TT help needed.

My DD1 has been dry for almost 3 weeks now and so far has only had 2 wee accidents. She is very aware of when she has to go to the toilet so this is not an issue. She started doing no 2's on the potty/toilet ok but would hold on and only go every couple of days. She doesnt like to do them on the potty or toilet she seems to get really uptight and upset by it iykwim. I have even tried when she tells me she needs to go offering a nappy but she refuses to wear one at all. For the last few days she tells me she needs to go and will sit on the potty/toilet but wont go or she will start but not finish. I continue to ask her and she continues to tell me she doesnt need to go and then within the next half hour will go in her knickers. She comes to tell me straight away as she hates the feeling but i can not get her to go on the toilet or potty. In the 1st 2 weeks we had no accidents with poos and now in the last few days i've lost count. Any tips or ideas on how we can work on this. It seems silly to even contemplate putting her back in nappies as she is even dry over night and has no problems with wee's iykwim. She is aware of when she needs a poo i think she just gets a bit frightened. I have tried staying with her reading, singing and playing etc. I have tried leaving her so she has a little bit of space. Nothing seems to work. She tells me she has to go and is happy to sit on the potty or toilet but wont go then i can guarantee within the next half hour she will go. I am just getting a bit frustrated by it all. I am trying not to make it an issue and just calmly explain that its naughty and she needs to go to the toilet like a big girl. I reward her when she does use the potty etc but dont feel comfortable disciplining "accidents (or deliberates)" Should i be or am i doing the right thing? i know its only week 3 so its early days but she does know i'm sure its just a fear thing.
Hoody

Hoody, this is very normal. I personally believe it's because sitting is a very un-natural position to poo in. Having lived in Asia for a while, I discovered that sqatting is actually a much more comfortable, natural position. I think this is why it takes kids so long to be comfortable with pooing on the toilet or potty.

I am not really sure what the answer is. I am still struggling a bit with this with my 3yo - he mostly will use the toilet, but goes through phases of pooing in his pants for days at a time. The thing that has worked best for us, is to make no fuss at all when he dirties his undies, but to praise him like crazy when he does a poo on the toilet. We also use a sticker chart - each day he keeps his undies clean he gets a sticker and five stickers gets him a new toy (like a matchbox car or similar). We have had a lot of success with this actually but he is older than your DD. Could be worth a try though?

FWIW, I don't think this reluctance to poo on the toilet is likely to lead to any longer term problems, it is just a matter of them finally getting used to it.

Can't tell you how to remedy the issue, but did want to let you know that it is exactly the same for us with DS. Has finally after 3 weeks done a poo in the potty and we really made a song and dance about the poo in the potty - hoorah!! Since that first one he has only done one more in the potty and several in his pants. I must check with daycare, but I believe he holds them in for being at home with us as we have had no poo sccidents at daycare. He also tells us as soon as he has poo in his pants and takes them off. We however are still using nighttime nappies - tried a couple of times not to , but the wet bed episodes would be too much for me with a 3 month old to look after at night too.

Have you tried to get one of those books about my very own potty - found one the other day in Kmart that goes with the fisher price potty - didn't actually buy it, but maybe they talk about poo in there. I've been told that toddlers think of poo as a part of themselves. Maybe if you can explain that it is her food???

Like I said I'm guessing abit as I have the same issues, but what about using the training pants for a while. I know DS doesn't want nappies, he wants knickers - so maybe if you say you have to wear nappies until you can poo in the potty it might encourage her to do so, then graduate to knickers over the training pants and then just knickers.

If you try it - let me know how it goes.

alittlegrubi-
My DD is alot better now. We had a week maybe two of lots of poo accidents but for the last 10 days or so we havent had any. My DD will go to the big toilet for all wee's but will only do poo's on the potty. However she likes to watch me empty the contents of the potty into the toilet and says good bye to her poo's :cryinglaugh: If we are out she will tell me she needs to go but will hold on. I have started taking a potty everywhere with me and i think thats why we have not had any accidents of late. We have had lots of poo's in the potty whilst out and about now so i think i have found her comfort zone. I think what helped is when she first did one on the potty i made a huge fuss and commented that it looked like a chocolate snake. Now when she says she needs to go i make a big fuss asking her to try and make me a big chocolate snake pmsl it sounds ridiculous but hey whatever works. She even says to me "mummy i need to do a snake poo" :cryinglaugh: I have also found that if i sit her on the potty and leave her for a minute she goes with more ease. I guess she likes some privacy iykwim. GL with your DS i hope he can over come this soon it can be very frustrating.