Poos in pants... sigh.

[Trazzletoes]

Hi, I've mentioned this on another thread but thought I would start my own in case anyone can help...!

I've only just started potty training DS (2.10) this week. Last week he began to use the toilet for wees and I was initially planning to carry on in nappies for a bit longer, but spoke to HV and she said that we needed to get him in pants without delay(!), so since Wednesday he's been in pants. I appreciate that we are still at the beginning but...

No problems with weeing. At all. We've managed 1 poo in the toilet and it seems that he is still at the stage when he doesn't realise when he's about to poo, or can't control the muscles yet to hold it. DH is not helping because he refuses to deal with poo.

For the last 2 evenings, DS has gone mental after pooing and has run around the house to prevent me from being able to clean him. Today, he's been better and has only run away from me once(!), the other time he came and told me he had pooed so I could clean him. When he ran away from me, I had to give him a warning so that I could clean him, and I'm nervous that he is going to associate this with pooing and this will cause problems later... but otherwise how the heck do I get him clean if he's running away (and throwing himself all over the furniture... boak)

Also, his poos have always been fairly, er, loose, so in his pants it is far from pleasant and they go everywhere.

Do I just need to (wo)man up and accept that this is how life is going to be for the next few months and buy him the most amount of trousers, while covering the furniture in plastic? Or do I just put him back in nappies, keep him on the toilet/potty for wees as much as possible, but wait til he has more control before completely taking him out of nappies?

[girlywhirly]

Yes, do whatever you can to protect the furniture, yes if you're going cold turkey with training DS needs to be in pants, or alternatively just nappies if you aren't, mixing the two will confuse him; and DH needs to man up and help you, he can't pick and choose which bits of parenting he will do.

[FuckityFuckFuck]

DH needs to suck it up and deal with it. I doubt you enjoy dealing with poo but you do it.

DS was the same with poo. It has taken about 2 weeks for him to realise that he needs to poo, and so far we have had 4 days of successful pooing

Buy loads of pants, loads of trousers, cover the furniture (maybe get some cheap blankets/throws). Cold turkey is bloody stressful :)

[Trazzletoes]

Thanks. Will persevere with the mingingness then! You're right about DH. I don't mind dealing w pooey nappies but pooey pants are so rank! I'm out on saturday morning anyway so he will have no choice though you can bet your bottom dollar that DS will master it at that moment... Or spend all morning on the potty!!!

[MummyWithMenaces]

Apologies if I'm teaching you to suck eggs but the best way to deal with pooey pants is to sluice then in the toilet while it's flushing. Gets rid of most if it and you don't need to scrub.

[Trazzletoes]

Oh Mummy thanks so much for top tip!!! Before this week I've fortunately never had to get poo out of clothing (except baby poop which doesnt count!) so tip v gratefully received!

[fourbears]

I used to put my DC in the empty bath to undress them and clean them up. It limits the running away possibilities and the bath can be cleaned easily afterwards if anything falls out. I also used to chuck pants away if they were too bad and I couldn't face it, but sluicing in the loo, I wish I'd thought of that!