Pooping in the Nap Diaper: Why It Happens and How to Help Your Toddler Stop
- Jen
- 6 days ago
- 6 min read
Inside: Is your toddler fully potty trained during the day but still pooping during nap time? You’re not alone — and this may not just be a phase. For some kids, nap diaper poops are a real hurdle to ditching pull-ups.
This content contains affiliate links which means I may make a commission from shopping from these links.
Why Is My Child Still Pooping During Nap?
I've seen it a thousand times with parents weeks or months after potty training their toddler.
You think you’re “good to go,” and your toddler pees in the potty, no problem. But the pooping in the potty part is missing.
You're seeing poops show up in the nap diaper.
I recently had a couple of parents pop into my inbox with the same concern when asked about their biggest potty training struggle:
Withholding poop. He is now holding it in until it is time to sleep (nap time or night time).
She has not pooped in the potty at all but pooped in the nap diaper yesterday.
What’s going on here? In most cases, nap-time poops fall into one of three categories:
A timing transition (your child needs time settling into using the potty for peeing before relaxing to poop in the potty)
A habit (the diaper signals “go time”)
A withholding pattern (your child feels the urge when awake but resists until nap)
If your child poops daily during nap or has never pooped in the potty — it’s usually more than a timing issue.
💩 Want help sooner? Book a consult or check out the Poop Withholding Plan.
Understanding Nap-Time Potty Patterns
With pee, you want to look for pee patterns. If your child’s nap diaper is dry for several days in a row, you’re likely ready to remove the nap diapers.
With poop, one accident in the bed is enough to say: this setup isn’t working. 💩
Holding poop for sleep time (whether nap or night) is a form of poop withholding. The child feels the urge while awake but holds back. Then the poop slides out once the body is fully relaxed during sleep.
👉 Seeing poop withholding? Toddlers pooping in their nap diapers regularly are commonly withholding.
Red Flag Signs Nap Diaper Poops Are a Withholding Pattern
Here’s what to watch for...
Visual cue: A child peers through a magnifying glass — because spotting poop withholding signs takes a little detective work!
Watch for these behaviors—they signal deeper withholding issues.
Asking for the nap diaper to poop — you want to avoid giving a diaper on request to poop in.
Pushing nap time earlier or acting tired when they’re not.
Pre-nap behavior like tiptoe walking, grabbing their bum, becoming aggressive or super clingy.
Pee accidents in the morning or delays going to pee in the potty at daycare.
Partial pee releases or dribbling pee because they’re afraid the poop will slip out, too.
These are all signs your child is holding poop — and that the nap diaper has become part of the withholding cycle. 👉 Want 1-on-1 support to get out of the poop withholding cycle? See my Withholding Poop Plan! 💩
When to Intervene (and When You Can Wait)
If your child is:
Under age 3
Calmly pooping in the nap diaper with no other red flags
Newly potty trained (under a month into potty training)
…it’s typically okay to wait it out a few weeks. Often, toddlers will start pooping in the potty within 6–8 weeks of daytime training.
If that’s your situation, stay the course and keep making it easier for your toddler to poop during the waking hours. What can you do?
Add more fats to your toddler's diet. 👉 Fat over fiber helps your child poop. Listen here to the Oh Crap potty training podcast episode that explains why. 🎧
Try gelatin-based snacks (like homemade gummies) — they’re gentle on digestion and often help regular poops. You can take a high-quality gelatin powder and batch up gelatin gummies based on a fruit flavor that your toddler likes.
Check that your toddler is taking in enough fluids and not running dehydrated. Coconut water (which can be used as a smoothie base) helps for hydration and electrolytes.
But if your child:
Is age 3 or older
Has never pooped in the potty
Shows withholding signs (you can visibly tell when your child needs to poop because of distress signals)
Poops daily during nap with no change in sight
…it’s typically time to intervene. The longer the pooping in the nap diaper pattern continues, the harder it becomes to shift.
What You Can Do About It
Here’s how to support your child through this transition:
✅ Move Out of the Crib
Your child needs access to the potty if the urge hits during nap. 👉 Timing the crib to bed move.
✅ Set Up the Bed for Accidents
Layer waterproof pads over the sheet so changes are quick and low-stress. 👉 How to layer the bed for nap and night training.
✅ Build in for the stall
It's unlikely you'll see a poop land in the potty before nap in a hot minute. So reverse-engineer your schedule leading up to naptime to build in extra time for your toddler to relax and try to release the poop.
✅ Remove the Nap Diaper — Thoughtfully
If the nap diaper is being used only for poop, removing it may be necessary. But don’t wing it — prep the environment and set expectations. Role-play, adjust nap timing, and offer calm support. 👉 Here's more on how to drop the nap diapers.
A Heads Up on What You Might See
If you remove the nap diaper and:
Your child starts pooping in the bed 💩🛏️, or
You see signs of escalating withholding (no poop all day, discomfort, clinginess)
…then it’s time to get help. When withholding escalates, it leads to toddler constipation. You want to keep seeing daily good poops from your toddler.
Timing Matters: Don’t Wait Too Long
If your child is over age 3, we recommend night and nap training sooner than later anyway. By this age, the bladder is developing, and you want your child to consolidate nighttime pee without relying on pull-ups.
The longer the nap diaper stays, the more it becomes a poop crutch. And like saying goodbye to a pacifier at age 3 — the older they are, the harder the transition can be.
Want More Support?
💩 Still stuck in a nap-time poop loop? I can help.👉 Book a 1-on-1 consultation
Already started removing nap diapers?👉 Read: The Best Ways to Drop the Nap Diaper With Success
FAQ: Nap-Time Pooping and Potty Training 😴💩
Why is my toddler still pooping during nap time?
If your toddler is pooping during nap even after daytime potty training, it may be a habit, a timing issue, or a form of poop withholding. Many kids resist the urge to poop while awake and then release it once their body relaxes during sleep. (Keep in mind the anus is a sphincter muscle.)
