'i need a poo mummy...' every night after bedtime - how to handle?

[manamana]

Potty training seems to be going ok other than 1 element and its wearing me down.... Every night after ds (2and a bit) has been tucked in for the night he calls out that he needs a poo. Not wanting to discourage (as these words never pass his lips in day!) we have been getting him up and sitting him on the potty - sometimes successful, mostly not. When nothing is happening we waitfor a good 30+ mins before insisting on bedtime - tears etc result but he goes to sleep straightaway. SO - help! I feel like we're encouraging this but don't see how we can ignore him without sending out wrong message. He is getting very tired as he's ending up going to be later and later and I am shattered as am 7 months pregnant - and suggestions gratefully received...

could he say goodnight to the potty before bed or could he get a pressie everytime he uses it during the day?

Start bedtime 1/2 hour earlier, then when he goes down it will be at the normal time - plus, don't be entertaining or fun at night. Be dull dull dull. "I need a poo!" Ok, onto your potty. Sit in silence until he is done, wipe bum, back to bed straight away.

We had this as well. He has learned fast that the words 'need a weeeee' or 'need a poo' will get your undivided attention and a rapid trip to the loo with lots of fussing and 'good boy!'s
I think we did the silent potty bit, then when we saw through it we just shouted from upstairs 'ok go to the toilet then and get back in bed after'. The lack of attention worked a treat.

thank you
mylittleponey yep, we're already giving treats when potty is used in the day, mostly stickers because chocolate etc seems to increas the problem at night - ie 'i need a poo, i get a choclate'...
Coldtits (love the name), liking the dull nightime bit - have been letting him read books on potty which i think is part of the appeal. Is 30mins an ok time to leave him and then say 'thats it'?

We had this problem - Coldtits' plan of extreme dullness worked for us. And we set a shorter time limit (10 mins or so?)

Ditto. We had this problem too just after ds1 was potty trained. Part of it was that he wasn't so good at squeezing it out when he needed to, so he wouldn't go until he was relaxing ready for sleep and then suddenly had the urge to have a poo.
Shenanigans didn't happen when on the days where he ate a big lunch and then had a poo mid afternoon. Can you play around with the timing of what you serve for him to eat and when?
Apart from that we just returned him to bed as soon as he was done trying to have a poo, even if on a couple of occasions that meant he had an accident and avoided entering into conversation during the whole rigmarole (hard at times because he'd be so sweet!).
It did sort itself out after a few weeks as he got more practised at going to the loo.

thanks all, it always amazes me how much better things seem as soon as you have a strategy! last night was entertainingly unusual - poo in the bath! He was really good and after the first bit came out i asked him if there was any more and he said yes so he got out of the bath and sat on the ptty with more impressive results!! had same saga after lights out so i let him sit for a while to squeeze a tiny wee out and but told him i didn't think he needed a poo as he'd just had 2! he wasn't impressed but i was firm and only had to go back once before silence...
He's actually still in nappies over night as by some miracle he doesn't think he can get out of bed once he's in it so keen to keep i that way as long as possible!

We also had this problem and did the boring routine. Out of bed for 10 mins max. DS1 is 4.10 now and still a few times a week will call down after going to bed that he needs to go, but now he comes down, goes to the toilet and will happy pop himself back into bed and go to sleep. For my DS1 I think he sometimes just needs that time of relaxing in bed before he can go.