How do I potty train for poop? (befuddled by DD) *update*

[Katigre]

A week ago DD decided she didn't want to wear diapers anymore and was ready to use the potty full-time. She's almost fully trained for pee (as long as I take her to the potty every 2 hours she stays dry).

But poop...is a total disaster. She hasn't made it to the potty once. I'm not sure how to help her learn that control (because she wants to - this whole potty training thing happened at her initiative when she started asking me to change her immediately after going, resisting wearing diapers, and climbing on the potty herself to go).

When she goes #2, she tells me she has poo poo while she's going or immediately after. Sometimes she runs to the potty herself and climbs on while saying 'poo poo' but at that point she already went and it just smears on the seat. It seems like as soon as she feels the urge to go, it comes right out and there's no time to make it to the bathroom.

Compounding this is that she's been on Miralax for the past few months to help with chronic constipation. She's weaned down to a very small dose (1/2 tsp) but it still makes her go a few times a day. When we stopped it altogether she got constipated again. I'm not sure if that's affecting her ability to control when she goes or not.

How do I help her? What can we do? She really wants to go all on the potty and I don't know how to help her poop there.

[american_mama]

No BTDT, but are you noticing any signs that she's about to go, like her standing still or suddenly concentrating/staring? Could you have the potty within an arm's reach to get it to her quickly? Dress her in just underwear and shirt at home to eliminate a layer that needs to pulled down? Also, this is probably just DS, but we have some underwear that is either a bit small or just cut a certain way/less stretchy and it's not as quick to pull down as other pairs. I'd make sure your DD is wearing quick-release undies!!

Lastly, in terms of the smearing, I noticed you recommended the Baby Bjorn potty with the removable seat. We have this Baby Bjorn one http://www.amazon.com/BabyBj%C3%B6rn-051015US-BABYBJ%C3%96RN-Smart-Potty/dp/B002Q0YA2Q
and this one-piece one http://infant-bathroom-products.babycatalog.com/potty-seats-and-step-stools/bjorn-little-potty-seat/500007.html,
and the one-piece one is shorter so perhaps your DD could get it on it with less mess. I always thought the one-piece seemed too small and thus I wanted a different one, but in all honesty, the one-piece is much easier to clean and use, and DS likes as well, if not better than the other one. I should have just bought a second one of it.

[Katigre]

Thank you so much for the ideas! She actually uses the big potty (without a seat insert) by her choice, so the smearing doesn't get on the BB potty.

I probably need to watch her more closely for cues - though it seems like the poop comes out really fast (an effect of the Miralax?). When she wasn't on Miralax I could see the cues a lot easier (and same goes for when she's constipated - she stiffens and gets a look on her face). But now it seems like she gets the look and the poop is immediatly coming out - that's where I'm stumped. Maybe at home I need to let her go sans underwear?

[gatorsmom]

Maybe at home I need to let her go sans underwear?

I was going to suggest this- though it may lead to a big mess! If you keep the potty handy, like in the room you are working/playing in, then when she feels it coming all she has to do is run over and sit down.

Honestly, I think it's the Miralax. I use it with Greenbean and he never gives us a warning that it's coming. If you are able to find just the right dose, where she has to bear down a bit (without struggling in pain) to produce a bm, then I think it will make potty training much easier. But in the meantime, I'd have her go without underwear to make things simpler. gl!

[Katigre]

We've had more success this week - we're still figuring out the right Miralax dose but she's going every day and getting it on the potty half the time which is a big improvement over last week. I can see that she knows how to control the sphincter when she has the urge too which is good, and going pantiless has helped her make it to the potty in time.

Thanks for the advice and help!