DS1 is now 4 and will only poo in a nappy.

[Dragonbutter]

He's been dry in the day for nearly a year.

He's not dry at night so he wears a nappy then. He then does a poo first thing in the morning before we can get his nappy off him.
If you take the nappy off quickly in the morning then he holds on until bedtime again.

So for the last two nights we've put him to bed without a nappy so he can't do his poo in it then put one on during the night, then taken it off early in the morning.

It's been 2 days, but still no poo!

Surely he can't hold on to it forever?
Is this cruel to force the issue?

what does he say about it?

he says he doesn't want to.
i don't think it hurts because he's more than happy to poo in a nappy.

but he kind of does want to as he knows he can have a power ranger toy (for big boys only), and he has occasionally tried but been disappointed that he couldn't do it.

DD1 did this too. At the time I stressed about it like crazy. I am now potty training DD2 and I wish she was the same! DD1 has never pooed in her knickers or on the floor or in the bath etc and I was unprepared for how much mess it makes!

On a practical note, after about a year of the pooing in the bedtime nappy I decided enough was enough. I asked her what she really wanted (Balamory toys) and said that once she had done two pooes on the toilet she could have them. The bribery worked and once she had started it didn't seem to occur to her to go back to pooing in nappies. Oh and we made a big game out of listening to the poo go plop in the toilet. Lovely!

Also can you tell by his expression when he is about to poo? I was able to work out when DD1 was about to go and whisk her off to the toilet.

DD was like this, she would run round screaming holding her bum rather than poo anywhere other than a nappy.

I have no helpful advice though - she did it for nearly 12 months, then DS was born, she came to see him, announced she needed a potty, sat on it and pooed. Never looked back

Just wanted to let you know you aren't alone though

well he usually disappears off into his den (the understairs cupboard has the door off and has been carpeted and made lovely).
i know he needs right now.

his other trick is to pretend he's very tired and needs an afternoon nap in the hope that i'll put a nappy on him and send him upstairs, then he appears 10 minutes later with a full nappy and saying he's not tired anymore.
i am not falling for that trick anymore, no matter how appealing it is that he might go for a nap.

i am stressing about this, i just wish he would get on and poo and realise it's not such a big issue. (which it obviously is if i'm stressing about it)

I have been through the refusing to poo on the loo with both my children although both eventually managed it by 3 3/4.

I would firstly give your DS lots to drink to ensure that he is not constipated. The HV also told me to temporarily restrict bananas in the diet as they can cause constipation. If your DS will eat apples and drink apple juice try and give him those maybe at tea time.

I would also try sitting him on the loo after breakfast and after tea every day so that he can try to do a poo.

I tried all the above with my DS not expecting any to work and within a week he pooed on the loo!

Good luck!

ps. If your DS has not pooed for 2 days he might now be constipated so I would let him poo in the nappy for a day or two until the constipation has eased.

i wouldn't go back to the nappy unless you really have to...it gives out mixed messages

try sitting him in a warm bath this aternoon, that normaly heps my dd3 if she is a bit 'bunged up' and I agree with lots of fluids and fruit

would he consider pooing on the toilet if you put lots of tiolet paper in it to muffle the 'splash' some children really don't like the idea of sitting above a hole filled with water

i've tried the toilet paper and even laying a nappy in the potty.
he's currently sat on the potty and crying and saying he's a bit tired.
i just don't want to give in when i think we may have a breakthrough today.
if i give in now, i think it might make things worse.

hold my hand through this please.

I am assuming you have tried bribery?

bless him...i think you may well have a break through if he is normally regular at going
can he explain to you why he likes the nappy so much?

is he anywhere close to being dry at night?

You are doing exactly what I would do. Stick with it.

Gives lots of poo-inducing food, he can't hold it in forever.

he may be dry at night soon, he sleeps in the car on long drives and stays dry.

he hasn't managed to explain why he likes the nappy so much, but i suspect he'd rather stay a baby as his brother gets to wear them. although his brother is 18 months and already sitting on the potty because he likes it.

he's calmed down now, he's had cuddles on the potty and i've read him a story. i'm hoping he can relax enough.

oh and yes we're doing bribery, he's already chosen the power ranger he wants when he manages to do a poo.

is orange juice poo inducing?

Good luck. And please don't beat yourself up if you do go back to nappies. At some point, probably when you have given up all hope, he will do it!

i just hope it's before he starts school.

yes orange juice is...i would be twmpted to water it down a little if it's from concentrate

give him baked beans for lunch

right, no luck so far, time for lunch and see what happens then.
thanks for holding my hand on this.

I was going to start this same thread today! I am in exactly the same position with dd - except she will poo on the loo, maybe once a week - or, if we're out. But she would prefer to poo at night or in her pants. Its really stressing me out. I saw her go under the table the other day - a sure 'poo on way' sign, I grabbed her and we ran to the loo - but she refused to have me there, she wanted DH . Which I guess means I am getting to stressy about it. We've tried bribery, me getting cross, me being nice, calm, everything I can think of, and its just not working. Let me know how you get on!

My daughter is the same, in fact I was going to start a thred about her pooing problem.
She never does it on the toilet and we've tried everything.
Yesterday I saw her going a bit red faced and whipped her school trousesrs and knickers off. I thought, one way or another she will experience a pooh leaving her backside.
She moaned, saying her legs were cold. (we had the heating on)
She then found herself a new pair of knickers without me knowing and pooed in them.

thanks, i'm not alone!
we've tried all of those things theshipscat all again today.
i swear this is going to be the day.
have to say, he never poos in pants either though. that will probably be his next trick.

i really really want to sort this out today

only i've just remembered he's got a party to go to this afternoon. maybe all the running around will help?

Why do they find it so hard? DD's got peeing really easily...I wish I could understand why, then I could help more. We are getting through so many pairs of pants its ridiculous. DH and the nursery throw them away. I pick it off and wash them but its disgusting and I hate it. (but I'm too mean to buy more!)

BTW, dragonbutter, have you tried dried fruit (figs/ raisins etc)? That seems to do the trick..

3 bowls of noodles, 2 cups of orange juice and 1 box of raisins later.

it's going to be an interesting afternoon.

But surely, something must give with all that lot?!