At wits' end with DD (15mo) pooing in the bath

[gastrognome]

Hello
DD2, aged 15 months, has started pooing in the bath every single time we bathe her. It's been going on for about a month now, and it is driving me up the wall as I cannot think how I can prevent it from happening.

It's also pretty disgusting, especially as she usually shares a bath with her big sister (aged 3.10). As soon as it happens I whip the girls out, say firmly but calmly that we don't poo in the bath, and then proceed with the unpleasant job of cleaning up.

It makes no difference whether or not she has had a poo before bathtime - there's obviously something about the bath that triggers the reaction in her.

Is there anything I can do to prevent this? Help!

Not really... Weird that it happens even if she has already pooed before. I think I'd probably just bath her first then bath dd2.

Bath the older one first, so she gets poo free water?

The warm water can kind of relax them, including relaxing the sphincter I am afraid, so I am not sure if you can prevent it. We recommend warm baths for constipated children that are 'holding on' to help them poo

Maybe try putting her on a potty before the bath?

Bath later on or earlier - most likely to poo after a meal so if you are giving her tea then bathing half an hour later it is prime timing to get the urge for a poo.

Or if you really want to bathe them together put her in a swim nappy?

Are you angry when she does it? (inwardly or outwardly, it doesnt matter, she can tell!)

Bath the older one first so she gets clean water. When shes done put the little one in. When it happens just take her out of the bath and do not acknowledge what has happened. Leave the clean up until she is not around.

It could be nerves after the first time she did it upset mummy. Try not to make a big deal of it at all. Before bath ask her if she needs to go to the toilet, and the usual, are you sure?

maybe try and talk to her at a completely different time of day.

It wont last forever but try your absolute best not to give her a complex about it as this could encourage problems in the future.

My DS did this for a little while (I only have the one child so no one had to experience it I him :o).

I actually found it rather funny, not that I should it. I just ignored it ( and I don't mean I left him in his poo ridden bath!). As soon as it happened I would just take him out and continue with the bedtime routine and then give him a bath (as opposed to a strip wash) in the morning. He soon stop, either from growing out of it or not getting a reaction... I dont know which to be fair but it did stop!

I would just ignore and not give a reaction. As previous posters have said, bath individually... Non poo'er 1st sounds best :o

I am currently battling my DS with ignoring techniqiues re: throwing food off high hair! It's rather tiresome I know but I think being consitant is where it starts and trying so so hard not to either laugh or get angry.

Good luck with the little poo'er!

*not that I showed it! Dam auto correct

*consistant - really must preview before I post :)

try showering dd2?

I'd also go for a swim nappy, tbh, Problem solved. And I totally agree with the issue raised by Ammz. She cannot help herself, she has no control over it whatsoever and bath -- it's laxative :) Mine did it a few times, but every child is different, yours clearly has a very well-functioning system!

Thank you all. Lots of good advice.

I'm pretty sure she doesn't get the impression that I am cross with her as I know she isn't doing it consciously and i really dont get angry about it (though if course i wish she wouldnt!).

I always just take her straight out, but DD1 often makes a big hooha about it (understandably!). And Dd2 gets upset as she hates having to get out of the bath - she'd stay in there all day if she could.

Incidentally, I tried bathing her before dinner and in the morning but she still pooed in the bath, so it may well have something to do with the warm water.

I think I'll bathe DD1 first (though it'll be hard because as soon as DD2 hears the water running, she strips off and tries to climb in). Then if she poos in the water again, I will take her out with zero fuss or mention of it and clean up later. If this approach fails I will go with the swim nappy till she grows out of it!

Thanks again.

Atm I put DD2 (12mo) in the baby bath in the big bath and DD1 (3) in the big bath. That way they get to bath together but any poo is contained. When DD2 poos, I just wipe her bottom and stick her in the big bath while I sort the mess out in the baby bath. It does mean there isn't as much room in the big bath, but the pooing just happens too often to chance it.

I wouldn't try talking to her about it etc as suggested - she is 15 months.

is bathtime always at the same time? maybe wait a bit until she has done her business...

didnt see that she was only 15 months?!! thought i had read 3 somewhere?!!

obviously blind!

My dd went through a phase of this around that age. It is really tedious. It lasted a couple of months then she just stopped doing it. I think it's just another of those 'this too will pass' things.

Thanks heavens for that Ammz - I've been thinking 'hmm my dd is 20 months and if I tried to discuss things with her shed be clueless'

DD went through this at about 20 months, but she HATED it, would scream and panic when she realised she was going to poo then go crazy when she did, to the point where she was scared of her (much loved) baths.

She picked out some new bath boats and that completely distracted her from the thought of poo

I would have a potty by the bath and the minute you see her looking like it's coming whisk her out and onto the potty then put her back in the bath. If you miss it and it ends up in the bath tell her that it should go in the potty, fish it out using the potty, show her the potty etc. You might soon find that she is poo potty trained (or at least mainly so) which would be a big plus coming out of a rather annoying bathtime habit.

Not sure about swim nappy idea as surely one of the main points of bath is to wash her bottom after all those hours in a nappy.

15 months is very little to be telling her off for pooing in the bath: a/ she won't understand what you mean and doesn't yet understand the concept of social rules (good v naughty) and b/ you need to be careful she doesn't associate having a poo with getting told off. You should never chastise a child for having a wee or a poo unless they are much older, fully potty trained and understand right and wrong and are doing it deliberately. My guess is that once you stop reacting and instead calmly go about clearing it up without a word, it's just a phase that will shortly stop. LOs that age love reaction - good or bad - and will do anything to achieve it. If she's still doing it in a few months maybe take her to the GP in case it's digestion related.