Pooping after lights out or early in the morning

Most kids will not need to poop after lights out until an age-appropriate wake up time -- just like me or you. But there are a few exceptions to this...

1. When kids are potty training.
Sometimes learning to poop in the potty can take a little longer than pee and kids hold it until their bodies are calm and their alone which can mean pooping in diaper/pull up after lights out. If this happens, go in, keep lights dim, change them quickly with as little interaction as possible and get right back out of the room. Don't feel the need to re-do bedtime. 

2. When you are making big changes to their sleep schedule
When you see kids pooping in the 5am hour, it's actually a sign that their circadian rhythms are changing. This is a good thing! If you're making a change to align their sleep schedule with their biological needs and they're starting to sleep more, this can happen. It won't last very long - usually a week or less. Just go in, change them quickly, keep lights dim and then get right back out of the room.