Constipated toddler

[NewMummyJelly]

Hi there looking for some advice please

21 month old is suddenly distressed, grabbing at his nappy and saying poo poo but nothing there… I think he’s finding it hard to go because they’re less frequent and when he does go it has been hard and compact.

we brought home our newborn 3 weeks ago and the NHS website does suggest this could be linked

he also woke up dry yesterday morning, do they hold the wee too if they’re anxious?

what shall I do? Ask the Gp for a laxative? Or give a piece of chocolate in the evening? He barely eats anything but I am trying fibre, fruit and veg.

thank you

Increase fluids (orange juice is good) , add prunes to his cereal, buy califig syrup from the chemist to get the bowels moving. Ask your pharmacist if nothing happens after the natural remedies.

Lots of water helps. Prunes and prune juice (you could add the latter to water) is by far the most helpful thing. I'd caution to go slowly but in line with his bowel movements - if you feel they're reducing further or he's struggling more then go a bit faster.

Failing that the pharmacist can help. I wouldn't worry about talking to the GP unless you exhaust everything with the pharmacist.

My 1 year old had been constipated for about 3/4 days only getting out small hard poos. I increased his prunes, satsumas as they're high in liquid (kept off the bananas) and he had a normal poo finally last night. Definitely go slow with the methods though. Oh and increase fluid.

I would recommend kiwi fruit. Very high in fibre. Usually takes a day or so to work on our child

Congratulations on your new baby!
I second the prune juice and also suggest some cloudy pressed apple juice (if your toddler is more likely to tolerate that). You can buy pouches of puréed prunes which can be mixed with yoghurt and hot chocolate powder to make a pudding if your toddler is likely to be tempted by chocolate (as you mentioned chocolate in your OP).
I would also lay off of the fibre if it is in the form of wholewheat products, sometimes this can make constipation worse for toddlers, even though it works for adults.
It may be that your toddler initially held out as a reaction to the new baby, but now they're obviously regretting it and unable to go.

Yes go to the GP and they will prescribe a stool softener. Look on the ERIC website for advice. Lots of water.

It’s important to get on top of this now so it does cause a long term issue. It’s easy to get on top of it you do it now.

I don’t see how chocolate would help other than tasting nice.

such helpful advice thank you all for getting back to me,

I’ll try some of your suggestions and post next week to say how we’re doing

thank you

DD has had this many times. We have a ladder of escalation: Lactulose (rarely enough), if that doesn't help Movicol, if that doesn't help then Microlax Enemas. The latter is magical - clearout within 10 min. After an episode we usually put her on Lactulose for a while to prevent it coming back. Good luck OP!

Hi
a week later and a big improvement! Orange juice has helped massively and so has more water so natural methods working for now, thanks for the advice

@NewMummyJelly hi i know this is an old post but did your little on cry when trying to pass stool when he was constipated?

No he didn’t actually, just wingy and telling me he wanteed to go
xx