please help

HI There

Seeking a little advice if anyone else has experienced this. My Little boy who has just turned 3 has difficulty going to the toilet for a number 2. He has been potty trained for a year and going to the loo for a wee isnt an issue, however it seems as though he holds his number 2 in for as long as he can and then its a struggle for him to go. Sometimes its 3 days before he goes and his stomach is hard. And even then he wont tell me he needs the tiolet, instead he will hide somewhere and try and go. I feel I have to constantly watch where he goes just incase he is trying to do a poo! I never experienced this with my eldest child but this has been going on for months and he starts nursery in September which means he will be there every morning!! <img src='/forum/smilies/confused_smiley.gif' />

Any ideas or suggestions???

Thanks

Helen x

hey hun well we havent really had the same problem as u but i suppose something similar. charlie is now 3 1/2 and has been potty trained for over a year....understanding that having a poo on the toilet/potty was just as good as doin a wee took a few extra weeks to grasp but we got there in the end....but basically a few months back charlie seemed to go backwards and wouldnt go for a poo on the toilet and would simply just do it in his pants.... this completely threw me as nothing had changed within our family or routine etc in order to affect him in any way so i was a bit shocked lol anyways when he first started doin it i would not make a fuss just say that he needed to do it in the toilet and clean him up and put new pants on etc, this seemed to have no effect so i then showed him i was cross and told him that it was not acceptable and that he needed to start doin it back in the toilet as he was now a big boy etc....this seemed to work for a little while and when he looked as tho he was goin to fall back into pooing in his pants i decided to do a reward chart with 4 different things for him to get stickers 4 but one of them was to keep his pants clean and this seemed to work and he went back to goin on the toilet...there are still days where i can tell he desperatly needs a poo and is avoiding goin on the loo so i just get him there as quick as i can without too much fuss.

i dont know if any of this will help but also just thought has ur LO got enough fibre i his diet to help him to go???? also u could try and explain to him that the longer he leaves it the more his tummy will hurt and the harder it will be to go etc.

i'll keep my fingers crossed for u hun good luck

take care x

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Hi Helen Poos do seem to be an issue with most toddlers! My son used to go and do it in his nappy behind the sofa...he'd sneak off...next thing you know....phew the smell!!! From my experience it does seem to be a phase and they grow out of it, we used to try to catch him when he snuck off and asked him/took him to his potty - that worked well as they're already getting the 'feeling' to go so you've got a good chance they'll do it on the potty and get them used to it. Also cajouling with sweets - I know, I know but it did/does help. Those mini Percy Pigs from M&S are just the right size as well - plus I get one too for being a brave girl cleaning out his potty lol! Good luck let us know how it goes!