son scared to poop in toilet

mom

Mon, Mar 23 2009, 10:41 am

My son will be 3 in May, I just trained him ( a week ago) and he is doing great! So excited to wear underwear and he is telling me when he needs to pee and not having accidents. But when he needs to poop he holds it in and cries. If I make him sit on the toilet he holds it in till he's in pain and constipated. He's not the kind of kid with fears and anxieties, so this is out of character for him. I've tried prizes, positive reinforcement, reading stories on the toilet, even buying him a potty! Nothing helps- any ideas please????

ra_mom ↓

Mon, Mar 23 2009, 10:51 am

Firstly, I am sure that you are using a toddler's toilet seat so that he does not feel like he is "falling in", or using a potty at the beginning. Even if you aren't using these toddler aids, you should use them at least for when he needs to poop.
A tip from a wonderful parenting magazine.
Think of it in his terms. When he lets go of his bowel movement, it feels like he is losing a part of himself, and it feels like his guts are dropping out from under him. That is scary, and very frightening for him.
Encourage him to make the poop, in his pamper, while sitting on the toilet. Do this a few times, until he is comfortable making number 2 on the toilet, but with his pamper still on.
Once he's mastered that, cut a hole in the pamper, and allow him to continue wearning the pamper while he is making. This way, he will have the security of the pamper around him, but will experience the feeling of the poop falling into the toilet.
Once he's done that a few times, you can talk him into making number 2 in the toilet, without any aids other than the toddler toilet seat insert.
I know- it's hard work. Hatzlacha!

↑ ra_mom

Mon, Mar 23 2009, 11:03 am

drumjj wrote:

I had the same problem with my daughter and was told to do what ra said although the specialist said to use a potty bc the security of their feet on the floor helps them

Great idea about the potty! I forgot to mention that I always use a stool for my daughter's feet when she sits on the toilet. But at the beginning, she only used the potty until she was comfortable to use the toddler toilet seat and stool combination.

cubbie

Sun, Mar 29 2009, 11:54 am

Give him time, you only trained him a week ago. Many kids (boys especially) are scared of pooping in the toilet. My dd was fully trained for 6 months before she would go (pee or poop) in any toilet other than home or gan. I didn't make a big deal of it and one day like magic she started to use other toilets.