Constipated toddler

[AFWife]

DS seems to constipate easily. Like, if I don't feed him graham crackers and fruit all day kind of easily. I've even cut back his milk intake and make him do water all day. (The problem with that is I have to do it in sips because any sort of cup, including sippy, turns into him pouring water everywhere)

What gives? Any ideas? He still goes poop everyday...but the starting poops are hard and thump into his potty chair. After that it's a normal poop.

[mlh]

It is good that he is going every day! My oldest had constipation when she was a toddler and a few times it got so bad that we had to give her over the counter medicine. My Naturopath finally decided that it was stress...because it would only happen at stressful times in her life. Anyway, this really has nothing to do with your situation, but perhaps you could look at eliminating certain foods in his diet to see if it helps. Or introducing other foods...my friend finally found that giving her son high fiber bread every day solved his constipation issue.
good luck!

[pbjmama]

I started giving my dd chewable probiotics and it has helped her alot. Her diet is pretty good so I'm not sure why it happens to her. She does get some dairy but prefers water to milk and has keifer with her breakfast.

[CliffsideMama]

Our naturopath has suggested we rub castor oil on Dd's belly nightly before sleep. The oil is absorbed through her skin and helps move her bowels. When Dd hasn't pooped I'll sometimes rub it in during the day and it may just be timing but often she'll go soon after the oil is applied. (The little massage doesn't hurt either!).

Totally safe, gentle and effective. Apparently it was an old-time remedy (taken internally) for keeping adults regular too.

Our grocery store carries castor oil in the pharmacy section near the other constipation medicines.

[MountainMamaGC]

My toddler has on again off again constipation issues. We made it 3 months with no interventions (Suppository/milk of magnesia). Recently she has become constipated again. She eats lots of fruit and gets plenty of fiber, but we did start potty training and I think that has backtracked her constipation issue. Here are some things that helped us. I will do milk of magnesia for a few days at a time to get her in a routine of pooping once day. If you do that, give lots of fluids. Its pretty gentle, and does not give her cramps. I cant let it hurt, because once it hurts, she starts witholding stool.

Flax oil or ground flax in yogurt
No milk or cheese.
More liquids. More fruits.
Benefiber in water or watered down juice.