My daughter is 25 months. We started potty training 3 weeks ago, and everything is going great EXCEPT that she’s scared to poop in her little potty.

Pee is no problem. She only wears diapers for sleep, and she hasn’t had a pee accident since day 3. She self-initiates when she needs to go, can hold it if she needs to hold for a little bit, etc.

But she is SCARED of pooping on the potty. Fine with peeing on it, but if she feels like she needs to poop, she suddenly crying and won’t go near the potty.

It’s weird because her first three poops when we started potty training were on the potty, no problem. But since that first week, all poops have landed on the floor. (Thinking maybe that last potty poop hurt and now she’s remembering that?)

I can’t figure out how to get her past the fear. I take her with me when i poop (🤦🏼‍♀️😫), we say hello and goodbye to the potty (weird but seemed like a good idea at the time to help it feel more familiar and friendly), hugging her upper body for comfort while her lower half is on the little potty (she just won’t go), distractions like reading/toys/screens, and offering m&ms for pooping in the potty (desire for m&ms doesn’t overcome the fear).

She will only poop while standing, and even if we aren’t trying to coax her onto or near the potty, she’s still distressed and crying. It’s almost like she’s now afraid of pooping in general? She’s not asking for a diaper or trying to poop elsewhere.

We have never shamed, punished, or forced her to the potty, so i don’t think we made her think pooping is scary or bad. It’s only been praise and patience and levity. I’m at a loss for what to try next to make pooping on the potty un-scary and fun.

Glow mamas, i need your wisdom!