Holding in poo!

[ARS157]

Our little boy is 27 months and we’ve started him with potty training. This is Day 3. He’s done really well but is holding in poos he usually does at least one big, soft poo a day (usually after breakfast!) but he’s only done a couple of small quite hard ones. He says he doesn’t need a poo but he must! I don’t want him to become constipated. Is this normal? Or can it be? X

Yes it's very normal indeed. I'm a nursery nurse and see this all the time. Parents are often worried about this, the child will happily go for a wee but doesn't poo or holds it in. They always say it's the last thing they learn to do.

You are probably doing this at home but plenty of praise, reward charts etc..

I have got a daughter and been there with potty training. It's hard work but once it clicks you wonder why you ever worried.
My advice would be to encourage going for a poo. This is not ideal but I remember saying that I would give her a jelly baby( fav sweet) if she did a poo on the potty. Like I say not ideal but it worked.. I started giving her 1 jelly baby every time she went for a poo and she eventually got the hang of it.
Good Luck!

I'm having the same issue with my 29 month old. She has mastered going for a wee and super confident in pants, only wears nappy for bed but when it comes to poops..... end of the world! She shouts of wipe meeeeeee or change itttttttttt when she needs a poop and just will not sit on the potty and eventually after lots and lots of encouragement to go on the potty she won't, but it ends up in her pants. We flush it away and I explain poops need to be in the potty and then we can flush it away which she loves to watch and understands that part but it's a nightmare getting her to understand she needs to poop on the potty. I know she will get there eventually but it's such an episode and she is so upset by the feeling. Just need to keep it up I guess but she does love her pants bless her.

Think i will try the sweetie tactic and see if it gives her an incentive!