Hi Moms! My son is 11 months old and is a tough and tumble little guy. Every time he has a bowel movement, he cries as if it's painful for him. His diet is well balanced and he's not constipated(the poops are not hard). He also is pooping 2 or 3 times a day which seems a bit much. I asked his pediatrician and she says that it can be normal for some babies to have cramping before a bowel movement. I've never heard of this happening without constipation so I'm wondering if any of you have had a similar experience with your children. I'm a little nervous about future potty training and that he won't want to go number 2 once he has a choice. Thanks!
Hi A.,
My nephew had the same problem. He probably needs more fiber in his diet or try using Benefiber.
Thanks,
C.
My daughter had this for many years. At its worst she would be screaming with pain, up until age 13. Thankfully we found a probiotic that actually works and that solved the problem (after trying dozens of them over the years). I'm a nutritional consultant and it's one of the things I recommend to everyone since virtually everyone has a gut problem and that in turn affects our immune system. If your baby has ever had antibiotics or if he was born via C-section then that's probably the answer. Good bacterial flora keeps the entire digestive system healthy and keeps bowel movements regular and pain-free. I can send you some documents and a recording that will help you to understand how this part of the body works. Wish I had known this information when mine was little: ____@____.com
Maybe due to constipation or silent reflux, your baby is suffering. Try to soothe him through a natural remedy babies magic tea.
It's a good idea to take him to get a second and even third opinion. When ever you have that gut feeling is telling you something might be wrong and you are not satisfied with the doctor's diagnosis, get a couple more opinions and compare the results!
Dear A.,
I can understand your concern about future potty training because a child will hold back if painful once they can associate the two. My daughter can be lactose intolerant when she has to much dairy. It is strange she can tolerate milk in moderation (milk with cereal etc.) but if she has ice-cream or a milk shake (she is not a baby anymore) she will get terrible cramps and then shortly after end up in the bathroom. You didn't mention if you are nursing or if he is taking formula? Have you added more dairy like yogurt, cheeses, in his diet? Maybe ask the doc about trying soy products, or lactose free milk products, and see if that helps. It sounds to me like a dietary issue more then a medical issue. I don't think going often during the day is an issue, its better then the poor babies that can't go, but then again that can be a result of a dairy issue as well. I would ask the doc again if this is a possibility to try a dietary change. Good luck!!
Is it real crying, or just fussiness and straining? My son poops 2-3 times a day, and our doc isn't concerned at all. (He's never been one of those kids who only go 1-2 times a week!) Also, sometimes he just goes to town! Straining, red face, the works- and it's just a normal poop after all that.
Then again, I've never really thought he was in pain, though. If you think it's hurting your son to poop, you should take him back to the doctor and explain that. It shouldn't hurt! A little cramping is not the same as real pain.
My son was the same way. they just grow out of it, or it could be just gas pressure.
Hi A.
It is so hard to see our children hurting and that is a good thing because it means we care.
I would say it depends on the severity of the pain you are seeing. Crying is extreme in my opinion. Food allergy can cause cramping. Have you thought of that?
The allergist told me that one sure way to find an allergy is to eliminate the thing they almost have to have all the time. In fact it can be like they are addicted. That is an interesting take on allergy, and is easier to see when they are older.
Next no MD is going to worry about bowel movements that are not hard, or water, unless you force them to listen to you. You are right in my opinion that if they children they start holding, not letting themselves go, and that causes worse problems. What is hard? What is normal or usual? Make sure you and the MD are using the same definition. My experience is that MD's listen about the 3 time you make an issue about a problem that is different. If you have been complaining with no results then use this rule. If you mentioned it once a month at appt., call once a week. Rather than once a week once a day. You get the idea. And that holds unless the problem goes away-- that shows him you want him to do something.
God bless you with good decisions
K. --- SAHM married 38 years --- adult children 37 coach, 32 lawyer, married with 5 month old, and 18 yo twins who are in college.
i know what you are going through...when my daughter was only 3 (she is 6 now) she got roto virus so bad that she spent 7 days in the hospital.. it took a great tole on her bowl system..we almost lost her she was so sick.. when we left he hospital they gave her a perscription called glycolax a substitute for miralax powder..because she had so much damage to her bowls from the virus..she was having bad pain just befor a movement some times she would double over in pain and cry...this product helps to soften the bowl enough to move through with less or no pain...she still gets it once in a while..but now after 3 yrs she is doing better with her eating that her stool is much softer..not that is was hard to begin with..it was just big in size...this product seemed to help keep it smaller in diamiter so it was easier to pass through (the duct work)...i would ask the doctor about it see if they will give a sample of it or a small bottle of it to try and see if that helps at all....it has helped my daughter so much....good luck
Hi A., We're having the same issue with our 17 month old daughter. It started at 12 months when we upped finger foods and decreased baby food and has continued- your description of frequency, consistency etc sounds exactly like ours- we have tried everything from taking binding food out, increasing fiber, going back to a balanced diet, making sure she drank alot of liquids and NOTHING works- each and every movement causes her to cry out and it's heartbreaking- I have been to 2 doctors who have both said that this is totally normal and that some kids just have a hard time adjusting at this age- they feel it's more of a psychological fear asscociated with perceived pain of pooping. So when she feels the urge, she fights it,tries to keep it in and then when it finally has to come out, it's painful. So, we now have moved on to to giving her a 1/2 tablet of senakot (herbal laxative) along with colasce (which is a combo laxative and stool softener) and it's still not improving. We have another appointment on monday so I'll keep you posted. it is such a frustrating situation.
