Potty Training - Anally Retentive 3.5yo!!

[glowfrog]

My DD is 3.5 and has no problem going for a wee (still wet during naps and night, though) but for each of the grand total of 3 times that we've managed to get her to poo in the potty, she has been incredibly distressed about it. Afterwards she is fine and even proud of herself but at the moment she still poos in her nappy - able to hold on until she is asleep, basically, and has a poo when/as she wakes up.

We've asked her to call for us if she needs a poo but she won't do it - tonight I went into her room to check on her and she was standing on her bed, right by the monitor, having a very quiet #2, though she was getting a bit upset about it.

Is there anything we can do to help her? Is it just a stage and it'll pass and work itself out in good time?

Grateful for any advice.

Is she constipated?

My 3.5 yo will only poo in a nappy and it all started with constipation. She is on movicol which has solved the constipation, but she is a champion stool withholder and will hold on until she can poo in a nappy at home. She is potty trained for wees and is dry at night.

I read a couple of excellent books about constipation in children. Will try to dig out the names...

www.amazon.co.uk/Constipation-Withholding-Your-Child-Soiling/dp/1843104911

Can you get her to sit on the toilet or potty in her nappy and poo?
DS did what you describe but over a period of time he got horribly constipated and we had to go back to nappies and use movicol to sort it out.Six months later it was a different story.

www.amazon.co.uk/Stool-Withholding-What-When-Child/dp/1500382469

Will check out the links, thank you!

She has a poo every day 99% of the time so I don't think she's constipated? And she's always tended to PPP first thing in the morning so it might be her "rhythm"?

When she's had a poo in the potty before, I think it was only because she couldn't hold on anymore at that moment in time!

How ironic that she's just got into listening to and singing Let It Go...

I think I've read somewhere about being on potty with nappy on - I guess we just need to be able to time it right?

PPP?? Thanks, auto-correct.

Sit her on the potty first thing with a nappy on until it stops being freaky. Or even the toilet. She may be uncomfy on the potty.

My DS hated to see the poo in the potty. I think it was a bit too close for comfort. I bought a poo book called "Liam does a poo!" to help him understand it was normal and we started using the big toilet too. It took a little while and some patience but it seemed to help and he eventually snapped out of the fear.

Interesting thought, thank you - I'll try it.

I don't think she's scared of it being close as such - it does seem to be about the release. When she's managed it before, she's been very happy afterwards. That being said It's strange to me that she's ok releasing it into the nappy so maybe it is that.