Any tips for Mr Poopy Pants?!

My DS3 is 2 years and 5 months and has been potty trained for the past month or so. He does all his wees on the toilet and barely has any accidents. To begin with he also did his poos on the potty/toilet but a couple of weeks ago he did one in his pants and his since decided to do them all there! I'm quite laid back about it and never make much of a fuss but it's getting rather frustrating now. He holds on because he's trying not to go which means he can have several small accidents during a day and I worry he'll end up constipated with a tummy ache.

I had an idea to make sure he's getting some good poo inducing food to keep him regular - if I can get him to do a 'proper' poo regularly each day (and get him to do it on the toilet!) then hopefully the holding on/little accidents won't happen! Anybody got any ideas for something which might have this effect?!

Please don't suggest we put him back in nappies or in pull-ups (which are the same thing in my mind!) as it's not even on the agenda and I'm sure we'll get through this phase in time regardless of what we do - would be good to hurry it along though if we can!

OH sheesh, Zani, I don't know. Do you think it's a reaction to his little sis coming? My oldest was 2y9m when DD2 was born, and she reverted from several months of positive training- heck, we were almost there totally- to having tons of accidents and all because of the impending birth. She went full on big girl though about 2 months after the baby was born. It was kind of a reversion thing, wanting to be the baby again.

But I have heard that boys in particular get the holding it in thing quite frequently......I'm sure you've tried lots of things, but maybe you could have a talk with him and explain that it's not good for his tummy to hold it in and you could give him some incentive to poop in the potty? Just an idea, you may have tried that. I wouldn't go back to trainers either, don't blame you there. Or maybe the big brothers could help you talk to him if he would respond well to them? (And you could give them a treat for being big helpful brothers- maybe take them on a fun excursion or something, not necessarily candy, ykwim.)

My little brother used to have that issue where he couldn't tell that he needed to poo, and by the time he did, there was a giant football-sized thing that was trying to make its way out. My mom used to give him Kaopectate for constipation, but she asked me (I was 4 years older) to read to him while he sat on the pot and give him a Hershey Kiss if anything happened. I got extra allowance for helping with that, and I was always happy to do that for a few bucks! I think it helped him, though, to have me "coaching" him along and helping my mom, so she wasn't always the bad guy, and since the littles tend to emulate the olders, it may be worth a shot if your oldest son can get on board and be your assistant coach.

GOOD LUCK! I know you want this over by the time your little lady arrives!

That's a tough one. I have heard of that happening though when a new baby is coming. I trained my daughter with m&m's. She got 1 for pee and 2 for poo, but that was during potty training so I don't know if it would work since he was already potty trained. I hope you figure it out soon. That is frustrating! I am trying to figure out how to get my 4 1/2 year old potty trained at night.

Thank you both!

It's tricky because he's old enough to understand (when I talk to him about it and leave words out for him to fill in he always gets it right) but at the same time he's not old enough to have a detailed conversation about it iykwim?

I don't know if it's a reaction to baby because I'm not entirely sure he understands that! He will say that I've got a baby in my tummy but I don't know if he realises it's going to come out and come and live with us. As an aside, I've only just managed to convince him I don't have three babies as I have three bumps on my front - no, they're not babies they're boobies :D

I've tried offering a reward for poos on the toilet and he's excited about it but hasn't got any yet.

For a while he's refused to go near a potty because he wants to use the big toilet and that's good but he won't even use the trainer seat so he can't sit there for a long time so easily and he likes to be left in peace to poo (like his dad!). I did persuade him to sit on his potty and watch a DVD this evening because I thought he might go if he wasn't thinking about it and he hadn't been all day. No success but perhaps he didn't need to go today! That's why I thought I could give him a suitable snack after school/work which might help him to go regularly in the evening while he's home with me to catch it! I'm convinced that if I can get one or two in the right place he'll be back on track again - afterall he did get it before (but never did like doing number twos!). I don't think the bigger boys have helped because they'll walk into a smelly room and roll about saying how disgusting it is and I've heard DS3 saying 'disgusting' when he's done a poo. I might see what I can get DS1 to do to help though, he loves reading to him.

OH well, maybe it's the big brothers and the comments about the smell that is making him not want to make a smell! I do remember telling DD1 to not talk about that around DD2 for the same reason. Seriously, I would try to bribe/reward the older boys to "talk it up" with him. I like your idea about the fibrous snack to induce some action there, too. I think you are right, once he does it a couple of times and sees how happy you are about it, he'll learn pretty quickly. Good luck before the chica arrives!!!

Maybe he likes the one on one time when you change his diaper. Have you tried reading him a book when he is on the toilet or talking to him about something he likes. And then give him no attention when changing his diaper, no talking and eye contact, but just changing.

DS1 was the type that would only poo on the toilet but pee in his diaper. Once I stopped the attention when he went in his diaper he did everything in the toliet within a week.

DS2 is starting to use the potty, just for sitting naked but not going, so we give him tons of attention while sitting and none when changing diapers. In the last week he has gone from 1-2x's sitting to 4-5x's. We are still waiting for him to go.

Thanks guys.

We actually haven't had any accidents in a while. He tells me when he wants to go although he's still reluctant to do it. I sit him on his potty which I think he finds easier than the toilet because his feet are firmly on the floor then he has to be left in private for a long time so he can perform! I give him some toys and books on the floor in front of him and leave the radio on and he gets there eventually - and is very proud of himself when he does! If I stay in the room with him an read to him or entertain him he'll never go!

We just needed some time at home with him to have him sit like this for a couple of times each day to 'see what happens' which we weren't able to do until we were off work/school/childminder over the Easter holidays.

Is he a shy boy?

I don't think it's a reaction to the baby, I think it's just a phase that will pass. I think you're right that he probably likes to be left alone to go about his business and it may be embarrasing to him to have the fuss made over it. He is quite young and it's actually amazing to me that he's trained at all at this age, only one of my 4 trained that early on. Good work!!!

This sounds like my son--only mine is FIVE!!! He has always been like this... I have taken him to the doctor, given him fiber, laxatives, etc. It is a nightmare. Honestly, I am concerned he will be sent home from kindergarten next year--or worse, kids will tease him! :( He has little smears in his underwear most days. And has an accident at least once a week. I think my son's issue is that he is often constipated (not sure why--he eats a ton of veggies and fruits) and when he does have to go, he also holds it in because he doesn't want to stop playing to go potty. It makes me crazy. We had to leave a birthday party early last week because he had an accident.

Sorry, I have no ideas of what to tell you, since we are having the same problem, and have had it going on for 2.5 years!! I really hope your DS gets through it faster than mine has!!