Toddler’s Constipation: Emotional or dietary?

Dear parent,

Your question does not tell me what your daughter eats, and what her behavioral and emotional expressions are. I therefore simply recommend that you assume there is an emotional side to her constipation and follow the suggestions in my previous answer: http://mothering.com/health/two-year-old-holding-bowels

At the same time, continue breastfeeding. Your child is much too young for weaning and there is no logic in discontinuing this regular liquid intact. Breastfeeding gives her much more liquid that she will ever get without it. Make sure to eat non constipating food yourself, and to offer her lots of raw fruit (with the skin) and vegetables and raw or at least not overly cooked fats (never heated oils or fried foods.) Avoid all sugars, refined grains, baking goods, and processed foods. Rice milk can sometimes constipate. 

Laxatives can be harmful and causing more constipation and dependency on them in the long run. Foods can do the same job healthfully. In addition to raw fruits and vegetables, give your child a little organic unsalted butter (ideally raw,) or, some cold press organic oliver oil before meals, to make the bowel movement move slippery and therefore less painful, even when hard. 

At age two some children sometimes breastfeed almost exclusively, so that does not necessarily mean that she is holding back but I cannot know without speaking with you. If you wish to discuss the possibility of emotional control issue with me, I will be happy to assist you via a phone session. You can sign up for a session on my site: http://authenticparent.com/guidance.html

Warmly, Naomi Aldort, http://authenticparent.com/