4 year old pooping during sleep

[cdnmom]

My 4 year old only poops during the night while she is sleeping.  Her doctor suggested a light laxative to try to get her to poop during the day, but we've had no success.  I've read threads regarding toddlers not wanting to poop on the potty or requesting a diaper/pullup to poop in, but she doesn't do any of that.  

She doesn't act scared of the potty, she just has no interest in using it to go poop and says she doesn't have to go.  We get her to sit on the potty before bed because we know she has to go poop because of all the tooting.  She refuses to go and within a couple hours after she's asleep she goes.  She doesn't wake up before, during or after.  We normally smell it and change her right away, which she barely wakes up for.

I'm just at a loss, how do I change her routine of pooping between 10pm and 3am to during the day?  And it's not even something she can control.

Any thoughts or advice?

[GabrielleDC]

We had these problems with my now 4 year old since she was 2 and basically potty trained.  It is only an occasional problem now.  We used suppositories to loosen the poop and had her go before bed every night. As long as she evacuated before bed, she would not have night-time accidents.  I think it was a matter of control and she'd relax when sleeping, thereby losing control.  The suppository loosened her sphincter and so it usually would make it easier for her to push out.  We gradually weaned her off those because it can be addictive, I'm sure.  We have had much success - went about 3-4 months with no accidents but recently had a few.  Have hope - I know as we move her pooping time to earlier hours as we did before, it will prevent the accidents from happening.  Good luck to everyone!

[Donelli1234]

My daughter who is autisic poops at night in her pull up. Does it at night. Anyone no why?

[Gklenk]

I'm very late to this post but my son has the same problem. He sometimes even poos twice a night. Did you ever figure out anything that worked for your child?

[Seb1234]

This has been so good to read ...my daughter has started pooing her bed over the last week ..
She is fulling toilet trained ..
And knows to have a wee and a poo before bed time
But this week it's been really hurting her to have a poo ..
But unfortunately an hour into her bed time she has done a little poo ..
We try and get her to finish it off on the toilet before going back to bed ..,but says it hurts

Seeing the doctor tomorrow

[TLT43]

I've been been having the same problem with my four year old son.  He has been potty trained for two years for peeing on the potty.  He has never been able to poop in the potty.  Even when he was only one year old, he only pooped at night while he was asleep.  I finally found a post about a similar case, and it was chronic constipation caled encopresis.  I called my pediatrician and brought him in right away.  He had an x-ray which showed his intestines were full of poop.  We started him on a large dose of Myralax as recommended by the pediatrician.  Today was the third day of the Myralax, and he came to me and said he had to go potty.  He sat on the potty and pooped an unbelievable amount!  He was so happy!  The doctor said he will probably have to be on the Myralax for several months and might still go in his sleep as he develops his muscles down there and learns to control his bowels.  I am just thrilled that he was finally able to go on the potty!

[Diane1003]

We've given our daughter Mirolax -it helps keep her regular.  Our pediatrician said it's non habit forming so there's no issue in using it.

[dcinalli]

My daughter is potty trained relative to peeing on the potty and doesn't poop at all except in the middle of the night. She doesn't wake up at all. I guess I should call my Dr to see if I can get her a laxative?

[memelee]

My 3 year old son is having the same issue.  He used to request a diaper when he wanted to poop, and we would put him on the potty.  He went a few times in the potty and was happy about it.  Last week, he started to poop while he's sleeping.  He has no problem with pee at all since he was 2.5.  I wonder if we are pushing he too hard.  

[skepticalpeach]

When she poops wake her up and put her in the shower. Calmly explain what she did and why she shouldn't do it. She'll remember it better if she gets a bath/shower because it will wake her up. Then when she does go in the potty give her a treat or some sort of reward. Just like you did when you potty trained her!

[teddybears4ever2]

Is there anyway you could wake your children up in the middle of the night to poop?  It used to work for a kid I used to babysit for.

[mom2oneN1onway]

Hi i saw this thread cause i am in the same boat now.  My son turned 3 last week. He never ever had a pooh during the night eversince i am not sure how long.  But only had to change nappies when he was a baby.  Now all of a sudden he poops during the night.  Nothing has changed.  His routine and food is still the same.  He poops during the day on the toilet and potty, he goes on his own. He does not wear a nappy during the day nor does he sleep with one during the day.  Just at night, so i am not sure what is going on.  He does not have a problem with pooping in the toilet or potty cause he does it on his own but now during the night, and when i go to bed at night he hasn't pooped but when i get up in the morning for work he have this poop nappy.  Have you had any success.  I can not give him less food cause he eats at 7 o clock and never had this problem.

I do not know what to do

Kind regards
Sandra

[jayat]

I hv tried so many things . still not getting any success. the only way is to wait for him to sleep and cry him inside and let him poop. he is nearing 4 now. did u get any success?

[cdnmom]

No success yet.  But it's nice to finally hear from someone who is experiencing the same thing!  She still doesn't want to poop on the potty even though I know she has to!  How do you force a toddler to poop....you just can't and it's frustrating.  

[jayat]

hi,
just wanted to check if u had any sucess. i m facing the same problem with my 3 1/2 yr old son.