Can a 22 month old withhold poo?

[solania]

Just that really. My 22 month old DS has been pooing on the potty morning and night for a good 8 months if not longer, but suddenly has developed an aversion to it. We aren’t sure why. Anyway we have stopped offering it but he hasn’t pooed since Saturday and it's a bit of a worry. I’d have thought he was too young to actively withhold pooing but I’m not sure if simple constipation explains it completely?

For context, he has liked using the potty up till now and he doesn’t like pooing in his nappy (which is why we started sitting him on the potty, and he obviously preferred it). Now he’s shouting no no no at potty but still doesn’t want to use his nappy! There’s no pressure from us, though until now we have actively encouraged using the potty before breakfast and before bath.

I’m a bit stumped 🤔 any advice on encouraging him to poo, either in potty or nappy?

They definitely can withhold. Since Saturday is a long time...

Could he have done a poo which hurt him? Lots of fruit and veg and water to soften it. Kiwis are the magic fruit for us.

Try the toilet with seat instead? Let him sit on the potty in front of the telly? Or bribe with chocolate buttons to sit on the potty was always my nuclear options...

Mine were really constipated at that age, the seven seas prune juice worked wonders as did not feeding them banana ir egg.

Since Saturday is a long time though.

It is a long time and it's definitely odd. He hasn’t changed diet and he’s drinking loads, so I think probably he’s been feeling pressured. He did do a poo in the bath on Friday night (first time ever) and it upset him, so I wonder if that’s part of it too.

I will try him with some prune juice if we can get some, and we shall have a try with fruit.