get harder from here if he doesn't take you seriously). If you never discipline this behavior thinking "he's too young" and just clean it up over and over again with no repercussions, your son knows he can just keep doing it. Smart kid.
