The moment has arrived. After a weekend of intense potty training, your little one has mastered the art of using the potty, and you’re ready to toss out that last diaper. You’re bursting with pride, and your child is too. Maybe you even celebrated with a small gift for your bundle of joy and a big glass of wine for yourself.
But wait—there’s a hiccup. Your child is happily peeing on the potty without a single accident, yet when it comes to pooping, well, that’s a different story. Maybe they’re just not interested at all.
What the heck?!
When this happened to me, I thought I was the only parent whose child flatly refused to poop on the potty. It caught me off guard since he took to peeing and wearing underwear like a champ. He was even dry at night just a week into training!
But pooping? That was a whole other ball game. I’m still not sure why, but my little guy simply wouldn’t go. Luckily, he had some impressive muscle control, so instead of messy accidents, he just held it in. Not ideal.
Eventually, under the guidance of my pediatrician (who reassured me he’d figure it out eventually), I had to bring back the diapers for him to poop in. This phase lasted longer than I anticipated, but he did eventually ditch those pesky diapers. It was a lengthy process that may or may not have included cutting a hole in the bottom of his diaper so he could sit on the potty and poop.
Phew! If I survived that, I can handle anything. So, here are some nuggets of wisdom I picked up during my toddler poop saga:
1. You need to get the pooping to happen, even if it means a potty training setback.
There’s a nasty cycle with kids who withhold poop. They hold it in, leading to tummy aches and pain when they do go. This discomfort makes them reluctant to poop, and the cycle continues. You need to help them poop—whatever it takes, even if it means reintroducing those dreaded diapers.
2. Gentle laxatives are your BFF.
Seriously, you’ve got to get those poops flowing. Consider a children’s laxative recommended by your doctor, or go the dietary route. We found success with prunes and some flaxseed oil in fruit smoothies.
3. Don’t hesitate to seek expert advice.
I took my son to the pediatrician when we discovered blood in his poop (yikes!). It turned out to be from fissures caused by withholding. Our pediatrician assured me that making pooping more comfortable was key. She also mentioned this is quite common, especially among boys, and my son would eventually get out of diapers on his own schedule.
4. You’re not alone in this struggle.
I thought my son was the only one who held on to his poops for so long, leaving me feeling embarrassed and like a parenting failure. As it turns out, many kids face this issue. Thank goodness for that—and apologies to all the other parents dealing with the same!
5. This too shall pass.
Diapers are now a distant memory, and my son’s poops are regular and easy. He just needed some time to adjust to the idea of going in a different place than his diaper. Toddlers are creatures of habit, and some adapt more quickly than others.
So give your little one that extra time, those extra diapers, and those extra prunes. Don’t compare your child to others who seem to have nailed potty training right away. Trust me, there are more kids who struggle with this than you realize. I wish more parents would share their experiences to normalize this for everyone.
And rest assured, your child will not be heading off to college in diapers. Pinkie swear.
For more insights on parenting and home insemination, check out this excellent resource for pregnancy and home insemination.
Summary: Potty training can be a rollercoaster, especially when your child refuses to poop on the potty. Understand the cycle of withholding, consider gentle laxatives, seek professional advice, and remember that you’re not alone. Your child will eventually adapt, so be patient and supportive.