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[jenny]

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Welcome to Oh Crap! Potty Training with Jenny’s ONLINE POTTY FORUM!

I will be scrolling and answering any questions you have.  Please do your best to keep all your questions in one thread….that way I can continue to advise you through the process and I can more easily see the whole scope of your potty training experience.  I will be answering mostly in afternoons/evenings/nights PST.  I can not be at the computer all day, so please don’t expect answers in real time – please remember that I am a mom too!  You can expect at least 1 response from me for each day of your subscription period. I am looking forward to help you with your potty training questions!

[jenny]

Hello Jenny I am back! you helped me in April with my son and we are still struggling with him holding poop.

Last time I consulted with you he started Miralax. It was helping some but he’s still having small amounts of poop multiple times a day.

I have reread the book chapters on poop.
I have watched the poop videos.

We’ve spent many days trying to do the method of just reminding him his potty is right there, and he can go when he wants.

He waits until the last second. Then tells me he has to go potty while standing there holding his butt. Then the poop is already comin out when we are taking his pants down.

He is not self initiating, he is sitting on the floor scooting his butt along the floor. This happens even went out in public.

He jumps on the couch with his eyes rolling up to the ceiling. He’s telling me he’s shaking and grabbing his crotch. His legs are in the air going a mile a minute. Yet he can’t move and he doesn’t want me to pick him up.

He says he is dancing, but when I offer to help him get there he can’t move.

I have even tried simulating poop with the Play-Doh.

He is on probiotics, Miralax and a powdered vitamins. All mixed at different times a day into his almond milk. She does not eat a single fruit or vegetable and he will not drink a smoothie.

He is still eating dry colorless foods. We do have an appointment with a feeding team a month from now. He likes what he likes though. He eats a lot, he is not losing weight if anything he’s gaining weight on track.

I am really lost as to what to try next really.

Nothing encourages him to sit. I don’t think he’s in pain, his doctor even did a pee culture just to make sure nothing was going on with the bladder or anything like that. It was negative

He has been having his underwear wet also a bit. I don’t know if that’s because he’s holding his pee also or if it’s pressure from holding the poop.

We change his underwear 2-4 times a day from either poop smeared or pee leaking.

His doctor suggested maybe seeing a behavior specialist. I do believe he wants to get there, he’s not acting out. If anything sometimes he seems upset and is crying. After he does go, he doesn’t want me to wipe him because I think it burns.

Oh crap potty training worked for us before so I’m definitely interested to see what you might have for me now! Thanks again!

[jenny]

We made a GI appointment a month and a half ago. It was the first day they can get us in on June 30th.

The feeding team can not get us in until July.

I’m just trying to get some help in the meantime. We went to his pediatrician twice in the last 2 weeks and I don’t really think they have else for us except for us to wait for these two other appointments.

He’s been on the miralax for awhile. We’ve gone up to a half of an adult dose and still getting minimal pieces.

Anytime I prompt him to sit or do the throwaway comment that his potty is right there and go to another room he says no.

Not really acting out in a bad way, just says no.

He sits here and rocks and holds and holds. We had a pee accident a little bit this morning.

He always tells me when he has to go to the bathroom but it’s almost to the point of him being upset probably cause he’s held it to long.

We did see a nutritionist month ago and she did explain yes there can be some poop stuck and that it can continue to get around it.

Just like you’re saying. She really can’t do anything either till we get to the GI specialist.

I’m not sure what to do in the meantime because some days he scooting along the floor like a dog on his butt. So if you have anything in the meantime I can try I appreciate it.

Thanks

[jenny]

Well I could try but in May even getting eye drops in his eyes and nose spray was not happening! He gets horrible allergies then.

I know he would never be calm for me to give him a suppository…

Some days he isn’t even allowing me to wipe him since I assume it hurts. He closes his butt cheeks together tight. I had to do my best with a warm wash cloth to clean him. I am not sure I would be able to even get it in him hmmmmm

[jenny]

Okay so suppositories aren’t going to be something he’s going to let me do.

I’ve just explained to him what I will have to do if he doesn’t poop.

Yesterday he actually told me potty in time.

I was able to get him there, I had to pick him up before anything got in his underwear.

Today has is produced nothing yet.

He hasn’t had any pee accidents/leaking yesterday or today. He is still doing a bit of a dance first though but he’s actually been telling me in time.

I think I was reading in the book you just have to be a little more firm as far as telling him, we’re going to sit now.

Even though he tells me no after I ssay this. Then a minute later he’ll tell me he has to go potty.

I’m still waiting to see if he’s going to go poop today. What is your take on using any flax oil? I see it at Whole Foods.

I’m pretty sure I could get into his almond milk without him noticing.

I was reading it might be ok for constipation. I know coconut oil is good but it always resolidifies in the cold almond milk. Thanks

[jenny]

Hi Jenny am I supposed to leave comments and questions here or elsewhere? When I search for forums it says none available.

I consulted with you back in July about my son and potty training. We sorted it out, and he has been doing quite well. He occasionally has a number one accident because he gets distracted or engrossed. However in the last week or two he has started having more frequent and daily accidents. And Yesterday he started having poop accidents, which has never happened before. He doesn’t seem concerned, he is happy and relaxed. I’m not sure what is going on. I have tried talking to him about using The potty and telling an adult when he has to go, but he just ignores that and goes in his pants. What can I do? How do I approach this? He is 3 1/2 and in preschool. Thanks

[jenny]

Hi Jenni,

I’m not sure where to post as it doesn’t seem to allow me to post anywhere but on the reply to Welcome! post. You helped me with my 26 month old daughter back in December when she was having dribble issues which have since resolved. My second daughter was born in January and the transition has been fine, however, the past week my daughter has been having 1 full accident every few days when playing outside. We don’t know how to get her to realize she needs to stop and pee before an accident. We always potty before we go outside and bring a little potty outside with us. What else can be done since this isn’t just a dribble accident and 90% of the day there are no issues.

[jenny]

Hi Jenny,

My son is 31 months old. We started the Oh Crap Method at 25 months but he has such an aversion to the potty we had to do a reset. From then, every night , we would let him sit on the potty bottomless prior to him getting in the bath. Fast forward several months, he is now 31 months old.

We started on block one about a 6 days ago. He got it in a few hours! By the end of the day he was self initiating and even pooping. Same happened on day 2 of block 1. Basically a potty trained kid naked. No issues pooping. Went 4 times to poop that day.

Block 2 began on day 3. Resistance kicked in as mentioned in the book. He pees right through his pants. Id say some of the time he is aware because he will look down at his penis and saying ” im peeing” and other times he isnt. About half the time, he starts grabbing his crotch and doing a pee dance and says aloud ” no pee in pants”. I know he needs to go but when I take him to the potty he puts up a fight. Most times he fights and doesnt want to go. I do a little more light pushing and say ,” well lets try”, and start helping him push down his pants (he does know how to do it…for the most part, but only when he is NOT doing the potty). He will sometimes let me do this and then he pees in the potty. Other time he flat out resists and says NO, has a mini melt down. I leave it be and say, ” Ok, you let me know when you are ready . the potty is over there.” During the times I catch him peeing through his pants, I say” hold it honey, lets go to the potty”. He and I both push down his pants and he sits on the potty to finish the rest of the pee ,if there is anything left in there ( sometimes there is , sometimes there isnt).

He is also holding in his urine longer. Staying dryer longer since we restarted this process.With some of that background, here are some questions:

1) Should I go back to a day or go for a few hours a day at a time naked since he seems clueless half the time and the other half he isnt

2)My mother in law watches him 2 days a week while I work, we are encouraging her to go commando as long as possible, bit if she does a mostly naked day, will it harm any learning ? She is older and I dont want to lose my free babysitting. I know she will try to do commando, but im saying maybe half the day if she needs a break as she cant watch him like a hawk like I will. He is potty trained naked only.

3)How often do you prompt in block 2? He holds his pee anywhere for 1 hr to 2 hrs now. After the seal breaks then he will pee non stop.

4) If he resists my prompt, do I let it be and hand over the power to him still? Even though he is clearly needing to pee. The minute he is naked he will potty.

5)He has pooped in his pants in block 2.

6) Each time he pees in his pants, i say after” Oh, no pee in the pants, pee goes in the potty. Push your pants down, sit on the potty and pee.” When I go to the restroom, I let him watch me and have him instruct me. He tells me the order in which to potty (pants down, sit, pee). Do I need to pump more fluids still like in block 1?

7)Any other tips? Does his behavior sound like normal progression ? Am I doing anything wrong that I should alter? Im trying to not overprompt. I dont really hover. Im in the kitchen doing my thing but keeping a watchful eye. I may or may not be….trying to figure it out. I definitely was when he was 25 months old lol. No scolding ever. Just a matter of fact tone when he pees in his pants. Im going through 10 pants a day. Today is day 5 on block 2.

Thanks!

Janine

• This reply was modified 7 years, 5 months ago by jenny.

[jenny]

Hello Jenny,

You helped me with my daughter a couple years ago, and now it’s my son’s turn! Elliott is almost 2 years old, and we just started potty training Saturday. Overall I think he’s doing really well. Before we started, he would already indicate after or even before he’d poop. And so far, pooping is going well! Saturday and Sunday he had a great poop in the potty. He and I could both tell it was coming.

My problem is actually pee! It seems like he can’t release in the potty until his bladder is _really_ full. Based on the timing yesterday and his actions, I thought around 9:30 this morning that he had to pee. He would also point to his crotch, which seems to be how he tells me. And each time I helped him to the pot, or just said “ok” and nudged him there. He would sit willingly, but it wouldn’t come out… And a few times, he peed on the floor. And he often stopped quickly and came over to the pot, but couldn’t go more. Finally at 12:30 he went in the pot, a lot. Finally got a full (I think) release! But that was the only one the whole day! It’s hard to make a lot of progress with so little practice…

I’m trying to keep him on the pot for a while, to let it come out. But I’ve read a book, or sang 3 songs, kept him there long enough that it just doesn’t feel right for me to force him to stay. And then he gets up, and it may be tens of minutes or longer before he goes.

My husband has mentioned that it may be easier to release standing than sitting, at which point I threaten that Elliott can stand to pee if my husband wants to take over the potty training! It just makes me nervous. But ultimately of course, I will do what’s best for Elliott.

So in a nutshell, how can I help with pee release when I know he has to go?

Thanks!
Darla

[jenny]

Hi Jenny,

Since I have you here… My daughter Makena is 4yo. You helped me with her potty training almost 2 years ago. She is potty trained and successfully able to go at home or preschool or wherever. But she is SO STUBBORN! She will carry on so that anyone in the vicinity clearly knows she has to go. She grabs her butt, squeals, jumps around, it’s crazy… But if you tell her to go, or ask her if she has to go, NO! She knows she does, she has to know. But she really resents being asked. If she’s left alone, like if I leave to give her brother a nap, she’ll often go on her own.

My strategy is generally to try to ignore it, not even mention it. And eventually she will go. She has had some accidents, but it’s rare. Ignoring it seems to work much better than telling her to go. But of course there are times when it really is important to try, and we struggle with those.

So I just wanted to see if you had any general tips or advice for kids who really don’t like to be prompted?

Thanks,
Darla

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