Only Pees on Potty (Won't Poop)

I can't remember where I first heard/read the following suggestions, but it might be worth a try as a way to move toward pooping in the potty.

If you haven't let him see you (or someone in your family) go poop in the potty, it might be worth letting him do that. If he is afraid, it might make him less fearful if he knows everyone does it.

You could try letting him poop in a diaper/pull-up but in the bathroom. It sounds like he knows when he has to go because he hides in a corner. So maybe you can have him tell you when he has to go, bring him to the bathroom, and put him in a diaper. Give him a few minutes to go, alone if he so desires. At least then he starts to learn that he should be in the bathroom when he goes. Plus, it's an easier clean-up for you.

You could also show him that the poop goes in the toilet by flushing the poop from the diaper.

Once he is going to the bathroom in the diaper, you could have him sit on the potty with a diaper on. So he's still pooping in a diaper, which might be less scary, but he's getting used to sitting when he poops.

I've heard some people will split the diaper in the back/bottom once the kid gets the hang of sitting on the toilet with a diaper on so the poop drops through.

One of my sons is kind of in this stage. He is getting the hang of peeing in the potty but hasn't done any poops in the potty. Putting the diaper on in the bathroom worked the first time, but we knew he really had to go because it had been a while. But the next time he went in his pants.

You don't say whether he's sitting on the regular toilet or if he has his own potty chair.

If he's sitting on the regular toilet, he probably does not feel secure enough to go poop. Try getting a foot stool that he can put his feet on when he's sitting on the toilet. He will feel much more secure which should help.

My first and second kids both took a lot longer to poop in the potty. They both peed in the potty for about 6 mos before they would poop. They seemed scared to do it on the potty. We used various forms of bribery and they finally got it.

My 2.5 yr old is just sitting on the potty, but not producing yet. I'm really not looking forward to training another one!

From what I have heard - and experienced with my son - this is normal. It took my son several weeks of peeing in the potty before he was ready to poop. We gently encouraged him to do so, and gave him "special" stickers (of trucks - his favorite!) when he would do it. I read books to him and chatted with him while he sat on the potty, and made it a kind of "Mommy and Me" time. We also praised him up and down when he finally did. I would just give it time - it's awesome that you got him pee trained at 2.5; expect that it may be closer to 3 before he's ok with pooping on the potty.
Also - like another poster said, letting him watch other people use the toilet may get him more comfortable with the idea.

He's telling you that he has to go, this is very good. Just take him to the potty when he says to leave him alone. Let him know its not ok to poop in his underwear and that he needs to do it on the potty. This will not make him do it of his own free will instantly, but just be consistent. Don't force him to stay on the potty long, and don't leave him to do it in his pants. He might get up and down from the potty 20 times before going... Just stay patient and keep him in sight until he goes! If he starts to go in his pants, rush him to the potty to hopefully finish.

Best wishes! I know this is tough, but he's totally ready and this will be the best way to get him to use the potty! Good luck!

Don't feel bad, my daughter pooped on the potty 100% of the time for 3 weeks before she would even consistently pee on it. Go figure. I finally just stuck her in panties and she's been awesome ever since. Totally normal, just keep at it. Maybe make him clean the mess up himself? As much as he can without being unsanitary that is... good luck!

My son does the same thing.
My friends w/girls had their daughters trained before their boys.
All the boys were later.
My son pees in the toilet all the time but hates to poop there.
We've tried everything: offering a treat of candy & new toy when he finally goes poop.
He wants to go poop in the corner of a room w/this training pants on.
I recommend the traning pants btw. They are like diapers but pull ups. We tell him they are underwear so he won't pee or poop in them.
I have a step stool for him that is the right heighth so he will go by himself when we are home, he has the training pants on & no pants.
He will get there.
They say to do the 3 day room where you don't go anywhere.
I don't have that luxury and again......all my friends that have boys & girls said their sons took forever (age 4).
Us the training pants instead of underwear so you won't have to wash them ALL the time :)
Remember boys mature slower than girls.