Constipation...

[BabysMomma]

Yesterday I noticed that there was blood on Avery's bum...looked a bit closer and there was a wee round thing protruding from it and blood around the sides. I thought it was a pile but obviously not sure so I was lucky enough to get an evening appointment with the doc.

When I first weaned Avery, she got very constipated as in her poo was rock hard and she cried at it and ever since on and off she's been looking like she's been squeezing and either nothing or a raisin sized poop will come out. Other times her poo is alright.

What I didn't know, which doc told me yesterday, was that constipation doesn't always mean that someone doesn't actually go to the loo...it can be hard stools. So he said that when Avery was in pain the previous times she has basically learnt that it hurts passing stools so at times when it seems like she's straining she can actually be trying not to pass her stools! which in turn causes constipation and makes the situation worse!

I feel so rotten for her and that I have to give her lactulose medication to soften her stools for 6 weeks so as she learns again that pooing is ok

I just don't know what I've done wrong?

I'm thinking that maybe I'm not giving her enough liquids?

She has 5 bottles of formula milk a day along with her solids and I try and squeeze water or juice in between but it doesn't always happen so maybe it's not enough?

Im really scared about skipping milk and replacing with water/juice cos I don't want her bones etc to suffer. Please help!

Here is her usual daily meal plan...there are times that she doesn't drink the whole bottles so the mls are what I make up not necessarily what she'll drink all of the time. And she takes a few sips here and there of water/juice but this isn't everyday and it is literally sips.

7.30 - 240ml milk
10.30 - 210ml milk which will be used for 1 Weetabix and rest is to drink
13.30 - 210ml milk + Organix fruit pot
16.30 - 210ml milk + a dinner
19.30 - 240ml milk

Out of the 1110mls that I make up she'd probably drink between maybe 500-700mls of it.

Any help on how to best fit in water without reducing the recommended 500-600mls a day of milk would be greatly appreciated and also how best to deal with the constipation.

Thanks x

 

[Loveleen]

Hi BabysMomma, I just saw ur post and thought of replying immediately..plz dont blame urself as I was in same boat. My son always had problem of constipation since he was 4 weeks. I could never understand even when he was taking enough liquids like prune juice, formula, water..apparently we were educated that he was taking time to develop his digestive enzymes. We were given lactolose which didnt work..I even gave him 3 times a day..then we were given movicol which used to work but in the end both movicol and lactolose combination helped..until he was 14 months..after that i started giving him honey which also helped..he is now 15 months and we have stopped both as his poo is normally ok..whenever it gets hard i give him movicol..

so try lactolose/movicol whichever suits and plz dont stop as they go hard as soon as u stop..she will grow out of it like my bubba is growing out of it..good luck

 

[BabysMomma]

Oh thank you so much for replying hun! I really appreciate it. I started with the lactulose yesterday so I'm hoping that it'll help soften her poos and then it'll all get easier for her. But if not I'll certainly see about movical. Honey is yum and I don't think my LO would refuse that as she's a grubber I just really dislike having to use medication for things like this but I guess it's to help her. I just worry about side effects/longterm effects.

I'm very grateful to you for sharing your and your DS's experience. Thank you. x