23-month-old DD went through a few horrible bouts of constipation a few months ago, and since then she's been afraid to poop, which leads to cycles of holding it in - which creates discomfort - which perpetuates fear - etc. Ugh! We've tried many different things to help her bowels and mitigate her anxiety about this, and there's been some improvement (eg it seems that she's no longer constipated, but for holding it in; and she goes more often than she used to - at this point, every 3 days). However, pooping is still an ordeal - once she realizes it's imminent, she becomes extremely agitated for at least 30 minutes prior to the event, and takes a while to calm down again afterward. Needless to say, we're eager to see her pooping more regularly, without any physical or emotional pain. So my question is:
How can we further guide her through this/what else might she need to heal from this experience?
(This forum is timely - I am seeking advice from all corners! Thanks in advance for your response.)
How can we further guide her through this/what else might she need to heal from this experience?
(This forum is timely - I am seeking advice from all corners! Thanks in advance for your response.)