2 year old difficulty passing hard poo...

[TinselCoveredWILKIE]

He cries and tells me his bottom hurts. When he has pooed there is generally a HUGE lump of poo and very hard. No blood from his bottom though.

He goes every 2-3 days (he used to be regular), he eats plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, I don't give him banana as that bungs him up.

Have started giving him fresh orange twice a day but still the problem persists.

Any advice?

(Oh and he drinks plenty of water/weak squash)

I know my sister gives my niece dried apricots for this. The organic ones are really nice.

Tom has bad constipation, bless him. Have been giving him syrup of figs and MIL has been putting prune juice in his blackcurrant juice. Seems to be better, it's not nice watching him straining.

Forgot to say that my sister wanted to give her dd syrup of figs but they all had laxative in which she didn't want.

Thank you! Have managed to get him in at GP for 2pm today so will see if they can prescribe a mild laxative? Weird why it has just started though.

Prunes? Sounds gross but dd will eat them hand over fist, esp from grandma tinned ones with a bit of the syrup still on as an incentive! Usually gets dds bum going!!!

my 2.4 year od has just started this and i am wondering if he needs to be potty trained and is holding it in. I remember my daughter went though the same thing about the same age

is he in nappies or potty training? has there been any traumatic experience? (a poo accident for example)

mine went through a stage where they would hold back because they did not want to do one.

DS 3 still will not poo on loo it has to be potty as he is afraid of the splash.

I didn't think that Tom might be holding it in, he could well be. He's 2.8 on friday and we've not really started potty training.

Think you need more (TMI alert) 'stool softening' foods (ie those rich in fibre). I have in mind that pears are good for such a purpose but not sure where I heard it.

and keep the fluid intake up.

Just got back from GP, she has prescibed Movicol Paediatric sachets to get things moving.

He had really bad constipation at the start of this which really hurt his bottom and she thinks, like someone mentioned below, that it could have traumatised him and he is now holding onto his poo which is making it hard and difficult to pass.

He is also nearing potty training I think - he is aware of poo and wee and his potty but am scared to venture into that area at the moment. Am pg with No 2 and dreading the hassle of potty training but it needs doing before No 2 arrives!

I know the feeling I prefer the put it off till they practically train themselves approach. (I am also pregnantso I know how you feel)
Glad your gp was helpfull