ok I have been all the way to the end of my tether, been back to the beginning of my tether... and now I am all tethered out! Need words of wisdom please

[bigmouthstrikesagain]

My lovely big healthy 2 yo has been lying on on the sofa groaning and calling for me and cuddles and attention all week - she has been ill but now seems more like she is a bit constipated and scared of having a poo (she has a bit of nappy rash) and I am suffering from severe sympathy exhaustion. Aside from that I am concerned that since a bout of Gastric flu at the beginning of last year she has developed a poo issue - if it is mainly psychological or physic
al I don't really know.

I have no idea how to deal with her now as she is going from bright and happy to crying and refusing food/ drinks in minutes this is combined with a lively bored 4 yo and a 10 week old to deal with. So do I keep dosing with syrup of figs and hope for the best or ignore the protests and take her out for a short brisk walk or ..????

Apple juice, warm drinks, prunes, tummy massage, warm bath, "bicycling her legs". All these can help.

They do get constipated when they have been ill, and it is a horrid feeling.

OTOH, a brisk walk might just do the trick - especially if she is still in nappies - it might just happen IYSWIM.

when did she last poo?

loved your thread title, but no words of wisdom I'm afraid. I would go for a walk, exercise sometimes helps things along.

If you google encopresis you will find lots of information.

Witholding poo after constipation issues after ilness is very common, and it does need to be taken seriously and treated properly.

she does have poos if we give her a warm bath it will come out she had one a day ago - but it is so distressing for her and us and seems to be recurring rather than constant - I will goggle and consult the doctor but we can have months of normality followed by a week of issues after a bug so i suppose i was hoping she would grow out of it.

My 2yr old often behaves like this after she's been ill. Very whiney, and hard work. Recently she stopped using the loo and would only poo on the potty, and then only after days of witholding.
I usually resolve with lots of poo talk to quell the fears (gross, I know but it does work), e.g. waving bye bye to it when it comes etc etc.
Just realised from OP yours is still in nappies... so that's no help then! I used to let her watch me put it down the loo though - found it fascinating.
Special 'poo producing pudding' also regularly appears - stewed apples, prunes, apricots, pears.
Enough with the poo talk...Good luck!

Maybe the answer would be to increase the poo inducing diet as soon as you can if she has been ill - try and pre-empt it if you can?

I think she sounds a bit wound up, on the poo front, so to speak.

Your GP may be able to help - a trip there for some advice would be good, if only to make the point that you're trying to help her. Not that you're not helping her, sometimes children need proof - what do they think we are, liars?! [tooth fairy and father christmas disclaimer here]

Watch the syrup of figs - too much can have the opposite intended effect. Lots of drinks, don't over do fibre, keep her moving about as much as you can. Bicycling legs etc is a good suggestion.

It's entirely possible she's in pain one minute and not the next. Or she may be very brave and manages to distract herself from the pain for a short while. Hence the bouncing one minute and sofa groaning the next.

I would try a quick trip to the park, see how she goes.

thanks for all the advice - much appreciated. I needed to refocus on the issues over her poo habits and I will get some GP advice. I have been dealing with each occurance in isolation and she has always got back to normal after a few days.

still she does need my sympathy and help but doesn't make it easy... I have been trying to make her drink some juice for a couple of hours. wrestling is not working but gentle persuasion andf bribery isn't either. Poor thing i wish she was able to explain exactly what is going on.

hallelujah shes done a nice big poo - the relief all round is palpable - but bloody hell it was a slog getting there. She is so much happier now Still going to consult doc/health visitor though... but phew - it took a walk a warm bath and some energetic leg cycling (she was unwilling throughout all)... and she did not want to drink so when she came and asked for pink milk I knew it was imminent.

When did my life become all about poo

and now she is laughing and showing dd2 how to eat a banana - I feel like a dish rag but I still want to do a happy poo/banana eating dance - then collapse