My son just turned 4 in Feb is it normal for him to still poop in his pants?

Christine - posted on 08/29/2010

I am glad I am not the only one!!! We have tried everything you have and running around naked all the time!! He will go get a pullup or big boy undies to poop in. Now we just bought the frog baby potty at the suggestion of the pediatrician to just start over but he wont even sit on it. He has started prek last week, no accidents at school but I think he is holding it in until he gets home. I am just gonna chill for the first 2 months of school and keep trying at home for now.

Corrine - posted on 06/02/2010

Kind of sounds like my son! Carter started nursery school last September and that's when he started wearing big boy underwear all the time and going pee in the toilet. Before that he was in pull-ups only and going on the toilet was hit and miss.. But the teachers said that once he started to go to the bathroom with all the other kids and saw that they wore underwear he'd be fine. He had one day at school with pull-ups and that was it. No accidents, not even during the night, and he actually got up a couple of times during the night to go pee. But he would always want a pull-up on to go poop and he would never go poo at school or at the sitters even though he had a pull-up in his bag.

By December we started telling him that he would be 4 on his birthday in January and that he'd have to start going poo on the pot, no more pull-ups. He turned 4 and started pooping on the pot.

Don't get me wrong, the first couple of weeks we were always after him about going to the toilet. And I should mention that he usually sits to pee (the babysitter had too many boys the same age and too much pee to clean up) and that seemed to make a difference with going poop too. He doesn't even like to have a little pee drip in his underwear so he would never think of pooping in them. And bribes worked with him - I bought some dinosaurs from the dollar store and set them up along the entertainment unit. Started off with pooping once in the pot, then three times, then five times. Plus Grandpa paid him for pooping ~ each time he went he was able to go to the money jar and take out 5 coins (he usually went for the pennies) which Carter thought was great. After a month or so he wasn't even asking for the "treats" any more.

He sometimes has a hard time going poop but we found that blueberries and mini wheat cereal keep him pretty regular and too much cheese is not a good thing.

Good luck ~ sometimes it seems like they'll never get the hang of it but once they make up their minds to do it they just do it.

Sherri - posted on 05/25/2010

I say that each child is different. None of my children had this problem but I have heard so many stories of others that have. I honestly cant offer advice but I wish you the very best in trying to find a solution that works.

Melanie - posted on 05/25/2010

My son was 4 in Jan. I had a hard time with the Poop thing also. He even pooped on his bedroom floor one day. I just let him be and one day he decided on his own to use the potty for pee and poop. I have not had a problem since. It did take him about 8 months though. So be patient...

Alicia - posted on 05/25/2010

my daughter turn 4 in feb and was the same way she would pee in the potty but would do number 2 in her panties if i caught her before she did and took her to the potty she wouldnt go until one day she hae had to go at school and went to potty there and that was the end of potty in her pants try expaining to him that he will make the potty happy if that where he does and that it likes getting it as a surpise maybe that will help and good luck

Danielle - posted on 05/24/2010

normal isnt the word for it...every kid develops at different stages appropriate for them....but i wouldnt give in to allowing him to poop in his pants. consistency is the key. and here is a tip: my daughter had problems as well with it, and i realized it was because she couldnt put her feet flat. so we brought a step stool to the toilet with her, so she could put her feet flat, and she has been using the toilet ever since.

Brittany - posted on 05/20/2010

my son is 4 1/2 and he does the same thing. he grabs a pull up just to go #2. he's gone in the potty maybe 5 times and he's been going potty by himself for 1 1/2 now. idk what it is.

Melissa - posted on 04/29/2010

That is great news! Thank you for sharing and hopefully all the others will get the hang of it too.

Minnie - posted on 04/29/2010

Well I hav an update finally he is getting the hang of it he is starting to poop in the potty Im so happy about that, we are not out of the woods yet but he is doing a great progress. My son wants to go to school and I tell him that he needs to go poop on the potty so he can go to school I guess is working.

Melissa - posted on 04/28/2010

I have this same issue with my 4 year old daughter! So nice to hear I'm not alone. We have been dealing with this for a year. She would hold going poop to the point she actually became impacted and we had to do some nasty stuff to clear that up. Then of course was the fear of that entire ordeal coming back so we waited for her to be ready. She still like I said a year later is not using the toilet to go poop (very often). She is in pre-school and doesn't have "accidents" there or at any of her other activities, just at home. I feel it's a control issue between myself and her. We have an appointment with her doctor to further discuss as nothing I have tried works. If anything don't let your son hold it for more then a couple of days. That can cause such a worse problem! Good luck to all of you and I truly understand where you are coming from. It is so frustrating!

Minnie - posted on 03/31/2010

I thought my my son was the only one with that problem, but I guess I'm not alone. My Boy does the same thing he will turn 4yrs old in May. He pees fine in the potty but when it comes to number two he will poop in his panties or also wants a pullup, or he will hold it sometimes. Sometimes he will go with out pooping for 3 days and I worried too much that I just let him do it. I just dont know what to do, I hav talk to him to go poop on the potty, sometimes I will caught him on time and I will grab him really fast and rush to the potty and he will finish pooping. I know how u feel is so frustrating. I really dont know what to tell u just to be persistent, I always tell my son that he needs to go poop on the potty. He tell me he wants to go to school, I tell him that he needs to go poop on the potty everytime he needs to go. and that when he is ready that I will take him to school.Well I wish u good luck with your son and mine that soon they will be successful on their potty trainning.

Jacki - posted on 03/29/2010

My son went through that when he was three. It only took him a few months to start using the potty all the time. Just try buying him a "cool" kid's potty. I bought my son a frog one. He loved it! And get really excited and tell him how proud of him you are when he does poop in the potty

Yvonne - posted on 03/27/2010

My son turned 4 yesterday and he won't poop in the toilet either. I've had alot of people say just let it go for a while, it's a control issue and once he decides to do it of his own accord, he'll just go. I'm giving it 2 months, because in Sept. he starts kindergarden, and they won't change his pull ups for him there.
I'm now trying lots of prune juice so he goes more and it doesn't hurt.
Then I make a big deal if he does go on the potty. Positive reinforcement.
Good luck!

Char - posted on 03/27/2010

My son also went through this stage and after a while I just ignored it & he started to 'go properly'!! We still have 'lazy' moments when he just decides he can't be bothered to go to the toilet. I just remind him to go & try every 10/20 minutes & he remembers to go when he needs to !! (2 weeks & only 1 'accident', now!!) long may it last!! good luck

Emily - posted on 03/26/2010

My son went through that.... and honeslty I just ignored it and he stopped! But I have also heard that some kids are afraid of the toilet because of the "splash" per say!! So maybe try a kids potty!! Good luck~