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Children's health

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Original poster

Constipation help please

29 replies

chloemegjess · 25/11/2008 20:13

Hello. My DD who is nearly 11 months has been constipated for about a month now, which is why I am getting worried.

I did start a thread a week or so ago and a lot of people said to try stopping the weetabix (she would eat up to 2 whole ones for breakfast!!!). But I have tried that and no change. We have tried giving porridge or similar and the last few days she has just had fruit for breakfast.

She is in pain when she poos. I had to take her into a different room today as her sudden screaming was freaking out my mindee! I feel so sorry for her, she obviously doesn't know why she is in pain and I just feel so helpless.

She is pooing daily, but it hurts and is rock solid.

She is eating lots of fruit (Mango, peach, banana, pears, oranges, kiwi etc etc) Nothing is working. Have also tried orange juice and no luck.

I don't THINK it is diet related. She eats pretty healthy, just having a good balance of what we have and mostly home made, occasional jar but doesn't really like them.

What can I do? Should I be worried? If I take her to the doctor (who never takes me seriously anyway) will she be able to do anything?

It is also sometimes waking her up at night or from her naps.

Any ideas?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Malkuth · 25/11/2008 20:23

Does she have follow-on formula? Bunged DD2 up a treat.

thisisyesterday · 25/11/2008 20:24

hmmm bananas always make my 2 constipated so I would cut those out.

too much fibre can cause constipation rather than relieve it. so make sure she is having a healthy amount but don't overdo it.

food intolerances can have the side effect of causing constipation.

for ds1, when it got bad I used to puree prunes and mix with with stewed apple, or some natural yoghurt.
you can buy califig from boots, not sure what (if any) age limit is on it though

simpson · 25/11/2008 20:25

I think i replied to your other thread.

My DD 9mths was always constipated too and screameds and straineds and pooed a lot(7 in a day)

Not saying your DD definately is but does she eat a lot of dairy products? I got the results today which show she cannot tolerate dairy and it makes her constipated and has caused piles

Otherwise I would try very diluted fruit juice, prune juice.

My GP gave us lactulose which she took twice a day which just makes poo softer then her bum could heal.

Would definately go back to doc...

Your poor DD And poor you, I was at my wits end with it...

Original poster

chloemegjess · 25/11/2008 20:37

I think I have a tin of prunes in my cupboard - will these be ok? Or should I wait until I can go and buy some fresh ones? Could maybe use the juice from the tin in her beaker and then blend the actual prunes and mix with some food?

Yes she is on follow on milk. SMA progress (red tin). She has been on this from when I stopped BF at 8 months though and it didn't bung her up before? We did TRY to change her milk to the aptimil first milk but she wasn't having any of it. I have just started a thread in the bottle/BF section about possibly trying ehr with cows milk but not too sure as she has another month until she is 12 months.

As for the dairy - I hope it isn't this. She does have dairy in her diet. She has the formula, often a framais frais or yogurt for pudding once a day, she has cheese in her food. She always had low weight gain so was told to include quite a bit of dairy to keep up the celeries. Her weight has picked up though. How did they test for the dairy intolerance?

OP posts:

rubyslippersisappearinginpanto · 25/11/2008 20:39

banana is well known for bunging up

i would try dried apricots and plenty of water

also try prune juice

the GP can prescribe lactulose

thisisyesterday · 25/11/2008 20:41

they prob won't test for a dairy intolerance, it's prettyt hard to test for.
the best way is to cut it out and see if there is an improvement.

however, in your position, as she has shown no sign of it before I would try other things first.
I would maybe try SMA gold instead of the follow-on (might taste more like progress than the aptimil?)
failing that, then yes, I think I would be tempted to try plain cow's milk and see how she gets on
as long as she has a good varied diet of solids

Malkuth · 25/11/2008 20:42

DD2 was ok for a while and then was hideously constipated. I tried so many things- fruit, raw olive oil, bran, you name it. I then read something on here either from Hunkermunker or Mears talking about how follow-on milk could cause huge constipation problems. I put her back onto first milk and overnight the problem cleared up.

Why don't you try SMA first milk and see if that helps? There is a thread on here at the mo about not having to use formula at all if an older baby east well so will go and hunt out a link for you.

Malkuth · 25/11/2008 20:46

Thread about not always needing to use formula

Thread that I read that made a lightbulb go ping!

MrsRecycle · 25/11/2008 20:46

hi chloe! My ds is like this - goes every 2-3 days and rock solid. Apple juice used to do the trick when he was a baby. Or even better, if she likes fruit (unlike my ds) put some mango, peach, pear in a juicer and see if she will drink a little bit of this. Worked wonders (too good) for my df's ds.

We use califig for ds and this does the trick, I've just checked the bottle and its only for over 1.

dd2 is lactose intollerant and she is the other way so doubt it could be this.

simpson · 25/11/2008 20:48

For DD's dairy testing (had been referred to hospital for this) had to drop off a sample of her poo.

But TBH I knew that was causing it anyway as she seemed to strain/scream about 2hrs after having a yogurt or cows milk on porridge.

Would definitely take her off follow on milk.

Original poster

chloemegjess · 25/11/2008 20:53

Sorry have tried SMA yellow too with no luck. But the constipation didn't start for nearly 2 months after switching to formula?

OP posts:

Malkuth · 25/11/2008 20:57

I can't remember exactly how long it was before DD2 got constipated after going onto follow-on milk but I had definitely gone through at least 3 tins so must have been a few weeks.

Mind you she is a contrary little girl

Original poster

chloemegjess · 25/11/2008 21:01

Sorry I took so long to write that i missed most of your posts!

Will look at those threads now afetr posting this. Thank you for that.

MrsR - Hello! Haven't seen you online for a while! How are you? Yes she will eat fruit. In fact, she will eat pretty much anything!! She is the type of baby that is constantly on the look out for food and even after dinner will try and pinch somebody else's food! Very cheeky. She will drink soomthies and similar too and has learnt to drink out of a straw etc which is handy.

Thanks for checking about the calfig. Not too long till she is 1 so not too long to wait. Although she is small for her age and I think most things also have a min weight? Calpol etc she was always given a very small does from the hospital as they weigh her and do it on that. She is still in clothes that are either 3-6 months or 6-9 months!

OP posts:

Original poster

chloemegjess · 25/11/2008 21:02

Seems everybody agrees to take her off the follow on milk. I only stocked up last week too! I have at least 2 tins and several cartons left!

OP posts:

usernamechanged345 · 25/11/2008 21:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

simpson · 25/11/2008 21:04

Have you tried Cow & gate as it has priobiotics in it which is supposed to help them poo.

Mentioned it to pediatrician at hosp who said it has still not been proven to work but that seemed to be the formula DD tolerated the best.

Although she had a first bottle of soya milk today

Malkuth · 25/11/2008 21:08

I had the same problem as I had 4 tins left. I just went down to Tescos with them and told customer services that my DH was an idiot and had got the wrong one and they swapped them! Didn't have a receipt or anything!

LoveMyGirls · 25/11/2008 21:09

Do a search on my threads, both my dd's have suffered and it awful, it alters their mood and can be very upsetting all round so you have my sympathy, like you my dd's diet is brilliant I'm a cm'er too so I know about nutrition.

Things of the top of my head are lots and lost and lots of drinks, prune juice does clear them out BUT do not give too much (I once left dp with a litre bottle and he didn't realise I meant a bit not the whole bottle, it was coming out both ends bright purple) I also used califig sometimes eventually dd2 was having a sachet of movicol a day then she moved onto just having lactulose then we cut that down slowly and eventually on holidays she started pooing on the toilet and we haven't looked back with dd1 it was solved when she started training with dd2 this is when problems began.

Please come and vent on here because I really do understand how hard it is x

Original poster

chloemegjess · 25/11/2008 21:10

Might try the cow and gate. Can you get the single use cartons of the priobiotic stuff? Just so I don't waste another whole tin if she won't drink it!

Mrs Pickles - She drinks water out of a tommie tippie first cup. She definaly gets the cup properly as she often spits some out as she gets too much in her mouth. Not sure what is enough. She has it in between mouthfulls at mealtimes but not really in between meals. I do offer it and her cup is usually around if she wants it. Usually ends up in a big mess everywhere though!

OP posts:

Original poster

chloemegjess · 25/11/2008 21:13

Thanks LMG. I am a CM too.

When I looked in the shop, the only prune juice I could find is from concentrate. Is this ok? And do you dilute it?

OP posts:

yomellamoHelly · 25/11/2008 21:13

For my 2 osteopathy did the trick (for youngest resolved it almost completely). Also cycling legs has helped them both if they're struggling a bit. Other things that I also did with ds1 were prunes added to yoghurt, fennel tea mixed with tiny bit of apple juice (to make it sweeter) and avoiding cows milk for about a year (had reoccurence of problems when eventually reintroduced it and had to do so very slowly). When he was older bribery worked a treat and that solved it permanently.

simpson · 25/11/2008 21:15

You can buy the carton for about 50/60p.

If she refuses it maybe mix her bottle half with SMA and half with C & G then reduce the SMA slowly.

She sounds just like my DD with drinking water!! I never knew a small child could get so wet!!

MrsRecycle · 25/11/2008 21:27

I fine thanks! Have gone back to work and we are n the process of moving down to Rye having sold our house 2 weeks after putting it on the Market. So don' t get much time for mnet!
Califig isn't weight based it's a herbal medicine with a touch of alcohol in it. Ds is below weight for his age (off the chart!)

Original poster

chloemegjess · 25/11/2008 21:40

Oh right, didn't realise you were moving to Rye! Have you bought a house there?

Thats good about Calfig. DIdn't realise your DS was underweight.

Good Luck with the move!

OP posts:

MrsRecycle · 25/11/2008 21:53

yes our offer has been accepted. We weren't planning on things happening so quickly thought it would take 6 to 8 months.

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