This is so weird.... You guys know I have always complained that Nathan's poops look like they are from the black lagoon. He has ALWAYS had gucky, yucky messes. Then all of a sudden today he is soooo constipated, screaming in pain every time he pushes. (Now I know what you guys go through! It breaks me heart to see him crying for hours while he tries to poop! :cry: ).

Anyways, we started him on whole milk about a week ago. He loves it, but do you think that is the problem? If so, what does that mean? Allergy? Or just his digestive system getting used to it? He has also been eating bananas and apples as finger foods lately, so maybe that is causing the problem.

I am going to cut out the apples, bananas, rice cereal for a few days. I let him soak in a warm bath (which at least stopped the crying), and tried to give a glycerin suppository, but he is straining so hard that it just shoots back out. Is there a trick? I hold his butt cheeks together, but the second I let go, it almost takes my eye out! :shock: I will also send DH for prune baby food or juice later today. We also have his well-check with his new ped tomorrow...


I feel so BAD for all the chronically constipated GERDlings! :(

Sheila,
I had never heard of milk causing constipation until Mary posted something about it being an issue w/Bethany so I guess it's possible. Totally makes sense if he's never had the issue until after starting the milk. As for the suppositories...we use the glycerine/gel babylax...we turn Zac on his left side and put some vaseline on the opening. I make sure the liquid is at the top ready to go and not just air, and gently put it just a tad while squeezing about half the liquid in. I then hold his little cheeks for about 15 seconds and the poop follows shortly afterwards. I'm not sure about doing it if there's "resistance" up there. I hope he's gotten some out, or does so soon cause we SO KNOW what you're going through. :roll:

Sheila milk CAN cause constipation(especially in cheese), but I dont think that it means allergy...allergy usually causes diarrhea instead with mucousy or bloody poops. I would wait another week or so and see if his system gets used to it, and try the prune juice, etc until then.

I also came across this article I was going to post from before but forgot....its the first time I actually saw someone NOT recommend extra water when constipated.

"Increasing water in the diet is commonly recommended; it makes very little sense and demonstrates a failure to reflect on the basic physiologic cause of the overdry stool. The problem is too little water retention in the stool, not too little water in the body! Unless there is increased fiber or some chemical substance such as a sugar (Karo®, lactulose) to retain the water in the stool, excess water will simply wind up in the diaper as urine. "

Thanks guys! Wow, good info on extra water, Amy. Totally makes sense.
And Sara, maybe I should go get those BabyLax suppositories. The glcyerine suppositories I used in him look like a solid plug of wax, no liquid. It would sure be easier just to squirt the liquid...

OH YES sheila, definitely.
I garauntee that you'll have better success with that. They're by "Fleet" and called babylax...they are little tubes of liquid gel that you squirt up the tush. Works w/in minutes. I keep Zac lieing flat w/no diaper w/knees up towards belly until the poop starts coming.

Amy, I've always thought the whole water thing was nonsense but wasn't exactly sure how to explain why. That makes perfect sense as we fill Zac up to the brim and it makes no difference!~ ALthough the karo syrup doesn't either. :?

This evening has been HORRIBLE! Does constipation really cause this much AGONY? I mean, he is straining and screaming crying for HOURS. Sara, I went and got one of those Fleet BabyLax enemas - WHOA! He screamed his head off when I stuck the tip in (I think it hardly went in at all), but within 2 minutes, he pooped. He still was in huge pain, screaming, when he pooped, but at least he did. He pooped three more times, too!

Maybe he has a fissure that burns each time he poops? Can't wait for the doctor tomorrow, but shots are the last thing he needs right now... :(

He screamed his head off when I stuck the tip in (I think it hardly went in at all), but within 2 minutes, he pooped. He still was in huge pain, screaming, when he pooped, but at least he did. He pooped three more times, too! :(

I can't believe I'm asking this......but what was the consistency? Was it hard?

:oops:

I can't believe I'm asking this......but what was the consistency? Was it hard?

:oops:

One diaper was like little pebbles, and the rest were like modeling clay. :( I bet you will never feel the same about clay again. :wink:

I can't believe I'm asking this......but what was the consistency? Was it hard?

:oops:

One diaper was like little pebbles, and the rest were like modeling clay. :( I bet you will never feel the same about clay again. :wink:

Poor Nathan!

And, I won't be touching Play-dough anytime soon! :wink:

Aw Sheila, I'm sorry. I forgot about this thread as I'm not getting notifications. I'm glad you tried it and it seemed to work. Sorry little man had such a hard time with the process. Zac has usually been fine up until recently w/the insertion. Now he's clenching adn crying. I'm wondering the same thing about a possible fissure. These poor kids can't get a break.

We are having a run of constipation again, aren't we? :cry: Welcome to the poop club, Sheila. :cry:

I would highly recommend using epsom salts in his bath as they increase circulation to the anus and really can cause a stool in the tub and it is often more comfy for them in the warm water when relaxed. Failing that, it still relaxes them, helps heal any tears and increases the blood flow there anyway. Also, smear lots of creme right up to the butthole. This helps to lubricate the area and heal any small tears.

I am posting a sticky for the dietary advice for constipation which I received from 2 GIs.

Thanks ladies. This is definitely a club that I never signed up for. I will take the runs over constipation ANY day. :lol: He seems to be doing better. I am going to stop giving him bananas, apples, rice, and yogurt for a few days. His poops are a little better, but he still cries a bit when he goes. Maybe scared from the experience? Anyway, thanks for your help!

I've been meaning to post on this very topic. I just wanted to add that we've had good luck with prunes, er, moving things along. Last week we dealt with the "pebbles" and "modeling clay" poops, too! And today... well, we haven't seen anything yet, which is unusual. *sigh* So, prunes for breakfast tomorrow.

Iain has been producing pellets since being on the prevacid and the last week or so his poop is starting to smell like Curran's :shock: I gave him prune juice and got pellets, then liquid, then pellets, then liquid with pellets. Icky, yucky, nasty. Our garbage can smells so BAD right now as Curran had another blowout tonight as well.

Poop issues stink.

Don't you all wish that we were like "normal" Mommies and were part of the PTA, knitting and sewing clubs instead of the "poop" club? :lol:

Yeah, the poop club is not going to help our social lives one bit, now is it?

We get the same liquid, pellet, liquid, pellet thing, Leigh! I wonder if babies can have IBS....

Yes, as far as I can research they can. I have done so much research on all things "bowel":shock: (try putting that on a resume!) and really it is called more of a toddler tummy instead, but can imitate IBS. With IBS the stools do sometimes switch back and forth from diahrrea to constipation, although it is also not unusual to have only one without the other, too. The problem with bowel issues is that so many things mimic another, the symptoms can be so similar for so many things.

According to my idiot GI, your liquid, pellet, liquid, pellet would be this: run off poop, constipated pellet, run off poop, constipated pellet... It has some merit as I have reseached that part to be true. My problem for Curran is that we do not get that constipated pellet!

Chances are he is so bunged up that the liquid is the run off poop coming from the stretched out bowel. I would give it a go with the GI to clean that out and see if his stools do indeed straighten out. IBS is unsual and very rare to be diagnosed in such young kids.