Potty Training and Won't Poop

We had very similar issues with my daughter (same age) when we went to panties over the summer. We did the Miralax but also enticed her with a 'treat' - that can be anything you consider a treat - fruit, rasins, ice pop, mini M&M's, whatever you are comfortable with. It worked like a charm for my daughter. Now sometimes she gets the treat and sometimes I try and distract her so she doesn't remember about it.

Good luck, I know how stressful it can be.
L.

My son was VERY private about pooping. He didn't want me there. He didn't fully potty train until he could go poop alone. I bought those flushable wipes, a stool so he could get up on the toilet alone, and would give him his privacy.

Have you talked to her about it? It would help if you could figure out why she isn't going.

With my daughter -- at the beginning of potty training -- she was waiting until her nighttime diaper went on and immediately pooping. We would take the diaper off and empty it into the toilet a few nights, having her flush the toilet. Then we started insisting she sit on the toilet before bed and cheered WILDLY when she went - even the smallest, insignificant little #2. That worked with her.

Have you already tried a reward system? One of my best friends had a heck of a time with her daughter. They tried letting her pick out her own panties. They tried M&Ms -- just a couple -- every time her daughter went #2 and that worked for a while. Eventually they switched to a "Potty Poster" and every time she went #2 she got a sticker to put on the poster. The poster hung on the bathroom door. It was all about figuring out what motivated her daughter.

Good luck, I hope it helps -- you are certainly NOT alone.

My daughter will be 3 in december and potty trained for pee over the summer. She also pooped in the potty here and there. She still doesn't like to poop in the potty, so she either ends up going in her underwear or pooping in her pul up first thing in the morning. It can be frustrated but I feel there isn't much we can do to get our children to poop in the potty if they aren't ready. I would continue trying to have her sit on the potty when she seems like she has t go or offer her a diaper to poop in. I wouldn't back track to diapers because she may end up peeing in them too and then you might have to start over again. I also offer my daughter a special treat for pooping in the potty like a small piece of candy or ice cream. Sometimes it works. I wish you the best as I know how frustrating it can be.

The most likely time for a bowel movement is right after a meal. So depending on your child's schedule you can either sit her down right after each meal, or after breakfast or dinner, depending on her sort of schedule. If she's constipated now you'll have to take care of that first, and then try to get into a schedule. I had similar problems with my children (they are 15 and 12 now) and at the time they were little my doctor recommended Senokot and I gave it to them every day for a period of time. I also made sure they ate lots of fiber during the day (cheerios and corn for example) and stayed away from some things that were not good for bm's (like bananas and rice). If she goes too long without a poop it can be very painful for her and you'll have to resort to a suppository -- not fun but fast and effective.
Make sure you make a HUGE deal everytime she poops in the potty. And don't go back back to diapers!!!

I say, put on your brave face, give her a dose, and press on, Mama!

When my son was about 4 or 5, he sometimes had trouble finishing the poop while on the toilet, so I would bring in a little paper cup of water with a straw. He took several sips, and moments later, he'd finish pooping. He only needed that once in a while, and now he poops without any help. Maybe that would help your little girl, it's worth a try before using medicines! I hope she feels comfortable soon. Give it a try the next time if nothing seems to come out. Tell her it sometimes helps, and make sure your voice is gentle and she senses absolutely no impatience or frustration at all in your voice.

Have you asked her if she'd like to use a diaper for pooping? I've known a number of kids who used that as a transitional aide while they were getting the pee training down. It didn't seem to cause any confusion – they would use the diaper to poop and then go right back to their underpants.

If at some point she seems uncomfortable from holding it too long, a liquid glycerine suppository for children might help stimulate and lubricate – they tend to bring very fast results. Should be used ONLY in case of emergency, though, so as not to habituate the pooping response.

I had the same issue with my daughter so I found out what her "carrot" was - what she really wants and used that to coax her to poop in the toilet. So my daughter loves princess underwear, so everytime she went poop in the potty, she would earn one pair of underwear. And it worked. I did also use some Miralax with her just they would be softer for her as well.

I went through the same thing with my daughter. We were peeing in the potty but wouldn't poop, then we would poop but not pee. It was extremely frustrating. We had the big girl underwear but I certainly wasn't going to let her keep pooping in them. I got to the point were enough was enough & she just wore underwear everyday & got stickers for going pooh. The stickers really helped alot & since then we have only had 2 accidents & it was on the way tho the bathroom. I use miralax for her because once I stopped nursing her poohing (or lack of) became an issue. Her doctor assures me that it is nonhabit forming, we shall see but she is on it for now and it works great. Good luck.

my daughter potty trained herself for pee pee. She wears undies and when she has to poop she asks for a diaper on. for now it works for us, just turned 2 so I don't feel like I need to push things.
If she will poop in a diaper I would let her, it is awful to have to poop but cant because you cant relax enough to go.