Learning the Loo

Subjected to the tyranny of a 3-year-old's bladder, we've had to dramatically curb our activities away from home. She's picked it up in about a day, and stays dry very well now. However, the #2 portion of the affair has been a tough nut to crack. The first time scared her, so now she holds it as long as possible. This leads to constipation, then pain when it finally does come, and thus more fear and more holding. It's a rough cycle to be in, and we're scrambling to help her break it (hello, fiber: oatmeal, whole-grain pasta, lots of fruit and apple juice).

We just finished day two of the modified diet, which is yielding promising physical results but seems to have no psychological benefits for the subject. We continually find ourselves in a situation where, when she first realizes she has to go, she asks. But the she doesn't go. So she leaves, but asks again 5 minutes later. This repeats continues 6-10 times until she can't hold it any longer and finally gets a tiny bit out. A few hours later, it all happens again. It's very stressful, and we feel terrible for her because she's genuinely afraid and the look in her eye seems to convey a keen sense that she's trapped, that there's no way out except the hard way. (This is consistent with Heather's retelling of her own thought process during Camden's birth.)

We've offered to let her go back to a diaper when she needs to go, but she seems to like being clean and dry so much that even when she's wearing one, she refuses to take advantage and insists on using the bathroom. It's probably time to get her doctor involved, before she starts having health issues.