Any way to teach how to poop sitting down?

Platinum Member Joined: Oct 14 2009 Posts: 6019

DD has been interested in training for months already. She started way too early but by now she seems to have it mostly down. She's not 100% consistent but she very often tells me when she has to go and does it on the potty, and she's going longer stretches dry and then wetting her diaper a lot all at once.

She obviously knows when she needs to poop and she really seems to want to do it on the potty, but she just can't seem to figure out how. A couple of times (total flukes, weeks apart and not that recently) it just came out while she was sitting there, but mostly she just says over and over "make poopy!" and sits and sits and nothing comes. She doesn't want to leave the bathroom, she knows she has to go and every time I say "OK looks like you're finished, let's put the diaper back" she goes "NOOOOOO! MAKE!" but then in the end I just give her back the diaper and sure enough moments later there's a poop in it. She definitely has the awareness and control - for ages already I have almost never seen her poop while we're out or while she's in the crib, e.g. She has gone through stages of going to a specific place to "hide" while doing it.

But the thing is, she ALWAYS does it in her diaper standing up or in a slight crouch. I think her body doesn't know how to let it out when she's sitting on the toilet. Is there any way to TEACH that?!

Platinum Member Joined: Oct 14 2009 Posts: 6019

BTW she is 17 months old, in case that matters... I know it's young but she's showing every sign of willingness and readiness so I don't want to miss the boat.

She is well on the way! She knows what she needs to do, and you have gotten her to sit and practice sitting.

It may be that she doesn't feel safe. Do you have a smaller potty, or a seat cover that will help her know that she will not fall in?

Otherwise, it's just a question of continuing as you are doing, trying to catch her, getting her used to the idea. Don't worry; she'll get there, and there is no such thing as "missing the boat!"

Platinum Member Joined: Oct 14 2009 Posts: 6019

Yes, she uses a small potty and she is certainly comfortable there because she could sit for hours if I didn't eventually scoop her up and apply a diaper!

My concern is just that it's been months already that she's consciously trying and still just can't seem to do it. Pee she does great but she can't get that poop out unless she's standing/squatting. She's not tall enough to squat over even a small potty.

Silver Member Joined: Feb 01 2009 Posts: 698

I dont think it happened due to the child's age. My 28 month old was potty trained 2 weeks ago & it went very smooth. No accidents at all but pooping is a different story. He always used to do it standing up & has trouble getting used to do it sitting down. It looks like he only feels like he has to poop while standing up. He can try for 10-15 minutes then when he stands up he rights away says I need to poop. So far I have no answer how to make this transition easier for him.

it might not make you feel any better but my twins are 5 and a half and special needs and my son would sit on the potty OBVIOUSLY needing to poop--- he would bite and scratch and hit me and finally let it out. For MONTHS. I patiently waited out this horrific stage. Now he says "do I have to make a poopy?" (I love that it's in the form of a question- too cute), walks over to the potty, and does his thing with NO fanfare.

My daughter is not yet ready to poop train and I think that's her issue too-- she'll only do it standing up. We're doing "poop practice"--- 3 times a day where she sits on the potty and we sing silly songs and I encourage her and tell her someday she'll be ready to poop in the potty.

have u tried letting her sit on the potty but with the nappy on.. as a transition sort of stage