Why does ds go to the corner or hide when doing a poo?

[PrammyMammy]

Hey,

Just wondering if anyone had any advise.

He is only 17 months old so still in nappies, but every time he needs a poo he goes behind the sofa, in a corner, up the side of the book shelf etc, to do one. You can always tell when he is doing it.
If he is bare bummed at the time i lift him to the toilet and he doesn't finish there, but as soon as we leave the loo he goes to find a hiding space to finish.

Thanks

ds did this.I have no idea why!Maybe realising and feeling the need for privacy but unable to verbalise it???

It was a brief phase and he now poos in the toilet,I hope this reassures you

Thanks wrinkly.
Good to know he won't be hiding behind the sofa for a poo when he is older lol.

Mine does this too. He always poos by his work bench, never anywhere else. He was about the same age as yours when he started doing it, so we thought it wouldn't be long before he'd be out of nappies. He is now 2.5 and still in nappies, so we were very wrong!

My DS (nearly three and potty training) does this!

He will wee in the potty but flatly refuses to poo in it. He likes to go into a corner and if I come into the room or I look over to see what he's doing, he shouts go away or tells me not to look - I think its the privacy thing kicking in...having to deal with the poo aside, I find it rather cute really - he holds onto the unit like a ballerina at a bar, going up on tip toes then down again accompanied by serious grunts and red face!

Ahhh

This is my theory - bear with me

Back when we were living in caves, having a poo means that you are v vulnerable, not able to run away from danger ie marauding cave-lion/bear/snake, so we developed a defense mechanism whereby humans hid to poo, this is embedded in our lower cerebral cortex and thus young children crouch and hide to poo today.

HTH

DS did this. The coffee table was his spot. When we moved the table to accommodate our Christmas tree he went with it!

Just to reassure you...he is almost 4 now and has been happily pooing on a toilet for a year or so. He does like the door closed though. And he takes forever. And once he can read his transformation into DH will be complete.

pussin you just made me laugh out loud, like balerina! Cute.
Ds doesn't know how to tell me to not look yet so i guess this is just his way of needing privacy and not being able to say it like wrinkly says.
llareggub - did you buy him a potty when he started doing it? I was thinking about it, but don't want to upset him - if he does want privacy i don't know how well a potty will go down.

Agree with BALD's theory.

Is definitely something about being vulnerable and wanting security and privacy (and a copy of Motorcycle News) before "letting go".

Sphincter Theory I think it's called.

Seriously.

Good theory bald. I will remember that next time someone asks why ds is hiding behind their sofa.

lol @ Motorcycle News.

and lol at motorcyle news too

two of my sons did this too - it's a self awareness I think, a need for privacy. They now always want privacy when using the bathroom whereas ds3 will happily leave the bathroom door wide open and when he was in nappies had no qualms about being public in his straining and red-faced growling during the nappy-filling process!

My dd2 used to this ,would wee on potty but would go into cupboards or in corners ,behind sofa to poo.despite me being relaxed about it around her it did infuriate me and as she was 3 i thought she would never stop it until i discovered Poo of pooland on here .I copied it and read it to her and she is now fully toilet trained

Blimey, I'm profoundly deaf...wonder how I'll cope when DS wants to shut the bathroom door...he'll have to take my alert box in with him and push the button when he's ready for wiping...lovely...

Haven't read whole thread, but a friend told me her DS did this, and that boys have a real psychological battle going on when it comes to potty training. To counter this I now say 'have you done a very good poo? Well done!' and praise him for his poos (in nappy). I fully expect that as a result of this he will potty-train himself flawlessly.

good luck with that theory MrsMH!

rasputin-Swampster linked to an NHS document on another thread .It appears to no longer be available though.

Thanks Frank! I shall then register my approach to poo as a trademark and make my millions selling my technique (3 Habits of Highly Effective Poos) around the world!

Who needs the lottery when you're a natural-born money-making genius?

MrsMH - if you have a franchise, I might join in....having spent a fair few hours praising small boys for doing dumps twice their bodyweight, I feel I could contribute to your worthwhile cause!

Wahey! I have a business!

Right, let's knuckle down to business - shall we have a product line? Little fake poos (scratch 'n' sniff) to plant in the potty and convince them it was their own healthy dump?

Music! Kids love music! We need a theme song!

We could incorporate this for festive celebrations! (apols - tmi in this song)

We're onto a winner!

you're just too funny MrsMH!!

I shall be in charge of the interior design for the corners the dcs head for when they're doing their business - feng shui meets Kirstie's homemade home.
I could make lines of bunting that spell out s-u-c-c-e-s-s-f-u-l and n-u-m-b-e-r-2-r-u-l-e-s

I LOVE it!! Could you design the lettering in varying shades of brown?

hell, Mrs, I can do any colour scheme you like - juts don't ask for free swatches...

Let's call Companies House in the morning.

Nighty night!