Getting a Almost 3 Year Old to Have a Bm

Updated on July 26, 2008
J.T. asks from Grand Rapids, MI
6 answers

Ok... I have a almost 3 year old daughter that I am about at my wits end with. We've been doing the potty training thing since the mid-end of November and she does well most days. We were doing really well staying dry and going both pee and bm's on the toilet. That lasted all of about 2 weeks. Lately it has been a total struggle to get her to go. We know she has to go, she goes through 4+ pairs of underwear some days b/c she starts to go and then stops. And she refuses to go. She holds it so long that she gets backed up. I have tried suppositories so she would get the feeling of going regularly - but believe it or not, she has managed to find a way to even hold it then. I have tried prune juice, but she won't drink it - not even mixed - but I found a plum juice that has fiber (just as much as the prune juice) and she will drink that - and has been daily. We've also been giving her bran/granola muffins. Tonight, after a hour plus of her 'trying' we finally did a suppository again tonight and she went, but probably not enough considering its been a couple of days since she last went.

I am about ready to call the peditician's office and see what they suggest, but I thought I'd try here first. What can we do to help her go and go without the fighting?? (FYI - we have rewards - her choice, she reads books while going, we read books to her - but we can't always sit in there the hours that she does. She knows what she is suppose to do - she just won't do it)

J.

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L.N.

answers from Benton Harbor on

With the OK from your pediatrician, you can try Miralax. It is not a stimulant so there is no chance of becoming dependent on it to 'go'. We had to start with a larger dose (so the BM was difficult to hold in) and then taper to a maintenance dose.

Good luck!
~L.

1 mom found this helpful
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T.

answers from Detroit on

My sisters doctor told her to use miralax. It is not habit forming and it helps soften the bowel movement. She was using it for her 2 year old so I am guessing you can use it for your 3 year old.....................good luck. That is always a tough situation

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S.V.

answers from Grand Rapids on

I also have an almost 3 year old daughter who has been "peeing on the potty" since April with maybe 3 accidents total... but she is scared of using the potty to poop.
She has not been a regular pooper since I stopped nursing her before her first birthday, but since the potty training it has gotten worse. She does the same thing with holding it in and we have done the suppository thing as well. Our doctor has told us to use Milk of Magnesia or the Miralax, but we had a hard time regulating the amounts without having her be too loose.

We are trying a more natural solution with having her eat yogurt daily(good bacteria cultures that help with digestion) these same bacteria cultures can be found in health food stores in a chewable form for toddlers (my daughter has 1 a day). I also mix ground flaxseed into applesauce or add it to muffins and pancakes. Lots of fresh and dried fruit also helps (my daughter loves fresh blueberries and melon and dried cherries). Having her adjusted by a chiropractor also helps. (My daughter has seen one since 6 weeks old because she was colicky.)

The mental part of the potty is still what gets my daughter, so we tell her that she can choose where to poop in the potty or a pull-up (she still wears them for nap and bedtime). 3/4 of the time it is still in a pull-up, but she is gradually "trying" on the potty. Encouraging the action and not the location has been a better solution for us right now. She will not be going to kindergarten and pooping in a pull-up, so eliminating some of the stress on her helps with the staying regular too.

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M.H.

answers from Detroit on

Try having her pick out a book and let her go on her own. You can sit outside the bathroom, but don't interact with her unless she calls you. She might just be scared about doing it in front of you. She might be more relaxed with no one around watching.

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A.I.

answers from Lansing on

hey J.
to me i sound like a control thing my oldest did that as soon as her little sister came a long and so did my neice she would only go bm in a pamper and my sister gave in i would ask your daughter doc and see what they say i am not sure if i would use meds maybe at this time in her life dhe dose not want to be potty trained .

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A.H.

answers from Detroit on

When my daughter doesn't go often enough I give her 1/2 an acidophilus w/ probiotics. It makes the stool a bit softer, and encourages the body naturally. My daughter also had to be with me where ever I was for the past 4 years. So she's been in the bathroom with me almost every time. Sometimes privacy is nice, but she's never had a problem w/ the potty. Other than feeling like she could fall in.
Good luck, A. H

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