So DS1 (3yo) is having problems with poo. He started off being very constipated one day and eventually passing two really big poos which hurt a lot to get out, poor lamb. Lots of crying and straining.
I've been dosing him with lactulose ever since to stop it recurring until his bottom feels better, but now he is withholding and refusing to go. When he gets the urge to poo he sits down and looks like he's straining, but actually he's straining to keep it in.
This has been going on for over a week now - he does poo properly occasionally, mostly at nursery, and small bits escape every time he tries to hold it in, but I don't know whether to ignore, or talk to him, or what.
I've tried explaining about why poo needs to come out, I've tried showing him how we flush poo away (he isn't potty trained yet), I've tried bribery with chocolate, I've tried ignoring, but he's still doing it. He eats a good diet, lots of fruit and veg and water and we've increased the amount of water by reminding him to drink etc
We recently had another baby (4 weeks old) and I'm wondering if that's part of the problem? I also looked up chronic constipation and read the MN archives and it's possible he's still constipated and the bits that are passing are the soft stuff getting round the blockage, iyswim, but I'm not sure. He could just be trying to hold it in all the time without actually being constipated.
I don't know whether to take him to the doctor, or whether making it a big deal like that will make it worse.
DS2 (4 weeks) has a lot of problems with wind and poo as well, so I feel like my whole life is about poo right now!