Constipation

[esthermate]

My DD has been constipated ever since she started eating solids. She has just had her first birthday and I have cut down on her milk (as recommended to encourage her to eat more) but this has just compounded the problem.

Califig worked for a while but now it seems to have stopped working. I have tried giving her prunes and fruit but that hasn't worked. I have also been trying to encourage her to drink more water/juice but she is having none of it.

It is heartbreaking to see, as she literally screams when she passes a stool and it is starting to really stress me out! I haven't been to the doctor about it, as when she was really young I was told by one doctor that they would only be concerned about her bowel movements if she hadn't been for a poo for a week.

I don't really want to increase her milk again as she has only just begun to eat a decent amount since I cut down on her milk (before she would scream if you even approached her with a spoon!)

Does anyone have any good advice about what I can do to help her, and is it something I need to bother the doctor about?

Take her to the doctor and insist on help before it becomes a problem in later life. If they don't help then ask for a referal.

Also clear apple juice can help.

Limit wheat products to one meal, also try goats dairy in place of cows (cows milk has too much calcium and bungs them), also try making soups as they will have more nutrients

Do you suffer from constipation yourself? In my family it seems to have been handed down, gran, mum and sis all suffer badly with it. I have always had it less than them but I think it might be my eating habits (getting yukky veg over with when young, enjoying yummy veg best when older). When I am bunged up I find a protein free day helps to get things moving. Eating the carbs and veg before the protein is the way to control it for me, AFAIK the non-protein items are digested more readily and can pass through the body more easily, leaving space for the digestion of protein. But I am no expert so agree with posters who have said go to the GP.

If she's just started eating a reasonable amount then things may just improve? How long would you say she's had a good solid intake?

I think it was slightly wrong for a dr to advise you that you should only be concerned if she stops going at all... as constipation is defined as either not being able to pass stool or being uncomfortable whilst passing small hard stool. IMO, not going at all is severe constipation, where most constipation is slightly less extreme than that!

I think she needs to be seen by a GP again and perhaps would be given a mild laxative called lactulose IF dietary changes don't solve it. There are lots of things to try at home, if which dried fruits are one. Obviously The only problem with increasing fibre from dried fruit is that the fluid intake must also be increased a fair bit to allow the fibre to swell up and move through the bowel. So as you quite rightly said, they don't really work without the baby complying with extra fluid!

The next thing I would try is to give her a half tsp-tsp of olive oil once or twice a day. Fat and oil is so underated in treating constipation. Olive oil is not quite fully absorbed from the intestines so will help lubricate the stools further down the tract. Fat in the bowel also draws bile salts and acids in to the stool which then allows water to be retained (osmotic pressures etc) in the tract. This will bulk up the stool without irritating the gut.

Good luck

We used prune juice for DS (1), found in asda, with water...worked wonders after a few days. DD ended up on lactulose, sennacot? and movicol sachets. Used them for a few bouts but ok now. :)