Constipation? What's normal? Help!

[Ice Cold Cube]

Hi lovely ladies

My LO has been really struggling to poo for the past week. He's always grunted and groaned when dooing a poo but this week it's gone to a whole new level in that nothing at all is coming out during the day when he tries (and he is really trying), and then he's finally passing really firm big poos in his cot not long after he's had his bath, had his bottle and been put down to sleep (he's a tummy sleeper). This is new - he's never been one to poo in bed!

His diet hasn't changed too dramatically, although he has been eating more sandwiches for lunch over the past few weeks. We've also dropped his afternoon bottle - previously he was having 4oz between lunch and dinner (so not a massive amount of fluid) - now we give him water and a small food snack. I posted on here a few weeks ago about how he wouldn't drink water from a cup, but actually he's been really quite good at drinking plain water since then, and his nappies are always wet when I change him, so I don't think he is dehydrated. He has loads of energy throughout the day too.

I'm just not sure what to do really! I hate to see him struggle to poo and want him to go back to the way he was. Can anyone offer any advice? Do I just need to make sure he drinks even more water? He drinks 8oz miilk on waking, has plenty of yogurts and fruit etc throughout the day, and still eats lots of 'wet' foods like casseroles and pasta and sauce etc, and also drinks 8oz milk before bed, sometimes more.

Thanks all!

Laura x

 

[lauren10]

Do you think he might be holding it in on purpose? i hear kids can do that if they have any negative associations with bm's. Are you giving him a lot of high fiber foods? Fruit and yogurt are good, but maybe he needs more whole wheat breads and pasta and fibrous veggies. Also don't hesitate to use a suppository if it's been a day or two without going.

 

[Ice Cold Cube]

Do you think he might be holding it in on purpose? i hear kids can do that if they have any negative associations with bm's. Are you giving him a lot of high fiber foods? Fruit and yogurt are good, but maybe he needs more whole wheat breads and pasta and fibrous veggies. Also don't hesitate to use a suppository if it's been a day or two without going.

Thanks for replying .

I did wonder that. It looks like he is trying to go during the day though . He has been really fussy getting his nappy changed lately - he doesn't like it because it's interupting his play time!

He eats 1/2 weetabix or muesli with whole milk for breakfast, and usually has a pasta and veg sauce meal every day for either his lunch or dinner. His other meal of the day will include fish or meat with veg such as brocolli, peas, cauliflower or potato. He also has a little porridge for supper before his last bottle.

He makes a really funny face when he is trying to poo. It makes him look a little freaky! We are used to it and don't make an issue of it, but I wonder if someone has saw him and laughed and that has given him a negative association? Would he be too young for that though? My younger sister (12 year age gap!) had exactly this problem when she was little - although she was a bit older than Alex when it started.

Today he has strained on and off quite a bit, but every nappy has just been wet. I am at a loss what to do!

Laura x

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Ruby is funny about poo, has been for about a year and definitely holds it in. She is out of nappies during the day even but will not poo on the toilet - only once I've put her bedtime nappy on.
Her poo is usually very hard and she says it hurts her Obviously a viscious circle but what can I do, no idea.
But my friend who had her LO seen by a specialist re constipation was told that as long as they do a poo every day then not to worry.

 

[Ice Cold Cube]

Ruby is funny about poo, has been for about a year and definitely holds it in. She is out of nappies during the day even but will not poo on the toilet - only once I've put her bedtime nappy on.
Her poo is usually very hard and she says it hurts her Obviously a viscious circle but what can I do, no idea.
But my friend who had her LO seen by a specialist re constipation was told that as long as they do a poo every day then not to worry.

Thanks We've not had anything today so far, but I hope to hear some grunting over the monitor soon, which will prompt a nappy change. No doubt it'll be when we settle down for dinner lol!

I'd even be happy to go back to the explosive BM poos we had in the early days. And they were messy lol!

Laura x

 

[spacebaby]

It could be they are not drinking enough water, or not getting enough fibre, eg porridge, fruit etc.