Potty Training Question - Olathe,KS

Hi K.,

A little girl I watch had this same issue. 6 months ago we tried potty training and she would go pee just fine but when it came time to going #2 in the potty she wouldn't and she would hold it to wear she would get severely constipated.

So now 6 months later she has had an infection and needed antibiotics and it caused her to have diareha. She has very sensitive skin so her mother put desitin on her, her daughter told her that she didn't want it on there because it burned. Her mother told her the only way she would not put it on there was if she started pooping in the potty. So on Monday of last week it was the 1st time she went poop in the potty. We had a few accidents with peeing in our panties (which is to be expected) but now as of Friday we didn't have any accidents and as of today and talking to her mother, she has been accident free for the whole weekend.

My advice give it some time, let her go at her own pace. I am here to tell you it will all come together when the time is right. Don't put any pressure on her and if she wants to pee on the potty encourage it and if she doesn't be fine with it.

** edit, the rash that my DG had was caused by the diarhea as she was not yet peeing in the potty. She has very sensitive skin and you can'y leave poop on her skin for longer then 5 minutes without her getting a nasty diaper rash, we have dealt with this since she was a newborn.

Like I have said before every child is different and they do it in their own time.

My own 4 yr old didn't have a problem doing any of it, she got up there and went and was potty trained in a week.

The makind a mess - peeing out of the potty is probably due to the tilting of her pelvis when she goes...It may be how the potty positions her OR she may be trying to watch herself pee. (If you attempt this yourself while sitting on the toilet -- tilting before you go so you can watch-- you will feel that tilt yourself and be able to tell that if you actual 'went' it would likely go out of the toilet"

You may need to try a different potty....Or perhaps you could try and have her go on the toilet.

I had my younger two do this - but had them face backwards. This seems to force them to have to 'reposition' in order to stay balanced in a way that it won't spray everywhere.

I won't be much help on the bm issue as my kids all did that on the potty before they urinated there.

I did want to mention that the previous poster talked about a day care child who had been on antibiotics and her mom put desitin on her bottom. If she had a red/rashy bottom it was likely that the girl had a yeast infection....and my ped. told me that Desitin only makes it worse- b/c it traps moisture against the skin which the yeasties feed on.

I think I would just try and 'deal with' the state of the toilet learning at this point---maybe point out the positives of going on the potty. (That it will be easier to clean up-- which will give her more time to play -- rather than getting a diaper change or cleaned up from an accident) I just don't think bm time is a good place to create a power struggle. I have seen several children develop some pretty serious bowel problems from the 'battle'.

Yep, my daughter was peeing on the floor and it turned out she was curious and trying to watch herself. :)

I only have boys, but a friend of mine just told me that her little girl has the same situation with the pee going forward (and getting everywhere, sometimes through the crack between the seat and the potty), so apparently that can be normal for little girls.

As for the pooh situation, my sister's son was almost 4 and still refused to go in the potty. (He would go get himself a diaper and put it on to go!) Her pediatrician said to leave him in it for 15 minutes (ie. "Mommy doesn't have pooh in her pants because I use the potty. I'll come clean you up when I've finished doing the dishes.") My sister only had to do it once, and her son went in the potty from then on. Might be worth a try!