# My 15-Month-Old is Always Constipated



## MamaMakingMemories (May 20, 2007)

I think it got worse when I started substituting cow's milk (raw for a while, now just organic pasteurized because the raw milk I got from the farm kept spoiling within days) for breastmilk. He still nurses out of habit right before bed, but usually only for a minute or two, so he's basically not getting any breastmilk anymore. He gets around 4 oz. of cow's milk when he wakes up in the morning, after his morning nap, and after his afternoon nap.

He eats more than any kid I've ever seen. He always wants more, but I have to say "enough is enough" at every meal. I've heard that bananas can be constipating, but he loves them so much I'd hate to make him give them up unless it's truly necessary. He eats a whole one for breakfast every day, along with some sort of protein. I think wheat tends to make him constipated, too, so I've really been trying to limit that. Seriously, though, he will eat and eat and eat however much of any food I give him, and then still want more. I've always heard that babies will stop eating when they are full, but I'm not so sure about that when it comes to my son.

His stools are always very firm and HUGE in diameter (like, almost adult size). He cries during and after every bowel movement like he is in terrible pain, but then he is fine after I change his diaper. Lately, he's been going about two days without a bowel movement, and then on the third day, he has several.

Am I giving him too much milk? He is used to me bringing him a sippy cup of milk when I get him out of his crib when he wakes up. I've never given him juice before, but I am considering substituting diluted apple juice mixed with prune juice for one or two of the times I would normally give him milk. He probably already gets enough calcium from cheese and yogurt, anyway.

Does anyone else have a child like this?

Any other suggestions? I hate seeing him have to strain so hard just to "go."

By the way, the reason I am not nursing him much anymore is that my nipples can't handle more than about one nursing session a day now that I am pregnant again.


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## morganeldi (Nov 9, 2007)

It sounds like he's getting an OK amount of milk. (only 12 ounces a day?) I think my son, who drinks raw milk, gets about 16-20 ounces a day. I think my ped said between 12 and 16 ounces or something is about right.

I would maybe ease up on the bananas a bit, and also add in more high fiber foods, flax seed is great, oatmeal, other grains, veggies, fruits...

My ds doesn't get constipated much but when he does I give him a pear and it always works! lol... or pear juice.

Also, it may be that he is slightly dehydrated or not getting enough water/liquids. Does he drink a lot of water? if not I would try to up that.


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## pbjmama (Sep 20, 2007)

Obviously every child will differ but I can tell you that my DS eats a whole banana every morning and was on 8 oz of milk a day, changed to 16 oz a couple weeks ago and does not have an issue with constipation. And he is also a big eater.
I would limit cheese before milk because milk provides vitamin D and I think that cheese would be more of an issue for constipation. I make a point of having water out for him all day long and offering it through meal times after every few bites. And I try to make sure to he gets alot of fiber too - apples, peas, flax seed in yogurt or pancakes (I try to get it in several things a week).


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## luckylady (Jul 9, 2003)

My DD, it turns out, was lactose intolerant. Her constipation started about 18 months and lasted until she was almost 3-1/2. It was HORRIBLE. When their poops hurt they start holding them, which makes them hurt worse and the vicious cycle begins.

Can you eliminate milk and switch to rice milk or soy milk? That helped, and load up on "p" foods - peas, pears, peaches - P=poop. LOL. Avoid the BRAT - bananas, rice, applesauce, toast - these are constipating foods.

And good luck.


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## MamaMakingMemories (May 20, 2007)

Thanks for the great ideas, everyone. I just bought some pears yesterday, not even thinking about them being good to relieve constipation (now I just have to wait for them to get ripe!) I will also try to incorporate peas and flaxseed.

It figures, I wrote this post last night and then this morning, I went to get him out of his crib, and he said, "Didee" (diaper), so I checked his diaper and he had had a very loose bowel movement. I hope I will get him and his little body figured out soon!


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## mamamille (Nov 30, 2006)

my dd has always been like this. And I have to say I don't think it's dairy related at all as she never had dairy until just recently. She tends towards constipation, and like you said has enourmous firm poop. She def works at it and sometimes strains which I hate!

I'm pretty much convinced that it is wheat related as it was the #1 culprit for gas when she was an infant, and when I started eating it again (8mo?) her bowels were never the same. I really try to watch what we eat- but wheat is one of those things...

I give her apple juice, very diluted of course, when she hasn't gone in a day or so. I try to give her lots of water. She loooves pear and I think it might even be better for relieving constipation. ANd I try to put in alot of blueberries or applesauce or flax in her cereals as I think they are bulky. When apples were off the tree this fall she would have one (small) a day and seemed to go everyday.

I have to say if you are ever really worried a little powdered magnesium goes a long way. I haven't ever needed it but it is one of those all natural side effects.


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## FancyD (Apr 22, 2005)

DS had chronic constipation, and while I now give him Lactulose, I spent *A LOT* of time figuring out his diet. Cheese and rice were no-nos. Lots of apple juice, though I was told to give him concentrated juice, just less of it. Pears, prunes, and apples will help. You need to watch out for loose stools with chronic constipation, because it can be soft poop going around hard poop









Milk also was a culprit, so I started adding coconut milk and water. It's still rich-tasting, and he still gets the calories he needs, plus he loves the taste!


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## MamaB2C (Nov 20, 2007)

This happened with our son as well. We started ensuring he had juice and water in addition to milk, and increased his vegetables, which has helped.


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## LeahC (Sep 10, 2007)

Is he drinking enough water? Water is key when dealing with hard poops/ constipation issues.

Fruit, like others have mentioned, is very good for pooping. The combination of water content and fiber is sure fire recipe for easy pooping.







Pears, plums, peaches (all the stone fruits!) blueberries (watch for crazy colored poops here!), mandarin oranges, grapes and even raisins will help move things along.


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## BensMamacita (Mar 13, 2007)

For my son, it's a water issue. We have to be really diligent about having him drink enough water, if we are lax about it, he gets constipated. Also, too much cheese makes his bowel movements extra firm.

Good luck!


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## Thorn Hailfilter (Nov 14, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LeahC* 
Is he drinking enough water? Water is key when dealing with hard poops/ constipation issues.

Fruit, like others have mentioned, is very good for pooping. The combination of water content and fiber is sure fire recipe for easy pooping.







Pears, plums, peaches (all the stone fruits!) blueberries (watch for crazy colored poops here!), mandarin oranges, grapes and even raisins will help move things along.

All of the above, plus you may want to try using some of Peter Gillham's Natural Baby Calm. It worked wonders for my DS when he was having issues.


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## spughy (Jun 28, 2005)

I had EXACTLY the same problem with my DD. I tried all the extra fruit, more fibre, (both of which were a bit of a struggle) more water, less milk - stopped milk entirely, actually - no cheese, all of it. Nothing really helped, until I read this thread then this, thought "a ha!", went out and bought a good probiotic and stuffed her full of it, and let her eat what she wanted (which is just gobs of meat and cheese, some fruit, and mashed potatoes for dessert







). She's FINE now. She doesn't poop super-frequently, every day or every other day, but she no longer cries when she poops and it's not the big dramatic "MUMMY I'VE GOT A POO POO MUMMY CHANGE ROWAN MUMMY CHANGE ROWAN" production before the poop actually comes as it used to be. Her stools are smaller and softer, and no longer look like grown-up poops that have come out of her little bum. And, she now just comes and tells me *after* she poops, instead of having a big fit that she's *going* to poop.

Honestly, I cannot say enough good things about the probiotics. Toddlers IME tend to shy away from high-fibre stuff and towards the cheese-meat-low-fibre-fruit end of things, and I think that in our sterile world they don't have nearly the amount of bacteria in their guts that they're meant to. Letting them eat what their instincts say they need, and loading them up with lots of beneficial bacteria just seems to make sense to me.


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## morganeldi (Nov 9, 2007)

oh yeah! I totally forgot about probiotics. My son gets those daily as well.


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