potty training - difficulty pooping (2.5 yo)

[Mumralalalaa]

my son started potty training about 2.5yo; he will be 3 in around 4 months time. He took to doing wees very well. He intially pooped on the potty but intermittently. He then became quite anxious about it and would have frequent bowel movement accidents or would hold. He goes through waves of having some success but then will get anxious again and it all goes out the window. He tends to be holding and saving until he wakes in the morning and goes in a nappy. We left him in nappies overnight for now since he was struggling with the poop side of potty training.

Nursery are not concerned (they suggested potty training in the first place) but we are starting to get worried that if it becomes a “thing” for longer then it might start to lead to worse problems if he has negative associations with bowel movements and withholds longer. The maximum time at the moment is about 2-4 days. He will then (in his nappy most often) go once a day.

Is this all normal and part of the process or worth speaking to a GP about. It’s hard to find clear information online.

[Pinkcords]

Hello, no answers but wanted to share I know how you feel! My daughter is 3 yo and 3 months so a bit older than yours and we recently potty trained her in the day (think we actually tried too soon when she was 2 and had to abort after she held her wee, 2nd attempt over Christmas when she was 3 went a lot better) but she still prefers to poo in her nappy. We are leaving her in nappies overnight and while she has her breakfast to encourage her to go in the morning. I think a regular time to go each day is a good habit to get into anyway and I'm pretty confident that she will eventually transition to using the toilet for her poos in her own time so I'm not overly worried. I know she's been a bit sensitive around this transition out of nappies and she's doing it in her own time. We are just taking pressure off her as much as possible and letting her do it in her own time. She needed to go this morning for a poo I think but didn't and she has gone out to childcare now where she's unlikely to go, not ideal I know as this could be categorised as 'holding' but I think it's ok she wants to poo at home and in her nappy still and in time she'll get more confident about going out and about. She was very happy heading out to her childminders too which helps. We spoke with our GP before trying the potty training the 2nd time and we agreed we would give her one sachet of movicol a day to make sure everything's soft for her before we started the potty training and we have continued giving her that, not sure it's making a difference but thought it was worth while reading some of these posts especially if she has a tendency to be selective about when she's going. I am hoping in time it improves but for now she's having regular poos and they are soft just not on the toilet yet and some signs of holding, I'll try and give updates if I remember!

[Mumralalalaa in reply to Pinkcords]

thanks for your reply. It’s reassuring when someone is in a similar position. I think taking the pressure of it is a good approach. I think I am worrying about it unnecessarily (as I have tended to do with other development milestones!) and he will get there in his own time. It’s always just hard to know when to worry / to not as you don’t want things to escalate but my worrying about things too soon may add pressure that’s not required. Parenting - what a mine field ! I think we will just try to relax on it for now. He’s on a good diet with lots of fibre and is having bowel movements. He gets the concept, his execution just isn’t always perfect but I think we need to let him get there in his time as he has managed to do with most other things.