To poop, or not to poop?

Today was day 3 of Layla not pooping. This is a kid who was regular, once a day, like clockwork. And then we did the whole potty training thing. And now she is afraid to poop.

How do you tell a kid that the longer you wait to poop, the harder it's going to be. I know it isn't hard or painful for her, cause she has always eaten a ton of fiber and has smooshy bowel movements. There is just something about going on the toilet that scares her.

Today she could hold it no more. We spent the first 7 hours of the day watching her do battle with her booty. She would panic, cry a little, grab her butt, say "doo doo butt" and run back to the bathroom. But she would turn right back around. At one point she went into her bedroom, into the ottoman thing that we used to keep her diapers in, saying "I NEED a diaper, mama".

"No honey, you threw them all away. You doo doo in the toilet now". I may have well told her that a moose raped her dog, cause she got pissed.

More hours of fighting. I'm certain that she could have cracked walnuts with the force she was exerting to pinch it off. Finally she could fight no more.

And it was enormous. But she left the situation feeling proud of herself and not freaked out, so perhaps it will continue to get easier.