Baby has always been constipated - help!

[VeronicaFranklin]

Sorry for TMI but I need some advice.

My daughter is 11 months old and has only ever done a few soft poos when she was newborn! Then they have always been hard/difficult for her to pass.

She has been on Gaviscon for reflux since about 3 months old and whenever we have taken her to the Drs regarding her 'constipation' if she's seemed to be struggling they have always put it down to her being on Gaviscon which apparently can cause constipation. So I've never questioned it further.

She's now 11 months old and we stopped the Gaviscon gradually from around 9 months as she stopped refluxing once weaning, she is fully weaned eating a variety of fruit and vegetables and drinks water with every meal.

But her stools are still hard, sometimes compacted other times like little rabbit droppings, they are never soft or messy, I mean how on earth can I be the only mum who has made it to almost 1 year without a poonami?!

She is well in herself, plays, eats well, seems absolutely fine, occasionally she strains to go but never has a bloated tummy but usually just passes these really hard stools. I've spoken numerous times to drs and recently she's been prescribed movicol but her stools are the same. I have given her pouches of prunes which seems to sometimes help but not always.

Anyone had similar experience? Should I worry/ask for further investigation or is it likely just one of those things that will sort itself out in time?

We have had a very similar journey with our 1.5year old. We’re finally in a place where he is no longer in pain passing stools, we do the following everyday:

• half a cosomocol sachet first thing
• prune pouch with breakfast
• melon or similar alongside lunch
• 1/3 apple juice to water sippy cup before nap
• yoghurt with dinner
• no bananas

does she eat alot? My son eats large portions and I don’t think that helps things. The issue with his is that they were very large and hard.

She eats well, I wouldn't say a lot but a regular day might look like below:

Breakfast 7am ish - weetabix with whole cows milk warmed and sliced strawberries/ mashed banana and Water from sippy cup

Offer bottle - she'll usually take 4 oz

Snack - blueberries and an Ella's Kitchen crispy stick

Lunch 12.30 ish - Wholemeal toast with soft cheese, sliced grapes, yogurt and water to drink

Offer afternoon bottle - she'll usually have 3/4 oz

Dinner - Cottage pie, broccoli, carrots and some sort of pudding like rice pudding

Bedtime bottle usually 5oz

She does still sometimes wake wanting a night feed and will take 3/4 oz.

I would stop the wholemeal toast and use white bread until she is 5 yrs old and drop wheatabix for now. And avoid banana too. These things can all cause constipation in children.

I have been going through a very similar thing with by one whose 11 months next week. The only differences are:

-he is on alfamino formula due to suspected cows milk allergy when younger. We have been told to try the milk ladder soon but we have never had a 'break' from the constipation.

• he has had quite a few wet nappies when he's been teething but as soon as the teeth cut, he's constipated again

• he seems very very uncomfortable with it: often up all night, always straining but not always followed by pooping.

The main thing for me it's affecting his sleep, doesn't sleep well or nap fully until he has managed to poop but same as you, he doesn't get any information from the Drs and we just get told to give him laxatives until he has pooped and that it's normal.

So frustrating - any help or advice!?