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toilet training- needing a nappy to poo

how do you break the cycle?

Luke has had major issues with his bowels. a result of his tube feeding and 18 months ago he had serious bowel infection c.difficle and had to be blue lighted to a surgical centre with a suspected bowel obstruction/perforation and needed lots of invasive tests. We've managed to toilet train him to wee by standing up as he was so anxious about sitting down. He will now sit down but won't relax enough to let his bowels open. he's on a regular maintainence dose of movicol but pooing in a social situation is still very difficult. On holiday he withheld his bowels for 10 days and ended up with impactation that required lots of medication to help him go. we've tried sitting him on the toilet when he breaks wind and although he's happy there he withholds, until you put a nappy on. I'm worried about him starting school in September because although he will be in pants he needs a nappy to poo and I think he will withhold with anxiety.

 

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  • C had bowel issues from having NEC. He too would only poo in a nappy. If there was no nappy, he'd hold it in, just like Luke is doing.

    We started "training" him. We'd sit him on the toilet, in his nappy to do a poo. Once his confidence was up, with sitting on the toilet, I suggested removing his nappy.

    We tried just sitting him on the toilet, and reading etc, to occupy him, take his mind off what he was doing.

    My friend got her daughter to blow bubbles, as that sort of leads to a "pushing" type action, but I never tried that.

  • preserve? and time? thanks for your reply AK. I feel so stressed about it.

  • It took a couple of months, and you have to keep at it. I felt like giving up, but knew that would get us nowhere.

    It seemed to be his confidence about it, more than anything. Kids can feel like they are pooing into nowhere, which is why I tried the nappy on the toilet.

  • My niece was like this with no prior issues, she just wouldn't do it.  Her mom let her get on with it and when she was six came home one day from school and announced she'd done a poo on the toilet... never been an issue since. So here it was a case of in her own time and just doing what needed to be done before and giving the pull up.  Absolute night in nursery as they couldn't put the nappy on her and she couldn't take it off easily to wee.  Then if she did poo Mon had to go to school to change it.  All was worked around though until she was ready.

  • Hi Carole

    I know a few friends with children who did the same and they eventually moved onto using the toilet. Don't panic, he will change to using the toilet eventually.

    I'm afraid I don't really have any ideas except for putting some toilet paper into the toilet before he goes, as sometimes a 'splash' can be a bit scary.

    Good luck and don't worry if it takes a while xx

  • I think it's fairly common Carole, and if memory serves me right there's a section on it in yhe Gina Ford potty train in a week book. I'm at work just now but can't check, ilk have a look tonight.

  • I don't have your experiences but does he have a certain time if day he goes? When Peter started school he was trained and pee's once a day. He always even now comes In and goes straight upstairs to the toilet. He dislikes going when he isn't at home so I suppose he holds it but only until he is home. Is he at an age where he could get used to going before or just after school or does he go at any time?

  • *pooed once a day, sorry I would worry if it was peeing once a day.

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