Hello!

My little miss is 3 and is fine going to the toilet for number 1 but just won’t do number 2’s in there. She asks for a nappy. Any tips to help?


Want more real mum questions sent to you?

You'll need to check this email to complete your signup.
  • Just don’t give her a nappy. Be strong and make it clear that nappies are only for night time/nap etc (assuming you’re still doing this). Let her have an accident in her pants. She’ll only do it once! Just don’t panic when this happens – they pick up on our anxiety. Gently explain that poos are for the toilet and did she feel the poo trying to come out etc… Next time when you get that feeling, then tell Mummy and we can go to the toilet together. Now lets get you cleaned up…..Something along those lines. Don’t shame her for the accident, as I said, they don’t have many accidents before they quickly realise that it’s easier to go to the toilet. But if you keep giving her the nappy for a poo, then she’ll continue to want this option. Good luck!


  • it is crazy but I tried to make the toilet as comfortable as I can and even gave my daughter a book to read. Prizes always work too.


  • My son was the same. I waited till he was busting & sat him on the toilet & waited with him, Once he had done his first #2 he was so proud he went back to do another one 10 minutes later.
    Just be patient & make sure you praise her once she does it :)
    Gdluk :)


  • My daughter was the same way but she saw other kids at daycare go to the toilet and she wanted to be a big girl too


  • thanks heaps for the help guys


  • a rewards chart and rewards helped my son


  • If she asks for a nappy to do poos she knows she needs to go, maybe start off getting her a nappy the sitting her on the toilet with the nappy on for a few days,
    my friends son was like this, so after a few goes she cut the bum out of a nappy and sat him on the toilet to do his poo. Once he went they made a huge deal about it, singing, cheering, and present.


  • We use a step up toilet seat, and rewarded with stickers. While it’s not much fun, we also used a potty for her sometimes – she felt more secure on there, and once she was comfortable pooing on there, we moved her to the big toilet, and now she is fine. It didn’t take long, 2 or 3 weeks maybe?


  • Maybe she doesn’t feel comfortable and secure on the toilet, especially when doing “number 2’s”. It’s a long way up for little legs, and if she needs to concentrate on doing a poo, she may feel like she’ll fall off the loo. Even with a kiddie toilet seat insert it can be uncomfortable for kiddies. If she doesn’t mind you being there with her, you could hold her and tell her that she’s quite safe, and Mummy won’t let her fall, and you could do a “gold star rewards” chart, and give her something special when she reaches different milestones of doing poo on the loo.


  • persevere she will get there eventually if you don’t put a nappy on her to do it


  • Our daughter was exactly the same, we just used to encourage and praise her, she grew out of it.
    I like what the other mums have said – rewards.


  • this is quite normal, some children need more confidence to do that in the toilet.


  • Have you tried giving her a marble to put in a jar every time she goes when she has 20 marbles you take her shopping to buy a toy or something she really wants


  • Some kids are afraid of the toilet eating their number 2’s (I think it’s best not to try to understand this!). So it can help to do number 2’s in the potty, even if it’s later tipped into the toilet. Is that something you can try?

    Some kids are also able to perch on a toilet for a short wee, but not for a bit longer. Do you have a smaller, more stable seat for her to sit on?

    Another idea is incentives. We had a No Nappies for Daytime party for my eldest, as encouragement to ditch the nappies. She wasn’t quite there, but the party pushed her over the line.

    Hopefully one of these ideas helps you.


Post your reply
Add a photo
Your MoM account


Lost your password?

Enter your email and a password below to post your answer and join MoM:

↥ Back to top

Thanks For Your Star Rating!

Would you like to add a written rating or just a star rating?

Write A Rating Just A Star Rating
Join