Pooping in the Pool

get a kiddie piddle pool so she can enjoy water play without contaminating the big pool until she's ready.
khairete
S.

Most kids poo at the same time every day. Are you perhaps swimming during the poo window of opportunity? Kids that are newly potty trained almost always over estimate how long they have until they can no longer hold it. Add to that the fun of the pool, the pain of drying off, taking off the swim suit and going, then putting the swim suit back on, getting back in and used to the water...oh and don't forget the missed fun.

Just an accident waiting to happen.

Okay I would not do the pullup or swim diaper route, that is just saying it is okay to poo in the pool. Teaches her nothing. She knows what to do but now she needs to know part of the responsibility of being allowed to swim in a pool is the bother of getting out if you have to go. I mean you know about the poo, how many times is she quietly sitting still peeing in the pool, ya know?

I like Suz T's idea...keep her in her own play pool.
Do you know what it means if she poops in a public pool?
They have to shut it down & decontaminate it for HOURS!

You are right that you have to put a stop to that because public pools have to shut down for a few days for extensive cleaning when that happens. You could make her swim in disposable swim pants, and tell her that until she can be able to swim without pooping, she will have to wear what the babies wear to keep the water clean. Then give her a goal such as so many days of that and if there is no pooping in the pants, then she can wear her big girl swimsuit again without the swim pants underneath.

Let her play in her own small kiddie pool where you can dump and refill the water easily.
Have her use the bathroom before using the pool and have a bathroom break every hour.
The swim diapers might hold solid waste (keeps it from floating free), but pee and diarrhea don't do so well - the diapers are not water tight.
It's one of the reason's I won't swim in a pool with babies in it - I have an aversion to swimming in sewage - besides that, the level of chlorine needed to keep the bacteria in check in baby swim areas really irritates my skin.
I kept my son splashing in a large wash tub on the deck until he was in kindergarten.

Honestly, I was so insanely paranoid that my kids would do that at the public pool...that they all wore the re-usable swim diapers until they were almost 4 - quite a bit past when they were potty trained. They just thought that was part of the bathing suit. I don't use the disposables...too expensive for how much we were swimming...and then it's more 'obvious' that it's a type of diaper. I've never had a problem in the pool (even with my paranoia :p)...but I have an almost 2 year old that REALLY has a problem pooping in the tub! Don't get me started on that one...the water must relax their bowels or something...ugh.

I wouldn't ban her but I would make her wear swimmers diapers!

Maybe she can't help it?

If she's jumping in or hopping up and down alot the water is acting like a mini-enema.

You really are between a rock and a hard place since you can't have her in the pool and risk her doing it again.

Possibly she is getting relaxed in the pool and that's why she let's go, just guessing as my 3 year old doesn't do this in the pool. Maybe have her go before getting in the pool, and tell her she can't go swimming until she poops? Or, put her in Little Swimmers and tell her it's because you can't take a chance? I know some public pools require them for 3 year olds. Hope it all works out soon!

My 4 year daughter almost does poop in the pool almost every time we swim. we have pool in backyard. she has to run so fast to make it to potty. she has not gone in pool but this is the only time she seems not to know until "its" right there. we have had a little poop in bathing suit on several times. I just think it has to do with the water, having fun and maybe her body does not feel the pressure. I would just do a swim diaper and ask her every 20 mins or so if she has to go. You would not want her to start "hold it in" that can cause many health problems. And would be a harder battle to break. I have many friends that have had to break that battle and it didn't seem easy or fun.

Why not just let her wear swim diapers? I think banning her from the pool for something that she's still learning about is not fair.

You don't have her in little swimmers????? This is why they are made. They hold the pooh and pee inside them and don't let it out.

I have a friend who used them and if they didn't get soiled would just hang them to dry and be worn again. They are really unique and worth the cost.

I would treat this as part of the potty training process. Just like some kids take longer at night (and I think it's best to just invest in pullups), some kids will take longer with the pool. Like others have said, something about being in the water just relaxes them. I would just buy a reusable swim diaper. This is the one we bought for our son (ok, his is blue), but it really works to keep the poop contained.

http://www.amazon.com/FINIS-Girls-Diapers-Bubble-Medium/d...

I would just use a swim diaper and let it go. She'll get it faster if you don't make a big deal about it and don't stress her out. Relax, let her have fun, knowing that the poop is not going anywhere.

If she's jumping in or hopping up and down alot the water is acting like a mini-enema.

One of my sons used to be chronically constipated and a sure-fire way to get him to go was to have him go jump in the pool a few times. Now he never pooped IN the pool (thank goodness) but he would hop out and run for the bathroom!

I wouldn't let her go in the pool until she goes. If you have a pool at home (or Grandma's house) swim for a few minutes and go inside to the bathroom.

at least you are trying to get her to stop. Banning her for a bit will probably help. Shes going to be wanting to go into that pool all week and each time remind her why she isnt allowed in it.