Potty training my 3 year old (how its not going to plan)

I see so much written about potty training over social media and the internet. There's so much hate about it. What, because Katie Price's little boy is still in nappies at age 3 she's such a bad parent? Babies being potty trained from birth? What? Why? When...?

I don't think anyone understands and I know for a fact I didn't when I first had my little girl. No way on Earth did I think it was going to be this difficult!

I first started introducing a potty when my daughter had just turned 2 in September 2015. I didn't force it, I just simply put the potty in her surroundings. She was starting nursery in January 2016 and I knew roughly by the age 2 and a half that most people start potty training their little ones and 'it can be done within a week' so the books say.

It had come to the middle of March and I started to begin putting knickers on my little one. I didn't want to bother with pull ups I just went straight for the real thing. She was doing so good going to the potty for wees and only a few accidents and it was amazing. But...then we started to hit some difficulty with pooing. She didn't want to poo on the potty and would only do it in her night time nappies which was fine as it was just the start of potty training.

It came to the Easter Holidays and I really wanted to try master her pooing on the potty and it was a little easier her being at home with me 24/7. It didn't happen, she just wouldn't poo on the potty. But, then she wouldn't do a poo in her nappy either or it was just a little smudge that was appearing. She then went a few days without having a poo and I got worried. So, I got her into the doctors to explain what was happening and they said she was withholding her poo. She was prescribed Movicol to try make her go. She had to have about 6 sachets in 2 days before she started to poo and she was doing it in the potty which was amazing! She still occasionally did it in her nappy but hey, that was ok!

It was time to go back to nursery as the Easter Holidays were over and I let them know everything that had happened. She did amazing, pooped in her potty for about a week until it started again. She started marking her knickers with poo so we knew she needed to go but she held it in again and I had to ring someone for help because I was getting so frustrated with myself. I rang the health visitors and explained what was going off and she suggested a few things...Putting the nappy in her potty, nappy in the toilet, just letting her do a poo in her nappy in the bathroom, stickers, rewards... We even bought her the Princess Polly's potty book. But alas, the nappy in the potty trick worked and she did a big poo. Hoorah!

But then it began again. She started withholding it and we had to go for Movicol again. So I thought what about 1 Movicol every so often to keep her going for a poo. That seemed to work she would poo in her potty and poo in her nappies. By that time, she had pretty much cracked the wees and it was about June. I think she must have been so confused going from nappies to knickers to nappies just to try and get her to poo and I felt awful. But we ran out of Movicol and had to get another box. The Doctor said we couldn't have anymore after this box as it wasn't normal. We picked the other box up but I started just not giving her any just to see what she was like and she was brilliant. August holidays, she did lots of wees and poos on the potty and toilet but she did still the odd poo in her bed time nappy.

It didn't lasted long, she wasn't withholding anymore but started to ask for nappies on so she could do a poo. I thought 'okay that's fine as long as its coming out'. I wasn't bothered anyway as long as it was coming out.  

November 2016 its still happening. She's begging for nappies on to have a poo, marking her knickers and she still will not go on the potty or toilet to poo. She will, however, wee on them with no problems. I asked her 'why wont you have a poo' and she said it hurts on the potty. But when I last spoke to the health visitor she said it was a 'Mind' and 'Control' thing about toddlers and getting them to just let go. She hadn't withheld her poo since June but she did it again and I started with the Movicol again. 6 sachets and it came out after 2 days. I think every time she keeps marking her knickers or nappies is a sign that she's holding her poo in. My little girl was in so much pain and seeing her like that was the worst thing ever! Once she has done a huge poo she's back to herself a normal happy bubbly active little girl.

This morning she even asked for knickers on and said she would try poo on the toilet but I had to send her to school in a nappy as she now had really runny poos. 

So for everyone who says awful things on social media about children wearing nappies! My little girls now 3 years and 2 months and still has to wear nappies. And so what?? Nobody knows the circumstances! I wish I had waited to potty train and not tried to rush it. Because it hasn't happened for me and my daughter, every child is different!  

I now say to myself...she can do it when ever where ever she likes as long as she's pooing! Her diet is amazing, she eats so many vegetables (sprouts are her favourite) so diet isn't an issue, she isn't constipated she just holds it before anyone says!

Sometimes potties are a scary thing for a little child. Don't force it! Just keep trying and don't give in. And most of all don't judge others because when things like this happens you already feel like a crappy mum!

Potty training can be harder than you think.