It's a poo stand-off. How do i get him to stop holding it in??

[purplemonkeydishwasher]

i hate potty training. oh how i hate it.

DS refuses to go poo (or even pee lately) until he absolutely cannot hold it anymore.
right now he is standing with his legs crossed literally stopping himself from pooing.

i don't want to force him and give him a complex about using the loo but at the same time it is DRIVING ME NUTS!!!

when he does eventually go they are usually HUGE poos and probably hurt, but surely it wouldn't be so bad if he went more regularly? (try explaining that to a 3yo right?)

tell me i'm not alone! and please help me help him!!

getting him to drink lots and lots and lots of water and eating lots of dried fruit such as raisens / apricots and avoiding bananas might help

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!!!

I have the same problem with DD who is 2.5 and it's getting to be a big deal.

I will see her hold her poo in and ask her if she wants the potty. She say's no and say's she want's to do it in her nappy. So not too force the issue, I say 'Okay'. But even then she doesn't really do alot, until it all comes out!
It's making the whole idea of Potty Training a real headache because I am conscience that she is making her self constipated.
I really want her to start but she has TOO much control!
She knows what the potty is for, will wear underwear but everytime she feels she needs a wee or poo she will ask for her nappy and refuses point blank to use it!

I really want a way to stop her holding it in and use the potty or just do the full load in her nappy. At least then I don't get dribs and drabs all day long

My ds 2.2 is weeing in potty but will not poo. He has started holding it in and cries when he needs a poo holding his bum. He has done it on the floor few times but wont sit on potty and asks for a nappy too. Not sure how long this phase lasts, just got to keep trying but hate seeing my little man in pain crying because he needs a poo, going to see if there is anything I can get from chemist.

We had this with DD after an "incident" on the cream stair carpet. She'd been using the loo quite happily, but took it upon herself to go it alone, couldn't manage to wipe herself, so bumped down, step-by-step to find me!!! We weren't cross, but tbh there was a bit of a flap as we snatched her up and started administering carpet shampoo etc... She then point-blank refused to use the loo for months, but would wait until we put a nappy on her at bed-time. We reached stand-off one night, when DH put his foot down and refused her the nappy. She was crying, I was crying, and convinced she'd be traumatised for life and we'd be the subject of psychiatric treatment later in life. Anyway, she gave in, used the loo and the problem vanished. She's now 10 and we all lived to tell the tale. She thinks it's hilarious now.