Can You Say Constipation?

I think I would try Gerber Apple-Prune Juice first. It workd wonders on my 8 year old. There is also high fiber foods to try. It will be less expensive than the doctor. He will probably tell you the same thing. And, if she doesn't start to go, the next step would be to put her in the hospital where they will give her enemas - which you can also do at home. Once she goes, the key is to keep her regular and starting with her diet it the best way to do that.

C. T.

Fresh fruit works wonders for our little girl. I have heard that alot of kids will hold it in during the potty training process.

It is a normal thing for them to retain their bm while potty training. I would give her natural ways to help this along so she isn't able to hold it any longer. Prune juice things like that. I would just call my doctor's office as well and see what suggestions they may have to offer and to also double check when you need to start worrying that she hasn't had a bm.

I wouldn't worry too much. Two of the four children I've potty trained got constipated the first week or so because they were holding it so they wouldn't have to go on the potty. I just gave them a teaspoon of flax seed in some yogurt and a handful of frosted shredded mini wheats for breakfast and after two days they had to go.

Fill her up on some fiber and see what happens in a day or so.

One of my girls was the same way. When she would go, she would hide because it hurt. I tried all kinds of things. The suppositories did not work and I think she got a little pain from them. I used Senokot and it did work for a little while. Then I tried Mineral Oil but nothing changed. Then I used Juicy Juice since it is 100%. I think Senokot and Juicy Juice were the most successful. I also cut down on milk since she drank it like crazy. After a few months she was fine and has not had a problem since. She is not allergic or lactose intolerant.

I sometimes had to use suppositories on my daughter when she was little. The glycerine ones are gentle and I only used like half of a suppository. I cut it in half. She went right away. It's so much better than waiting till they are in extreme pain. Good luck.....she will eventually give in and have a BM in the potty.

I just started using a product called Pedia-Lax which has helped my 3 year old since he has a chronic problem with constipation. You can get it in liquid form or a strip that they can put on their tongue and dissolve. It seems to be working well for my son when he starts having problems. I only have to use it once every couple weeks.

Our son was the same way when we potty trained. For a few weeks he was going every 6 days, and then going at nap or bedtime when he had a diaper on. I knew he was holding it intentionally because he didn't want to go to the potty, and I worried about all the bad effects that could have, so we told him he could have a diaper when he needed to poop. He then started going every day, and would bring us a diaper to put on him when he needed to go. (It drove my husband crazy.)

He was potty trained at 27 months, and it took an extra 3 months before he'd poop on the potty, but once he did it once, he's pooped in the potty every time since. Don't pressure her. She'll do it when she's ready. Just keep encouraging it, and she'll get there eventually. Good luck!

This happened to us with our son. He is very sensitive to changes in his life. He also had this problem and was hospitalized when we brought home our daughter, so when it started happening with potty training, I was going to do everything possible to avoid the hospital again.

Start her on Miralax. That is what our doc had us do. Start with like a 1/4 tsp. for a couple days with lots of fruits and veggies and if that doesn't work up the dosage. Make sure she drinks it within a half hour or so.

You can also try a glycerene suppository. I hated hated hated doing it, but it works. You can get baby ones or adult ones and cut them down. There are also liquid ones too that work better that the solid ones.

Good luck.