Let’s say a 2 ½ year old little girl has a little trouble with pooping but when she gets in the pool – voila! Perhaps it happens in the first 15 minutes or 2 hours later, but the message that she has to go never gets conveyed.
Well, the water, especially warm water, is probably providing some relaxation for the little girl and that relaxation is affecting the muscles that control the pooping. At 2 1/2 , the accidents may be totally out of her control.
If the little girl is potty trained for the most part anytime except pool time, this probably isn’t a concern. But to help her NOT to poop while in the pool, she could have regular potty breaks before she gets into the pool. By sitting on the toilet for 5 minutes while listening to a story or some other form of entertainment distracts her from trying to go and may allow it happens naturally.
A good practice with little ones this age who tend to pool poop is to keep them in swim diapers until their bodies mature enough to master greater control of their bowels. If the problem doesn’t fix itself as the child matures, a pediatrician should probably be alerted.
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