Stool Withholding Help

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Stool Withholding Help

🌟 Dr Kate McGarry 🧠 Developmental Psychologist 📖 Check out my book for support and guidance ⬇️

15/01/2026

Child only poos in nappy and not in bathroom?
 This is a common challenge! The first step to getting poo in the loo for children who resist is getting them into the bathroom and building comfort. A poo mat makes this transition gentle and positive.
✅ Create a special mat together with your child—decorate it with stickers, family photos, and fun colors.
✅ Place the mat in the bathroom from the start so they begin associating poo time with the bathroom.
✅ Once they’re comfortable, gradually move the mat closer to the toilet every few days.
✅ When ready, let your child sit on the toilet in their nappy and celebrate every attempt!
✅ Eventually, use the fade out technique to move away from nappies completely.
💬 Comment “mat” for a DM with links to resources to make your mat and to learn more about the fade out technique!

13/01/2026

Child constipation and stool withholding are far more common than most parents are told — and it’s not about bad behaviour, laziness, or refusal.

Many children withhold because their body doesn’t feel safe, organised, or confident enough to let go. Sensory processing, nervous system regulation, and mixed advice can all play a role — which is why quick fixes often don’t work.

If you’re supporting a child who is holding their poo, this page is here to give you clear, practical, evidence-based support that actually makes sense.

💬 Comment GUIDE below to get access to my practical parent guide for tackling stool withholding with confidence and clarity.

10/01/2026

🚽 Unhelpful toileting advice I hear all the time (and why it backfires)

There’s a lot of potty training and toileting advice that sounds helpful…
but can actually make things harder for children 👀

👉 “Just wait until they’re ready”
Readiness matters — but waiting without support can allow fear, stool withholding and accidents to become patterns.

👉 “Take the nappy away and they’ll have to use the toilet”
For many children, this increases anxiety and power struggles — not body confidence.

👉 “Use rewards, they’ll be motivated”
Rewards can work short-term, but often shift focus away from listening to the body and add pressure.

👉 “Accidents mean they’re not trying”
Accidents usually mean something isn’t working yet — not a lack of effort.

✨ Supportive toileting isn’t about pressure or quick fixes.
It’s about routine, safety, predictability and understanding what your child’s body is communicating.

If this resonates, check out my profile for calm, evidence-based toileting support and practical strategies for families 🤍

05/01/2026

If the holidays have knocked toileting off track, you’re not alone 💛

It can feel like everything has unravelled — more accidents, more resistance, progress that suddenly feels lost. That feeling of “we were doing so well” can be really hard.

But this is incredibly common.

Holidays bring late nights, different food, travel, excitement and a loss of routine — and for many children, toileting is the first thing to wobble 🚽

This isn’t failure.
It’s a nervous system and body adjusting to change.

The focus now is gentle rebuilding:
✨ Bring daily routines back in
✨ Reintroduce toileting predictably and without pressure
✨ Keep responses calm and neutral
✨ Praise effort, not outcomes

Progress in toileting is rarely linear — small setbacks don’t undo learning.

You’re not back at the beginning. You’re just finding your way back to what works 🤍

02/01/2026

Helping children who struggle with pooing is about more than just the toilet 💛

I wrote Squiggy the Poo to support children who withhold, feel anxious, or feel uncertain about the pooing process.
Through story and interaction, it helps children make sense of what their body is doing and builds confidence around pooing — at their pace 🚽✨

So many parents have shared how it’s helped reduce fear, change conversations at home, and make potty training feel less overwhelming.

Squiggy the Poo is available to buy on Amazon.
You can also tap the link in my bio to find it on Eric’s website or Waterstones online.

01/01/2026

🚽 Stool withholding isn’t just physical — the psychology matters too.

Many children withhold because pooing can feel uncertain, uncomfortable, or even scary. It’s not stubbornness — it’s their body and brain trying to protect them from something they don’t feel in control of.

Over time, this can make the muscles tense and make it hard for them to start again. That’s why children may need support to re-learn how to initiate a poo.

Supporting withholding means helping your child feel safe, relaxed, and in control. Gentle routines, clear expectations, and patience allow them to recognise their body’s signals and take small steps toward letting go.

When the physical and psychological sides are addressed together, children can regain confidence and independence with pooing.

✨ Check out my profile for practical, evidence-based strategies to support stool withholding 🤍

30/12/2025

As 2025 comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on the families I’ve had the privilege of supporting this year 💛

Supporting children with stool withholding and toileting difficulties can feel overwhelming, isolating and exhausting, but you are not alone. This year has been about sharing evidence-based guidance, reassurance and practical tools to help families feel more confident and supported 🚽✨

In 2026, there is even more to come. More education, more resources, and more support — all focused on helping children and families navigate toileting challenges with compassion and clarity 🌱

If you need support now, tap the link in my bio to access resources, or check out the highlights at the top of my profile for videos on:
• Disimpaction
• Macrogols
• Stool withholding support
• Toilet anxiety
• Moving from nappy to toilet
• And much more

Thank you for being here and trusting me with such an important part of your child’s journey 💛

29/12/2025

✨ Client testimonial ✨

Supporting children with stool withholding and toilet refusal can feel overwhelming — especially when it has been going on for years. This family had been struggling for almost three years before coming to a consultation, and their progress is a powerful reminder that change is possible with the right guidance.

If you’re feeling stuck, exhausted, or unsure what to try next, you don’t have to navigate this alone. I offer 1:1 consultations for parents who want clear, compassionate, developmental-psychology-informed support.

👉 Tap the link in my bio to explore consultations and take the next step forward 💙

27/12/2025

When your child finally poos on the toilet 🥹🚽

This moment doesn’t come easily for so many families.
Behind it are weeks (sometimes months or years) of anxiety, avoidance, accidents, encouragement, and holding it all together ❤️‍🩹

If this is your journey, please know:
✨ Your child isn’t being difficult
✨ You haven’t done anything wrong
✨ This is hard

For many children, toileting struggles are about fear, body awareness, control and readiness — not stubbornness. And they need support that works with their nervous system, not against it.

Follow for calm, developmentally informed strategies from a developmental psychologist to support toilet anxiety, stool withholding and tricky transitions — without shame or pressure 🤍

26/12/2025

Stool withholding is one of the most under-recognized issues in kids and here’s why that matters.
It’s often treated as simple constipation. Laxatives help soften stool, but the behavioral and sensory fear of pooing doesn’t just disappear. If we only treat the physical side, the withholding continues, leading to pain, accidents, and a cycle that’s hard to break.
Think of it like treating knee pain with painkillers but ignoring the fear of movement after an injury, the physical side improves, but the avoidance stays.
Supporting both physical and behavioural/sensory aspects is key for long-term success. Education, routines, and positive experiences matter just as much as medication.
💡 Want practical strategies to break the withholding cycle? Follow for tips that actually work!

21/12/2025

🎄✨ Merry Christmas from Squiggy the Poo! ✨🎄

Wishing you and your families a calm, cosy and joy-filled Christmas. I know this time of year can be full of fun, but it can also bring big changes to routines, food, travel and emotions – and for children struggling with toilet anxiety, constipation or stool withholding, that can feel especially overwhelming.

If you need guidance over the holidays, you’re not alone. 💛
Head to the highlights at the top of my profile for clear support on:

✨ Macrogols & how they work
✨ Disimpaction regime guidance
✨ Moving from nappies to toilet
✨ Supporting toilet anxiety
✨ Tips for stool withholding + toileting routines

These resources are there to help you feel informed, confident and supported – even during the Christmas break.

Sending love, encouragement and festive cheer from me and Squiggy the Poo! 🎅💩✨

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