Potty Training - Poop

It's really common for poop training to come later, sometimes by several months. The sensations are different, more effort and time are generally required, it often includes some amount of discomfort, either from the movement itself or from sitting long enough to finish the deed (toilet-seat pressure and/or tingly legs).

And while the urge to pee is hard to hold back once it hits, the normal peristaltic action that helps push out a poop is very easy to disrupt with just about any sort of distraction, just as normal breathing is very easy to disrupt when there is emotional tension or excitement. And not even all adults can 'produce' at will – I seldom can.

So be patient. He might get the most success if his BMs are pretty regular and you can put him on the potty when he's most likely to have a bowel movement. Keep it relaxed, maybe read to him, and if he's 'tried' or sat patiently for several minutes, let him go play. He'll get there eventually.

Yes, it just takes time. He's only 2.5, boys are notorious for taking a bit longer especially with pooping on the toilet. My 3 year old is totally pee toilet trained but still hit and miss with pooping. He is very proud of himself when he does it, has no problem with sitting on the toilet, no fears, nothing and thinks it's cool that he's a big boy like Spiderman when he successfully poops in the toilet. However, just this morning, while we're standing in the bathroom no less (and he had just gone pee), he was happily (quietly - always an indicator) playing and I smelled the tell tale sign of poop in the underwear.

Don't stress yourself or him too much. They (the proverbial they) say that sometimes a kid can get constipated just from the stress from the pressure of potty training. So, try to make a big deal out of it when he does it successfully (sounds like you are) and try to not make a big deal out of it when he isn't successful. We still talk about it, but at the same time we tell him it's okay, he can try again later.

Best of luck,
S.

We started with this at 2.5 too. I would make my son sit on the potty every night RIGHT after dinner. Sometimes he'd start to go during dinner and I'd stop him and run him to the potty quick. Or, we'd sit for maybe 20 min or so (after dinner) reading books until he went...he usually did. He just turned 3 in June and just in the last month or two he FINALLY "got it". So he is now telling us he has to go before he starts going in his pants or goes in his pants and then "hides" or just doesn't tell us he went. I think it just takes time and a lot of patience for this to click. Just keep at it.

Just takes time to get the hang of it. At 2.5 his body isn't mature enough for him to be able to control when he poops.

Hi Happymama, In y experience with my 3 an all nmy daycare kids during the past 14 years most toddlers poop around the same timne each day depending what and how much they have had to eat, so you just maken suren in training ou catch it ahead no9f ntime and put them on the potty if you havea toddler that has a hard time sitting for to long read them a story or put the potty chair in front of the TV. I hve a 2 1/2 year old littl girwhi nmakes it to pooop everytime even when shen had Diahreah she made it withn our 3 poop and pee went hand in hand they got both pratty much at the same time. J.

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Hi Happymama, In y experience with my 3 an all nmy daycare kids during the past 14 years most toddlers poop around the same timne each day depending what and how much they have had to eat, so you just maken suren in training ou catch it ahead no9f ntime and put them on the potty if you havea toddler that has a hard time sitting for to long read them a story or put the potty chair in front of the TV. I hve a 2 1/2 year old littl girwhi nmakes it to pooop everytime even when shen had Diahreah she made it withn our 3 poop and pee went hand in hand they got both pratty much at the same time. J.