# People using laxatives to toilet train ?!?



## HannahsMomma (Oct 2, 2006)

My friend and I were talking today about how people used to potty train
children at younger ages. She said her grandmother potty trained her mom and aunt by 11 months using laxatives. I was really surprised. Has anyone heard of that ?


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## LiamnEmma (Nov 20, 2001)

um, I did that.







DS held his stool. Really held his stool. So for about a week during the potty-training period (he had pee down pat at that point) I gave him half the recommended dose of a children's laxative once every other day. It made it just urgent enough that he couldn't control hold stool, but his stool was certainly not watery either.


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## woobysma (Apr 20, 2004)

I'd never heard of that and, to be honest, it sounds weird to me. But LiamnEmma's post reminds me of my little brother, who REFUSED to poo on the potty to the point that my mom was worried.

It wouldn't be my first choice, but I could see how it could help in certain situations, maybe.


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## MamaOutThere (Apr 6, 2007)

My grandmother did that to my mom. Mom's still traumatized by it.


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## nextcommercial (Nov 8, 2005)

I have potty trained over 100 kids, and I have never heard of that.

But, it does make sense if a child is holding it. You don't want them to be constipated.


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## Dov'sMom (Jan 24, 2007)

Well, not a laxative exactly, but for pee-potty-training my youngest siblings, we would give them bags of potato chips sprinkled with salt to encourage them to drink as much as possible...


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## Demeter9 (Nov 14, 2006)

I could see it in the case of withholding, so that you don't get to the point where you get more serious problems.

But in a child who doesn't have the control/withholding thing? Shocking. I'd be very upset.


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## MamaOutThere (Apr 6, 2007)

Yeah, my mom didn't have witholding problems. Grandmother gave her a laxative and made mom sit on the toilets, sometimes for up to an hour or longer, until she passed a bm. She wasn't abusive in any other way, just not a good mother.


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## HannahsMomma (Oct 2, 2006)

We were talking more along the lines of using laxatives and sitting on the toilet until they had a bowel movement. It wasn't because they were constipated. It was a method of training before they actually had bowel control. That's why I was surprised.


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## ann_of_loxley (Sep 21, 2007)

Yes - I can see the need for children who hold a poo in so long it hurts and they become constipated.

However - you are obviously not talking about that.

Quote:

It was a method of training before they actually had bowel control. That's why I was surprised.
However however - as one who did EC I would just like to clear up that if a childs elimination needs are not ignored (ie - nappy isnt just put on them to 'go' in) - they do have spincter control (including wee and poo) from birth. (we also didnt sit on the toilet all day long - and trust me...my ds had diarreah twice and it wasnt fun! lol)


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## woobysma (Apr 20, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *HannahsMomma* 
We were talking more along the lines of using laxatives and sitting on the toilet until they had a bowel movement. It wasn't because they were constipated.

When you put it this way, I can't see any reason not to call that border-line abusive. Like the poop version of CIO.


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## ann_of_loxley (Sep 21, 2007)

Ive actually seen some photos of old 'potties' used in the 18-19oo's - where there are straps for the legs and arms and a bar across the front of it to hold a small child in!...eeek!!!


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## MamaOutThere (Apr 6, 2007)

They use those in orphanages in some countries. Get all the babies (pre-sitting, too) to go at the same time every day.


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## afishwithabike (Jun 8, 2005)

I would ONLY do that if there were holding issues that started to cause bowel obstructions (IE. holding for three days). I worked in a nursing home and then did home care. Medically we didn't worry until the third day. Then a stool softener/laxative was given. Poor child.


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## Kessed (Nov 28, 2007)

Could it have something to do with the old formulas? From what I've heard most kids on them were quite constipated.


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