For the last few weeks now my daughter has been going poop in the bathtub almost everytime she gets a bath. She tells me when she has to go but by that time its to late. She also calls it poop poop potty. I think she Is confused. I try to put her on the potty but she won't stay there. Is this a sign she is ready for potty training or is she just showing dominance. She has a twin sitter and usually waits till she is out of the tub before she goes. I'm a first time mom so any and all advice welcome.
Been there too! One of my twin girls did this a few times, it was just a phase and should pass shortly. Now she's afraid of the tub, another phase!
Dont' know, but have you told her she's not allowed to poop in the tub? The whole time she's in the tub tell her that she's not allowed to poop in the tub...poop goes on the potty.
Now if that doesn't work, then the next time she's in the tub, get her out first and make her sit on the potty. Hold her on the potty while hugging her tight and kissing her face and tell her to go poop. Tell her she will be fine and mommy has her and give her kisses but insist that she go on the potty. She will probably cry but she won't be traumatized for life. She'll get over it. I've had three that I had to hold down, and they got over it the second or third time.
Sounds like the warm bath is relaxing her and making her bowels move. I would take the opportunity to teach her to go on the potty. She's just the right age.
If she won't go, then take her off the potty (after you try for a few minutes at least) but leave her naked in the bathroom. Take her sister out of the tub and watch her. Keep reminding her that poop goes in the potty. If you see her start to strain or go, then pick her up quick and put her on the potty.
Keep her naked so she can feel what it is like to pee pee and poopies. After one or two times she will figure it out and you can start training her with big girl panties....(don't do pull-ups...most kids just go in them and it takes FOREVER to train a child with those...I personally have seen more than a few kids wear those for a year or more)
I can't remember if you can access previous responses to a quesion or not, but I know I've responded to potty training questions numerous times. I've trained two at a little over 2 years old, one at 19 months and another who I started watching when she was three (and I convinced her to use the potty in less than two days...she knew how to do it she just didn't want to).
Anyway, the first step is being naked so they can figure out what you are talking about when you say they have to go pee pee or poopies on the potty.
You have to explain to her that it is wrong to potty in the ub. The warm water may relax her muscles and just release the waste before she can do anything about it. Put her on that potty before the bath and make her sit there until she goes or bathe her more quickly and you put her on the potty right then.
I have been there! My youngest used to do that and it was so gross to me! I dont know why she did it. But what I had to start doing we not letting her take a bath until she went potty, yes this was inconvenient, but draining the tub to clean poop is also inconvenient. She out grew it, but she did it for about 3 months!
Good luck
First suggestion,
Make sure she's the first one out of the tub and the second to go in. Put her on the potty before she goes into the tub. It might help to set up a warm Sitz bath, before she goes in, this will help direct the poop time in the proper place and give her the warm water relaxation she's experiencing in the tub. No bath until she poops in the desired recepticle.
I went thru this off and on with all four of my kids. I truly believe they get in there and get all relaxed and oops a poop. I don't think it is an on purpose thing or a defiance thing. Its a warm comfy relaxed thing.
I agree on the timing, wait til there has been a bm before giving a bath!
I love this site! We just started experiencing the same thing. My 18 month old daughter has now pooped in the tub during two consecutive baths. Each time she has screamed like she thinks the poop is going to attack her. I have had her in the bathroom with me to watch while I am taking the poop from the bathtub and emptying it into the potty to telling her that is where the poopy goes! I did break out the potty chair then over the weekend and am trying to get her comfortable with it to see if maybe she is ready to potty train. But I think that is a little intimidating too. I guess if I were you I would get the potty chair out and describe that is the poop poop potty! LOL! Try and have her sit on it before the bath and try to catch her while or before she is going and move her to the potty! (Easier said than done I know!) Good luck to you! Let's both hope this phase is over shortly!
Hi S.,
My 20 month old is already going pee on the potty by herself, so it may very well be a good time for potty training you daughters. My daughter is wearing cloth diapers during the day and disposables for nights and trips. She's very much aware of what her elimination needs are and she's reporting when she's gone in her pants and when she needs to pee or poop. We just go with the flow without any special planning. Every time she goes in the potty we clap and sing. I also put her on the potty from time to time and sometimes she goes and sometimes she doesn't. You may want to google elimination communication in infants. My 2 other kids were potty trained by the age of two as well. Good luck and have fun.
J. K.
The letter in front of yours is also about potty training. I suggest you write her a note, send it and then read the answers of other moms. As one M. says, 19 mos could very well be ready. How many times? Is this coincidence or is she actually controlling her bowels? She might be a child who can be trained using water. Don't worry about dominance, or control, in this case. Avoid your tendency to credit your child with negative motives, she is a little young for that, and it is more likely she is confused and enjoying herself.
YUCK!!!! My son used to do this EVERY time he took a bath from the time he was an infant until he was potty trained- unless I gave him a shower! When he was able to stand in there with me holding tightly on to him we started doing that unless he was wound up and a bath to relax him was needed.
Like another poster said, it is probably because she is relaxed! It is actually advice I have gotten from our daughters Dr for when she is constipated- warm baths to get things moving!
I wish you luck and many blessings!
It seems you may want to change her bath time to earlier or wait until after she does her business. They usually go about the same time every day. You can try sitting her on the potty before bath but I would move bath time. My son did tell me he had to go when he was around that age but it wasn't long before he stopped. He is close to 3 and we are trying to potty train again.
