Hi! My son is 3 1/2 and is going through some potty training regression. He was fully trained (except for nights and public restrooms) about eight months ago. After 2 or 3 months he started to regress. We've gone through different stages of regression where he wouldn't go in the potty at all, where he'd only go in the little potty but not the toilet, etc.
For the last couple of months he's been great with putting his pee in the potty but aboslutely refuses to poop. He holds it until naptime or bedtime so that he can do it in his pullup. He has excellent control and rarely has accidents so I always have him in underwear unless it's time to sleep. I'm trying to figure out how to get out of this routine or if we should just wait a while longer. I don't want to do the wrong thing and pressure him. I definitely don't want to make the regression worse. On the other hand I feel like he's almost four years old and it's crazy that he isn't potty trained yet. : ( Any advice? Thanks!!
Thanks, ladies. I feel better hearing your stories and knowing I'm not alone in this. None of my girlfriends have had these experiences which made me feel like I was somehow failing. Anyway, I decided not to take any immediate action. We'll stick with the routine we have (which is undies except for when he's sleeping and that's when he gets a pullup). I will continue to ask daily if he'd like to try #2 in the the potty and just follow his lead. He'll be starting a part time preschool program next month so I guess we'll see if that changes things in this department. Perhaps being in an environment with other kids his age who are using the potty will encourage him to try.
He is still pretty young. My ped says it's common for boys to not fully train until age 4. My suggestion would be to not push, or stress about it. Try incentives and keep encouraging but I wouldn't worry too much. You may want to talk to your ped too.
www.babycenter.com has great info and resources, check them out for more info.
Have you tried not putting him in a pull up at nap and bed time? This may be a signal to him to poop. If he doesn't have the pull up then he will learn he has to go in the potty. My grandson had an issue with peeing at first he wouldn't go anyplace but home and in his own elmo potty. So they had to bring it everyday. He would hold his pee for hours but after a week or so he finally started going and graduated to our little potty chair then to the big potty. It is frustrating just hang in there and try different things with him read him books on the potty and offer a reward of some kind if he poops in the potty etc. You will figure out what works for him soon.
My son is also 3 1/2 years old J. and we're having the same issues. It's perfectly normal at this age, especially for boys. At first I found myself getting really frustrated and then I had to learn to just let it go--that he'll do it in his time. He's great at #1, dry in underwear during the day like your son, but #2 is a whole different matter. He is super afraid of going #2 in the potty. He's gone a few times in his underwear but I find he is holding it more and more. I don't want him to get constipated, nor do I want him to be in pain. If I have to trade going poop in his underwear or a pull-up, I will and I guess that's what I have to do for now. He'll get there, just like my son, just in his time. Be patient with him and encouraging.
My son is 3 years and 2 months and we have just started potty training. He just wasn't ready before. So at 3 1/2, I know we won't be all the way there either. My first was a girl who also regressed after she started wearing panties, but she was 2 1/2 then, and was fully potty trained by 3. Everyone has told me that boys are later, and mine definitely is. I have found that he is more likely to pee in the potty when my 6-year-old daughter is with him in the bathroom. I know he's going because I can hear it from outside the bathroom. When I'm in there with him, he seems to get performance anxiety! So, I anticipate pooping to be a big issue, but we're not even close to that point yet. Good luck! As long as you're not putting him in a school that requires potty training by a certain age, you can take your time. It will eventually happen.
