A couple of weeks ago, DD (she is 2 years 4 months), pooed in the bath. She said “oh no poo” and I said “it’s no problem, mummy will clean it”. She’d already had a hair and body wash and was just playing with toys so I got her out and in her pjs and when she went to bed, I cleaned the bath and thought no more of it.
Ever since, it’s been a struggle to get her in the bath. She used to absolutely love it and it’s part of her bedtime routine. I’ve tried to get in with her, I’ve tried the shower, I’ve tried new bath toys. She screams and sobs until I’ve done the bare minimum of giving her a wipe down with a flannel and the warm water. I avoid washing her hair every time and by the end of a bath that includes a hair wash I’m soaked from where she’s scrambling to get out clinging on to me leaning over the bath.
She keeps screaming “I’m scared” and “I need a poo” and DH and I keep reassuring her that it’s absolutely fine if she does poo, we say “just an accident” and we are the type of house who doesn’t stress out about toddler knocking over a drink or anything, we are really laid back people and she has no reason to stress about it because of us.
We’ve resorted to asking her if she will go in with her swim nappy on which she will but she’s still nervous/crying.
We tried toilet training in the summer, she’ll sit on the toilet, roll off some paper, flush, stand on her stool to wash her hands but won’t actually wee or poo on there (or her potty). She chose some knickers that had her favourite tv show characters on etc, we tried to make it fun. Blowing bubbles on the toilet to try and encourage her to sit for a bit longer, sticker books etc. after 2 weeks I accepted she wasn’t ready yet.
She starts pre-school in January and since the poo accident I’ve been asking if she’d like to wear her knickers but she ends up crying for a nappy to be put on. I was thinking that if she is potty trained then she’ll have more control over it so will find it less stressful.
She shows signs of readiness as she tells me when she needs to wee/poo, her speech is excellent and she talks in sentences etc
Anyone else been through the same? Not sure where to start with resolving this/getting her back to enjoying baths/potty training.
Thanks in advance x