3 year old withholding poo and only doing it in sleep

[bagsand]

Hi all

My 3 year old DS has recently been withholding poo (seemingly scared of going to the toilet) and then when he's asleep he's been pooing in his nappy (which he only wears at night). He seems to be fast asleep whilst doing it and half asleep when I get him up to change him.

This has started since we got home from holiday where he was v out of routine, unwell and just not enjoying himself at all so I feel like the holiday was the trigger.

Worried that he keeps on doing this. We've tried to persuade him with treats and funny stories of sending mr poo home down the loo etc but nothing seems to be working!

We have not berated him for pooing in nappy or made a big issue out of not using the loo.

I'm all out of ideas!! Any advice would be very appreciated!

My 3yo DS is exactly the same!

Exactly as you’ve described.

He does wees on the loo fine. We’ve managed to get him on the loo now to do 10 ‘pushes’ before bed and he passes wind but no poo. Then when we put him to bed in his nappy he’s pooed within 10 minutes. It’s so frustrating.

The health visitor recommended an app called ‘Poo goes to poo land’ and it’s definitely caught his attention and he’s more eager to do ‘pushes’ on the loo now, but it’s a work in progress. The app has a story to read.

Try the app maybe? I hope this helps, if not only just to let you know that you’re not alone! Xx

PS DS only wears nappies at night too and has been weeing on loo brilliantly for about a year now. Just pooing that is the issue! Xx

PPS Just realised you’ve named the app/story already 😂 Apologies! Feeding newborn and reading at the same time haha Xx

DD would only poo in a nappy until around age 5 or maybe 6.

She had been using the toilet for wees since around 2.5.

One day it just changed & she was so proud of herself.

She's 11 now & absolutely fine and worry free.

Mine just liked the feel of a nappy while pooing, so I cut a hole in one and he sat on the loo in that and pooed. I think it’s the feeling of the waistband or something!

the hole In the nappy got bigger each time till it was barely a belt of nappy and then it wasn’t needed anymore!

Mine went through a phase like this. We resorted to bribing her with cake every time she did a poo on the loo in the day. Awful awful parenting but it worked. And we all got cake so....

Hi my son did this when potty training. He did wees in the potty but no poo, he waited until his nappy at night which then started causing constipation and he was on laxido then for months until he stopped being scared and in the meantime I got a 2 step for the toilet and a good seat that doesn't move for the toilet. I also bought the book come out Mr poo and read this a lot and gradually he forgot about being scared. I would say if any signs of constipation start to try laxido quickly to soften the stools. It's not a laxative it just helps the bowel retain water to make the stools easier to pass. He just come off it about a month back and has no problems now.

Just make sure there are no physical problems-my DS did this when he had eczema in his bottom and it hurt to poo so he wouldn't.
Def got in a bit of a downward spiral with witholding-needed laculose and it took a while but did resolve itself.
Good luck

My dd do this. We did a mix of bribery and patience. I remember my HV saying all mums worry about this and it will sort itself. It did. She was 4.