Quote Originally Posted by Lou View Post
I had a little boy who would hold and hold and hold until it would literally explode out of him and there was always bleeding from holding it for so many days. He would sit and squirm in his booster seat at meals and jump down crying because he felt the urge to go. Well, honestly, the disruption started to get too ridiculous (this was at every snack, meal and circle time), so when he started up I would put him on the toilet (and this was BEFORE he was toilet trained) and tell him that he had to stay on there until he pooped. This may sound harsh to some, but hear me out. The first couple days he screamed as he sat on the toilet because his body forced him to go while in that position and it hurt. But then we made it our daily routine and as he started going more often, his bm's became smaller and softer so over a short period of time he learned that it's no big deal. He felt SO much better and Mom and Dad were very grateful. Does your neice have any signs that she needs to go while she's holding it?? Like jumping up from a sitting position, or holding bum, or making little whiny noises?

Yes, I believe she does at times but it is something that has been agreed by her parents, her daycare and her doctor that she needs to take a break from the potty as it is causing her undue stress. It isn't that she is necessarily constipated and it can't come out, but that she is willfully holding it in. The doctor said the fact that she poops in her sleep means it is not a constipation issue.

They have all tried to get her to sit and go, but she gets very upset and it isn't helping anything anymore to try to force her as it has been going on for weeks now. If she comes to the idea of going on the potty herself she is okay with it, but if anyone asks her or tells her to go potty she fights it. So how would some reverse psychology go about for a 2.5 year old!