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Original poster

20 month old pooping in the bath

32 replies

Horehound · 30/04/2021 23:01

My boy has always only pooped once or twice a week and I'd say 90% of those in the last few months are always in the bath.
I don't think he is constipated because his poops are soft. Occasionally he will poop into his nappy but not often. He goes to nursery 4 days a week and he started there in August. I'd say he has had only 4 dirty nappies there in that time. He seems to wait to be home and with me before he thinks about pooping.
Over the week I see his tummy get bigger and bigger and then he does a huge poop in the bath. I know the warm water will relax his muscles but how do I love away from this routine?
I have bought a potty and talk to him about poops in the potty but tbh I think he's just a touch took young to understand it. I asked him to sit on it before the bath tonight and he didn't want to/kept getting up. Put him in the bath and 5mins in there was a big poop.
I've started giving him Weetabix and cosy milk before bed and I have seen an increase in pooping in the last two weeks but it's still in the bath.
Bit of a pest if he does it not long into bathtime And have to get him out, drain, clean and refill.

Anyone got any tips?!

OP posts:
MalingeringMary · 30/04/2021 23:06

GP. That's not normal, love.

Original poster
Horehound · 30/04/2021 23:09

I did call the GP and he said some people do poop once a week and some people poop twice a day. Didn't seem concerned because it's not hard/not hard at the start then going soft etc. Confused maybe I should call again

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Notashandyta · 30/04/2021 23:11

He's only 20 months! A baby really.

All ours pooped in the bath at that age.

These things tend to sort themselves out, although it is really stressful at the time.

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Original poster
Horehound · 30/04/2021 23:13

@Notashandyta

He's only 20 months! A baby really.

All ours pooped in the bath at that age.

These things tend to sort themselves out, although it is really stressful at the time.

Did they regularly do it for most poops? I don't feel stressed about it really and we don't ever make a fuss of it, im just concerned about him being in a bath pooping habit and how will we get him to poop without being in the bath.
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Rainallnight · 30/04/2021 23:13

Go to the GP. Once or twice a week isn’t normal. Constipation can take different forms and you need to tackle it before it becomes entrenched.

Original poster
Horehound · 30/04/2021 23:17

@Rainallnight

Go to the GP. Once or twice a week isn’t normal. Constipation can take different forms and you need to tackle it before it becomes entrenched.
Oh right, I didn't know that I just thought it was hard to poop if constipated. Just had a quick Google, now I am worried
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OutspokenNotThatFunny · 30/04/2021 23:19

Agree with others.
However he's not too young to understand a potty.
Maybe let him just sit on it. Whilst you're in the loo or whatever
Maybe he likes the freedom of no nappy?

shakeitoffshakeacocktail · 30/04/2021 23:19

My daughter was every other day as a baby almost to the hour and then twice a week as a toddler. She does sometimes get constipated and it's once a week but by that point I'm upping her fluids and checking one her.

It IS CORRECT that doctors say this is normal (once/ twice a week)

The bath part I'm not so sure, perhaps a baby bath on the floor next to the toilet then lift him on the toilet quick and give him loads of praise. Let him see it and 'wave' goodbye on its 'slide/ roller coaster' down the u bend

partyatthepalace · 30/04/2021 23:19

See a different GP. Wouldn’t be worried about the Bath, but that is very infrequent

OutspokenNotThatFunny · 30/04/2021 23:21

And also my friends dc has diarrhea, because he's constipated. He's got such a blockage it seeps round the blockage
The dc is on many different meds now because of it, ones to loosen the blockage but also ones to firm the diareah.. Poor soul is only 6

Original poster
Horehound · 30/04/2021 23:23

@OutspokenNotThatFunny

Agree with others. However he's not too young to understand a potty. Maybe let him just sit on it. Whilst you're in the loo or whatever Maybe he likes the freedom of no nappy?
Yes we do just have it sitting out for him to sit on if he likes.

We scoop up the poop in a jug and put it down the toilet and we say bye bye. When he does the poop in the bath he point to is and says "oh oh"

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Original poster
Horehound · 30/04/2021 23:24

@OutspokenNotThatFunny

And also my friends dc has diarrhea, because he's constipated. He's got such a blockage it seeps round the blockage The dc is on many different meds now because of it, ones to loosen the blockage but also ones to firm the diareah.. Poor soul is only 6
Gosh what a shame for him.

Will call GP on Monday then.

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endoftherow · 30/04/2021 23:42

Have you tried lifting him out once he looks like he's about to poop and putting him on the potty to try to build that association.

I would go to the gp though, not necessarily because of the time between poo but because he normally only goes in the bath.

iforgotyourenotbono · 01/05/2021 00:02

He is constipated - that's why he's only really able in the bath! Seeing his tummy get bigger isn't normal when he's not able to poo. Please see a gp urgently. That's really not right.

NippyNippy · 01/05/2021 01:13

I agree with previous posters that it could well be constipation, we sadly have travelled this path too albeit a long time ago now.

My tip to save your sanity for now is to get some swimming nappies, then you'll not have to do the scooping and scrubbing at least.

JackieTheFart · 01/05/2021 01:19

I agree a trip to the GP is in order, it’s the expanding tummy that is concerning really.

I would put the potty in the bath with him so he can hopefully start moving towards the potty when he needs to go, as he gets older you can take it out and (hopefully) the bath association will diminish.

Original poster
Horehound · 01/05/2021 07:45

@endoftherow

Have you tried lifting him out once he looks like he's about to poop and putting him on the potty to try to build that association.

I would go to the gp though, not necessarily because of the time between poo but because he normally only goes in the bath.

No we haven't but will try that. Really only had the potty a few days so haven't done too much with it. I will try though.
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Original poster
Horehound · 01/05/2021 07:46

@NippyNippy

I agree with previous posters that it could well be constipation, we sadly have travelled this path too albeit a long time ago now.

My tip to save your sanity for now is to get some swimming nappies, then you'll not have to do the scooping and scrubbing at least.

Good idea! What happened with your baby? How was it resolved?
OP posts:
LobotomisedIceSkatingFan · 01/05/2021 07:49

Twice a week isn't necessarily abnormal but the expanding tummy is. Have another crack at the GP.

Scrumptiousbears · 01/05/2021 07:53

One of mine did this. She grew out of it as soon as she realised how she could tell it was going to happen and she'd get on the toilet. My other DD never did it 🤷🏼‍♀️

babbi · 01/05/2021 07:53

Leave the potty aside for now .
Good suggestion by @nippynippy - definitely use swimming nappies .
Get him to the doctor as the extended tummy is bloating / constipation. You need to tackle that or you will have big challenges when it comes to potty training.

Good luck

Original poster
Horehound · 01/05/2021 07:55

Yes the swim nappy is a great suggestion I even have some just didn't think!

Oh god I'm worried now. This has gone on for a while :(

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trunumber · 01/05/2021 07:57

I wouldn't be overly worried, it sounds like it's just some constipation which is easily managed

Tereseta · 01/05/2021 08:01

My dd was like this and we got fobbed off by gp until it got worse. She has spent the last couple of years on movicol and is off them now at 4yo but still gets the occasional constipation. We use pure apple juice now which seems to work. The bath thing was a problem but we persevered with lifting out and putting potty. It took a while but eventually it worked. Tbh I was so relieved to see the poo I didn't mind the bath pooing Blush

Original poster
Horehound · 01/05/2021 08:09

@Tereseta

My dd was like this and we got fobbed off by gp until it got worse. She has spent the last couple of years on movicol and is off them now at 4yo but still gets the occasional constipation. We use pure apple juice now which seems to work. The bath thing was a problem but we persevered with lifting out and putting potty. It took a while but eventually it worked. Tbh I was so relieved to see the poo I didn't mind the bath pooing Blush
Yes that's kinda where I'm at. I'm just glad he poops! He is definitely pooping more now he's having Weetabix in the evening alongside a cup of cosy milk. Prob pooped three times this week rather than 2. He used to poop once every 1.5 weeks. So testament is just some kind of oral medication is it and then they just poop when it's soft? His poo is the "normal" soft sausage poop looking at a chart. It comes out like a big snake!
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