Poop in the Tub

Updated on November 28, 2008
A.H. asks from Menasha, WI
21 answers

My daughter is 15 months old and has loved bathtime since the very beginning. My husband and I, however, are not enjoying her bathtime lately. She is nowhere near potty training yet, and has no control over her movements, so she poops in the tub. Lately, it's been happening nearly everytime we bathe her. I give her the bath, but I am totally disgusted by feces floating, so when it happens, my husband jumps in and cleans it up.
I know it will be some time, and quite a few baths before our daughter is toilet trained and in control of her bowels. Soooo, any advice on how to avoid the mess? I'd hate to cut her baths too short, since she does have a lot of fun in the tub, and it is my chance to clean the rest of the bathroom while I'm keeping an eye on her.

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So What Happened?

Thanks everyone! She doesn't usually show any obvious signs that she's about to "drop the kids off at the pool" :), but I think I will try waiting for her to have a bowel movement after dinner before plunking her in the tub. Otherwise, I'll just have to continue being extra nice to my husband so he'll continue dealing with the fecal aftermath! :)

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M.P.

answers from Minneapolis on

A friend who had this issue would put the swim diapers on her child. It was more expensive (though some friends chipped in and gave her their extras) but it helped.

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D.L.

answers from Cedar Rapids on

My son does this every time we give him a bath. We switched to showers and havent had any issues since!

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L.M.

answers from Des Moines on

I would put one of those 'little swimmer' diapers on her while she's in there, and then take it off right before you get her out just to wash her where the diaper was real quick. My daughter has done that a few times... but I always took her in the bathtub with me... um, so, yeah, I got pooped on a few times. (I suppose if I'm gonna be pooped on, the bathtub is the place to be, I guess)

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M.W.

answers from St. Cloud on

Change her bath time. Kids usually poop at the same time every day so just give her a bath at a different time.

Ex: If you're giving her the bath in the morning, switch to evening or vice versa.

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K.S.

answers from Fargo on

My son did the same thing at that age. I would just drain it clean out the tub and refill it so he could continue his bath. I always had a towel with a couple toys outside the tub so that he had something to do while he waited and didn't get cold because he loved playing in the water I didn't want to cut the time short and he always loved getting back into a tub filled with new bubbles.

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T.S.

answers from Minneapolis on

Track her bowl movements for a week or so. Try to find a pattern, then bathe her between the times she generally goes.

My kids, at that age, were only pooping once a day (mostly)and thankfully it was in the morning. So evening baths weren't a problem for us.

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D.P.

answers from Minneapolis on

My daughter did the same thing. She was a very consitpated child, so i think the warm water relaxed her. Since i anticipated it most times (she was a grunter) i watched for the signs and then just put her on the toliet. She would poop and then i would put her back in the tub. So...if your little one is showing signs that she is about to poop, try putting her on the toliet. She may surprise you can do it in the toliet. Most times it came out so easy, so she didnt freak about sitting on the toliet.

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L.H.

answers from Milwaukee on

Try giving her a bath after she goes. The warm water is very relaxing and can help her to go.

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L.G.

answers from Minneapolis on

I agree with putting her on (or over) the potty if it seems like she's starting to strain. I hold my son over the potty at the few times I actually catch him doing this and we're near the potty. He's only 4 mos. old and does just fine going poopy on the potty. (In fact, just a few minutes ago I waited a little longer to see if he had more, and he peed too. That saves one diaper!) Sometimes I've noticed that a child will get that "far off" look in their eyes first. The more sensitive you are to their signs, the better you'll get at "catching" it. Good luck!

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L.B.

answers from Minneapolis on

I went through the same thing with my firstborn. She pooped in the tub for three days in a row before I realized that she just pooped at that same time every day. So just try moving her bath time to a different time and you will probably be fine. Good luck! :)

K.L.

answers from Milwaukee on

my son use to do the same thing and i know what a pain bath time became!!!! he did out grow the whole thing within a few months. so all i can say is grin and bear and this will soon pass!!!

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M.J.

answers from Green Bay on

Hi A.

I would try sitting her on the potty before you put her in the tub at bath time . Make it a game read sing songs and see if she will go before bath time . You never know it may start the potty training off to a good start . Good luck

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L.M.

answers from Minneapolis on

Sorry, I know how fun that is:) Can you just change the time of day she is taking a bath? Most poop cycles are the same times every day so if you can figure out when she normally goes then schedule her bath around it. Or wait till she has pooped before starting her bath. We could always tell when ours were about to poop by the look on their faces or the way they tensed up, and would try to quick get them out of the tub. Being in there also relaxes them so they feel the urge to go. My daughter after pooping in the tub, got freaked out after my husbands reaction to it and would not even take a bath for quite a long time without screaming even though she always loved bath time, but now is back to swimming forever in there. Good luck!

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B.K.

answers from Dubuque on

It could just be a time of day thing. My daughter is 23 mo. and completely potty trained except for when she sleeps. I started out with a few lucky catches. You may want to get a potty seat or ring for the toilet and set her on just before the bath for a few min. If she goes give her lots of praise and be really excited about her being a big girl. It may be a start for potty training. However dont make a big deal out of it if she dosent go just tell her that she did a good job sitting on the potty and talk with her about how "icky" it is to poop in the tub. I am always surprised to see how much my daughter comprehends.

Good luck!

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P.G.

answers from Sheboygan on

Hi,
I know this is no fun, but I also went through this with my son. Actually, he had a lot of problems having BM's and the warm bath water usually would produce one, I just figured it was easier on his bottom than trying to strain.
So, as gross as it sounds, I would put him in the tub to do a BM, get him out, clean the tub and put him back in to enjoy the clean bath. It was just a phase with my son, and I am sure once your daughter can control her body a bit better you won't have that problem anymore.
Just keep being really nice to your husband so he keeps cleaning up the mess!! :o) LOL
Good luck!
P.

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L.S.

answers from Madison on

We had/have that same problem. I noticed that we were giving baths too close to dinner time. Now we give him dinner, give him time to poop, and then hop in the tub. I do have a fish net in the bathroom so I can scoop it out if it does happen, but we haven't seen it in a while. Also, I know my 16 mo old is too young to potty train, but we have his potty right next to the tub. If we see him starting to strain, we get him out and put him on it. All of this has seemed to help. Good luck!

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S.B.

answers from Minneapolis on

I had the same problem with my daughter at that age. If you are doing evening baths (after dinner), try changing to a different bath time for awhile (wait one hour past mealtime). Kids tend to poop "on a schedule," so if you can get past the time she needs to go you should be OK. However, the warm water may be stimulating her to go, which having a schedule isn't going to help.

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A.M.

answers from Appleton on

My daughter did the same thing about at the same age. Then all of a sudden it stopped. I don't know if they gain more control of their movements or what but she hasn't done it in awhile. I think it might just be a phase they all go through.

Annoying I know--but I think this too shall pass!

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T.H.

answers from Minneapolis on

This has happened to me when bathing my son as well. There really isn't any advice to give. It only happened a few times and hasn't happened since so it may be a case of she will get control over not wanting to let it out when in the tub. I feel for you and understand the disgust and the frustration with the issue. Good luck!

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H.A.

answers from Waterloo on

Both my boys went thru the same phase around that age. I know it's gross, but I just waited it out. I'm sure the warm water is relaxing her enough that she's releasing a bm. Pretty soon she'll have better control over those muscles whether she's potty trained or not.

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E.I.

answers from Duluth on

wait until she poops, then do the bath! :D

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