There are soooo many threads on this I know, but having read through them there are lots of people in the same position but no advice on what to do. So I'm asking again, sorry!
Ds1 potty trained in October at 3.5, but although reliable wee-wise he has never yet managed a poo on the toilet. At first he was just doing them in his pants, but this last few days he has been witholding them - from pooing most days he now hasn't done one for three days and is periodically in a lot of pain as a result. I've always been laid back about potty training and the pooing, never made an issue of him doing it in his pants on the basis that he'll do it in the loo when ready - but this witholding is obviously causing physical problems now! I'm not sure whether to go to the doctor because I think the only thing they will do is prescribe laxatives, which I think may exacerbate the problem (if he has diarrhoea in his trousers he will be distraught I know).
I think he has started witholding because pooing distresses him and he hates being dirty, but he also can't relax enough to poo on the loo. I can't seem to talk him into trying and don't want to force him to sit on the loo in case he is put off it entirely. Have tried reading books on the loo but no go.
Any advice? Particularly if you have had a witholder, what did you do to resolve it?