Monday, January 19, 2009

Just So Frustrated

I have to warn you, this is a poop post. If that offends you or grosses you out in any way, please do not read. OK, here is the deal. Brooks has been pee peeing in the potty for over a year now.... since before he was 2! I was so shocked at how easy he took to the potty. He sat down for a couple of weeks, but has been standing up ever since. Anyway, he has done so well with the pee peeing part. He doesn't even use a pull up at night or at nap time... he can hold it that well! HOWEVER, he has ALWAYS fought us on poo pooing on the potty. I began asking the doctor about it last spring/summer and they continually told me that they were impressed that he was already peeing in the potty and not to rush the poo poo part, "Just be patient," they said. Well, about 6 months ago Brooks began asking for a pull-up when he had to poo poo. We complied and then his underwear would go right back on. Well, here we are at T-minus 8 days until he is 3 and still no poo poo on the potty. We told him over Christmas that when the pull-ups were gone that we could not buy anymore because he was almost 3 and we weren't suppose to buy pull-ups when you are 3. So the pull-ups ran out about 2 weeks ago. (We kept warning him they were almost gone.) So when he knew they were gone he began holding it in. We began Miralax, finally after about 3 days, screaming, thrashing, holding him down on the potty, and many tears, he pooped in the (little) potty. We cheered and celebrated and even took him out that night for the reward we had promised.... BOWLING!!!I really thought we had made a "break through" because he said that poo pooing on the potty was "not that bad." However, the next day it all began again. Again he held it in until Tuesday... where he pooped in his pants at the babysitter's house...LOVELY! By Thursday afternoon, I am about to blow.... again he is holding it in, screaming in pain, wanting me to hold him, whiny, all because he has to poop, but WON'T! (And yes, I try to put him on the potties many times during the day when he is acting like this, but he is screaming, bucking, crying, the entire time.) By the time Jeff gets home from school I told him that's it, he is not ready. He is in physical pain. So not to go back on my word, I find an open bag of swim diapers in his closet. So now he is going poop in his old swim diapers... isn't that strangely funny and SAD! We cannot figure out why is so scared to sit on the potty. I am writing this to hopefully get some help/advice from some of you moms out there. Again we have tried rewards (bribing), threatening, holding him on the potty, big potty, little potty, mommy begging...... you name it. Please comment if you have any suggestions! We go to the doctor in about a month for his 3 year check-up so I will bring it back up again, but I would love to have this problem solved before then!

The proud pooper..... for a day!

Daddy helping him
Let's see if this one is going to be a strike.


Yes! A spare!

4 comments:

LB said...

I am so sorry! I really have no words of wisdom . . . maybe you can pump him full of juice and high fiber stuff so he can't hold it (and it wouldn't be that painful. . . but it would be awful for you to clean up if he had an accident! Sorry I'm no help!

Shannon and Andrew said...

I don't have any suggestions. We are dealing with the same thing. Ty has been going peepee in the potty for a year. He will NOT go poop in the potty. We have tried a lot of things too. Ty ask for a pull-up when he needs to poop. If you find somethings that works please let us know.

Holly said...

When you figure it out, let me know. Lucas isnt' even pee pee trained. He peed about 3 times when he was 20 months old and he has probably gone about 6 times since then but never even all of it. Just a little bit and then finish in a diaper or pull up. He doesn't mind sitting it's just he doesn't let go when on there. I heard most boys don't even start training until 3 so just try to be patient. You don't want him to regress by your frustrations. Good luck and give me any advice you have!

Jessica said...

Hey Kristy-

I talked to my Mom about this (she is pretty knowledgable about stuff like this). In short, she pretty much said that potty training can become a real "power battle" (as I am sure you know). She said if it were her, she would just go back to diapers- not even pull ups. This wouldn't be a punishment, just a reality since Brooks refuses to go on the potty. And just be very matter of fact with him- saying "when you are ready to pee pee and poop on the potty, then we will go back to big boy underwear." She said she would just start chaning him again - kind of like a baby and on a changing table. Hopefully sooner rather than later he will decide he is ready to be fully potty trained... Good luck- hope you find something that works!