She pooped in the potty...now what?

[drsweetie]

I feel ridiculous asking this, but here goes. We are very slowly potty-training DD. She will go pee in the potty at daycare and this afternoon pooped in the potty at home. I think the only reason she does these things is because we happen to catch her at the right time. Now what do we do? Specifically, how do we help her recognize the "gotta go" feeling so that she can tell us herself when she needs to go?

Ellen

[luvbeinmama]

Be happy, and hope she does it again, lol! My DD pooped on the potty a long time ago and hasn't done it again since. It's a start. Keep on doing what you are doing. If you see her getting ready to poop, put her on the toilet right away.

[drsweetie]

DD has successfully pooped in the potty a couple more times since my initial post, and I think she's starting to recognize the feeling of the need to go -- last night she refused to get off the potty and then a few minutes later had a poop.

But here's my question: She cries as she is pooping in the potty. She does not cry when she does it in her diapers, so I don't think that it's a pain issue. She's got her feet flat on the floor when she's on the potty, which should help. Is it possible that she just hasn't gotten used to the feeling of the poop going into the potty instead of the diaper? Does anyone else's child do this?

Ellen

[hjdong]

There is probably a fear issue. A lot of kids, my DS included, have a fear issue related to pooping in the potty. Now for him he just didn't go for days, in diaper or in potty, while potty training, but crying also seems a reasonable reaction.

If she's initiating it (i.e. she refused to get off the potty like you said) I think she's probably o.k.. Read her some books (DS loved, and still does Once upon a potty). Take it slowly and let her set the pace (trust me when I say you don't want to deal with constipation). I really believe that most of potty training is more mental (both for them and us) than physical.

Good luck,

[Kidrepair]

I am with you, my daughter just pooped in the potty for the first time, and it is because I caught her right before she went in her pull-up. She will tell me she has to go to the potty and when we get there her pull-up is warm and wet like she had just gone, I have tried her in undies but she wets and then tells me so we are taking it slow. I am not sure what to do either. Anyone use those Gerber all in one waterproof trainers? Just wondering if those would help her feel wet without ruining furniture. Thanks