Just started potting training my nearly 3 year old. Currently on Day 3. By the end of day 2, he was telling me when he needed a wee and successfully doing a wee on the potty without an accident (9 times out of 10). However he’s terrified of doing a poo.
He’s had multiple poos on the potty. The first one he did on the potty but I think mainly coincidence, the next was on the floor which he found really distressing, the next was successfully on the potty but it took about 30-45 mins and he was really panicked and upset about it (but really happy with himself after), next was in his trousers after obviously holding it for a while and then last one was successfully on the potty but really upset again and it took another 30-45 mins. I never force him to sit there. I ask multiple times if he wants to get back up and try again later but he says he wants to sit some more so he totally understands he needs to go and what needs to happen, he’s just scared.
No signs of constipation. We read books about poo, talk about where poo comes from, I’ve let him watch me go/showed him my poop, we sing songs and read books whilst on potty but so far nothing has helped. I’ve also tried giving chocolate buttons for a poo, which he reminds me of straight after but it doesn’t help in the moment.
I know lots of people offer a nappy for poos, which I’m totally fine with doing if that’s the best thing to do, but I wanted to at least give it a few days to see if we could overcome it and to give it a chance. But I don’t want to traumatise my child so I don’t know what to do. Do I give it a few more days to see if it improves or am I traumatising him and should I offer a nappy for a poo?