Your question about appox amount and time a day is medical. Ask your ped. I am not one to hysterically run to the doctor but this absolutely sounds like it could be behavior that has caused constipation that she now cannot help so I would seek a GI specialist.

OP here: I am having a hard time understanding why some many people here think this is a medical issue. The pediatrician who has years of experience and see hundreds of children told me it was not. Could my pediatrician be wrong, sure. But to me, a more obvious explanation for the problem isn’t that my kid has some special condition, but that she has gotten into the routine of pooping in the potty because she can do that and it’s working fine for her. So the question is how to get her out of that routine and into the routine of pooping in the potty.

The pediatrician did suggest small amount of miralax could help and told me to experiment with it. I wish I had asked for more advice like approx. amount and time of day to give.

Anonymous wrote:THEY HAVE RULED OUT A MEDICAL ISSUE.

Just keep at it. It will click.

Can she say what the issue is? What do you think is going on?

Who’s this THEY? You? OP? A generalist pediatrician?

OP - highly recommend you get checked out by a pediatric gastroenterologist before assuming it’s behavioral. That’s exactly what our pediatrician told us and it significantly delayed treatment for my sons encopresis issues.

Get a second opinion from a specialist

Anonymous wrote:You may want to read up on encopresis.

If that is what she has, she can’t control it. Rewards or punishment wouldn’t work if that is the case.

Work with a specialized GI doctor. Regular peds are not that good at figuring it out.

Yes, this 100%, OP. Good luck.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Make her clean it up

+100 also I would not her hold the barbie clearly she's not motivated by this. I'm wondering if op is making a big deal of these accidents and she likes the attention even negative. Act like it's not a big deal but tell her you are no longer cleaning it up she will have to.

A toddler?!! Are you all remembering just how little a toddler is? How cruel.

You may want to read up on encopresis.

If that is what she has, she can’t control it. Rewards or punishment wouldn’t work if that is the case.

Work with a specialized GI doctor. Regular peds are not that good at figuring it out.

Is this full-on BMs in her underwear, or more like smudges/leakage?

My DD was in the second camp at 4, it was behavioral/withholding which led to constipation. We kept her plied with prune juice and Miralax so the constipation would not get severe.

I can't say what changed mentally for her, but we ultimately set up a routine where she sat on the toilet at the same time each night, with a stool for her feet (very important!) and the ipad. Screen time was the ultimate motivator. She would sit long enough for a full BM and the accidents stopped.

Also she she seem to poop at the same time each day? Have her shit on the potty at those times.

Anonymous wrote:Make her clean it up

+100 also I would not her hold the barbie clearly she's not motivated by this. I'm wondering if op is making a big deal of these accidents and she likes the attention even negative. Act like it's not a big deal but tell her you are no longer cleaning it up she will have to.

Yeah probably constipation. It doesn’t really matter if it’s “behavioral” or not because the behavior of withholding can lead to a physical problem that can require intervention. Especially if she’s not aware these little accidents are happening, it could be from backed up stool and/or an enlarged colon.

Get an appointment now with a pediatric gastroenterologist because it will take months to get in. While you’re waiting I would go to a different pediatrician.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It may be constiparion and not a behavioral issue. Suggest you get a consult or try miralax. Or look up Dr. Hodges

If she is pooping 2-3 times a day, how is it constipation?

It’s a very typical constipation symptom to have frequent small poop accidents.

Let her hold the Barbie box while on the potty but not open the box. I know it sounds crazy but it was the distraction my more anxious kid needed to let go of the poop.

Make her clean it up

OP, get a celiac blood test for her to rule out celiac disease. One strong symptom is odd symptoms of bms.