Potty training and poos!

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My sons just turned 3 and we started potty training last month. He cracked wees straight away but we are really struggling with poos. He knows when he needs to go and will usually tell me or indicate he needs to poo but I'll rush him Off to the toilet and he won't sit long enough for the poo to come out so ends up pulling his pants up saying he's not ready yet and then will do it in his pants but he comes straight to me and kind of whines the second he's done it. I just don't know what to do, any help or advice appreciated.

Well, the obvious solution would be to make sit on the loo until it comes out!

Just explain that sometimes you have to wait a minute. Patience is a virtue!

Give him a book to read while he's waiting. And promise him a sticker/star/sweet everytime he successfully parks one.

Thanks yep I've tried this, he refuses to sit. I've offered him treats if he does the poo in the toilet...

We had this and I recommend the app called "poo goes home". It's a bit tacky but our DS loves it and it did the trick within a week.

We often encourage him by explaining we can hear that poo is packing his suitcase. yesterday I pretended to phone " poo" and ask if he was ready to go home?

We also encouraged DS to sit down with his feet up on a footstall and blow bubbles because it helps relax him. DS was so nervous about sitting down for poos to begin with but with the app and relaxation techniques he's alright now.

Watching with interest - we have a similar problem except mine doesn't do a whole one in his pants, he does a little bit, then sits on the potty for 5 secs, then does a bit more in his pants, then sits on the potty for another 5 secs etc until I'm tearing my hair out! He's sometimes ok if we're at home but out and about is a problem.

Ooh thanks. I have downloaded that app. DD1 is 3 and a half (sorry OP) wee trained in about two days around age three. Poo training is awful- sometimes gets loads in a row then just back to square one.

I got so angry at her yesterday (not my usual style, I feel awful) but it is driving me mad. We have had our best results giving 'poo prizes' but the joy of that seems to have worn off. I have bought some paw patrol pyjamas, pants and socks and have made a sticker chart. I hope it works. It is sooooo infuriating.

Watching too. My DD is in exactly the same situation, and it's comforting to know that she's not the only one. I'm going to get that app.

I went through this with my first child and now going through the same with my second. I think it takes some children longer to crack doing poos on the toilet. I also used the pooland app as I think some of it is fear of going. Try not to worry too much. I know quite s few people who've had the same problem and one day they just do it.

Obviously, you don't want to make more of an issue of it than it is already or traumatise them.

But, I would try just being a bit stricter. He 'refuses'? What would you do if he refused to hold your hand when you're walking along the road? Or if he refused to wear a seatbelt? Or go to school? Sometimes a refusal is just unacceptable.

I would bribe and encourage. Read him a book. Hold his hand. Blow bubbles. Whatever you have to do, but ultimately he needs to sit on the toilet until he is finished. Once he's done it a few times, he'll realise it's not scary and all will be well.

Have you tried getting him to reliably do poos on a potty first before trying to progress to the toilet? My DD found the thought of pooing on the toilet scary at first so did wees on toilet and poos on the potty for a while then we progressed to the toilet by using a reward chart and the pooland app.

Take him by the hand and take him to the bathroom - leave him there while you go and find fresh clothes - don't speak to him - take your time - get him washed and changed in a very matter of fact way - take lots ignore time -

What this does is makes him realize that sitting on the toilet for a few extra mins is better than your very slow non interaction getting changed - he wants to play!!!

By not speaking you aren't cross or giving attention - it's just dull

Thanks everyone. Today saw one successful poo (thanks for the advice astro this seemed to work) but then an accident Earlier because he was engrossed in playing.
I've downloaded the app, thank you. He likes listening to it but not sure he understands what it's saying!

My DD hasn't poo'd for 2 full days now. She normally poo's once a day like clockwork. She definitely needs to go. I think she's afraid to. We've tried the potty and the toilet. We've tried the app (she loves the story but it doesn't make her poo). And I've sat there with her and read to her and held her and coaxed her for what feels like hours at a time after each meal, but it hasn't happened. She indicates that she needs to poo and gets quite upset, but ends up holding it in. How can I make her feel OK about doing it in the toilet?

My son managed 3 days without going - then really needed to go! Keep persisting!

My son has not long turned three and has been toilet trained with wees for many, many months now, yet he still refuses to poo on the potty or toilet.

He used to hold it in for days to the point where he was in a lot of pain with his stomach and he was constantly upset. Sitting him on the potty or toilet to try and encourage him to poo would just lead to screaming meltdowns and great upset.

When he needs a poo he will go and get a nappy and tell us he needs to wear it so he can have a poo. Each time we try to talk to him about him using the potty/toilet but he absolutely refuses.

We went through a phase where we refused to put a nappy on him and tell him that he needs to use the potty/toilet but all that resulted in was him holding it in until bedtime and then doing it in his nappy as soon as we got him ready for bed (he still wears nappies overnight). If he didn't do it straight away when ready for bed it meant he would ultimately do it at some point overnight which led to overnight wakings and middle of the night changes and it was really frustrating. If he didn't wake up from doing an overnight poo in his nappy he'd then wake up with a really sore bottom from having lay in it all night. It was really stressful.

I'm at a bit of a loss really. I know it takes them longer to do poos on the potty/toilet compared to seeing but I genuinely don't know where to go from here.

Oh goodness writerwannabe
that sounds so tough you poor things. I hope it sorts itself out xxx

What do you all do when going swimming when you're still trying to crack potty training? Put them in a swim nappy still? I'm worried this will confuse my ds...

My DS knows he has to wear "swimming pants" and has never really questioned it. Because he steps in to them like he does his pants he just thinks they are a different type of pants and has never referred to them or thought of them as nappies.