{"id":511,"date":"2026-01-27T14:20:01","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T14:20:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/feed-production.isthisnormal.co\/?p=511"},"modified":"2026-03-16T18:50:33","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T18:50:33","slug":"potty-training-0323","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.littlespoon.com\/spoon-fed\/potty-training-0323\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips for Pee and Poop Withholding During Potty Training"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the early stages of potty training, it can be fairly common for children to pee and poop less while they are learning their body cues. Sometimes, this can be pretty worrisome to us as parents, but actually it’s just a temporary adjustment to their normal potty routine.<\/p>\n

However, there are times where children DO withhold pee and poop out of fear or resistance to using the potty. This may look like not peeing for very long periods of time (generally several hours or more), trying to physically hold back from releasing pee or poop when they really need to go, or holding in their pee or poop until bedtime or\u2026until they burst (literally).<\/p>\n

Why children withhold<\/h2>\n

There are different reasons why children withhold. The first could be out of a genuine fear of the changes associated with potty training. This milestone<\/a> can often be intimidating for little ones because up until this point they’ve only had to release their pee and poop mindlessly into their diaper<\/a>\/Pull-Up where it stays nice and contained. When the diapers go away, the sensation of releasing pee or poop is very different. It can even feel like part of their body is falling out! (No wonder it’s scary to them, right?!)<\/p>\n

Secondly, children often resist peeing and pooping on the potty due to one thing toddlers are notoriously known for – the power struggle. The exact age that children are often ready for potty training is also the age where they begin experimenting with their autonomy which can present itself through BIG emotions! So the struggle of “I’m absolutely not going to poop until you give me that diaper back” can become very real.<\/p>\n

No matter what the reason is \u2013 there’s no doubt it is stressful! First of all \u2013 it’s much harder to get pee and poop in the potty<\/a> when they aren’t peeing and pooping! Second of all \u2013 it can make you question if you are doing them physical harm by continuing. Don’t worry though, there are ways to help your child overcome their withholding tendencies!<\/p>\n

What to do if your child withholds<\/h2>\n

Every child is different, just like adults! Some children will need to pee every few hours and others will only need to go several times per day. Both types of potty schedules are normal! However, YOU know your child best and you’ll be able to tell if they really need to pee or poop but aren’t making the move to do so.<\/p>\n

When those signs become apparent, try to make the process as fun as you can, so no matter what their reasoning is for not releasing on the potty, they will at least be super motivated to give it a try!<\/p>\n