Need Advice on Constipation for 18 Month Old

Hi T., I had that problem with my son. He is only 10 months but I found that feeding them the baby food prunes does the job really well. You may want to try mixing it in something else you give him or maybe he will like it? I know it worked for my son. Good luck

For the constipation I used pear juice and the fruit cups. My son loved the cherry mixed fruit cups. Applesauce also helped.

The swim diapers work great. We went to the Kalahari last fall and they worked great. He even pooped in it and it contained it until we changed him.

My son is 2 yrs. old and I too am a stay-at-home mom, but I work 2 days a week to keep my social skills alive.

Good Luck!

The little swimmer pullups work great for kids in the pool. Please don't just get him a suit because if he has a BM they have to shut down the whole pool. as far as the constipation try a little prune juice or even grape juice.

T. a the dark corn syrup works good about a 1 teaspoon in your son's sippy cup. get him to drink all of it & see if he has any stools if not keep giving him 1 teaspoon at a time couple times a day if that doesnt help contact the dr sincerely T. a mother of 2 adult boys now so this is a old rememdy hope it works!!!!

I wouldn't worry too much if it's only been 2 days.
Apple products are actually constipating. I would give him fresh pears all chopped up and he'll be going soon. You can also get pear juice in the baby section. A good dose of vitamin C can also do it but I'd try the pears first.
If he won't use the sippy cup you should just take the top off and get him to drink it out of the cup. Either that or get him something with a straw, kids love straws.
As far as the Little Swimmers. They don't hold water because they don't have the gel things in them like diapers do. They are basically to catch poop so you'd want to be sure to use one. You'd hate for a poop to float up and have them have to shut down the pool. They're nice because if there is a poop you can just tear down the sides and toss it. No mess and no messed up swim suit to have to wash or smell.
Enjoy your trip,
J.
Mom to 4 and soon one more through another adoption.

We use pear juice, it really cleans him out sometimes really quickly! They have it with the Gerber Food.
Also the Huggies swim diapers are great, they don't get bulky and they keep the potty inside! I know that the rules at most locations is that if your child is not potty trained and they don't have a swim diaper on you will be asked to leave. If poop gets in the pool they have to close it down! Have lots of fun and hope your little guy goes soon.

Pear Juice helps more than apple juice but isn't quite as effective as prune juice (which my son wouldn't drink much of). Our pediatrician recommended that and sitting him on the potty (if he will sit there) right after breakfast when he metabolism starts moving for the day.

I'm not sure about the constipation advice, but for swimming I recommend the swimmer diapers. They don't get all bulky at all like regular diapers. I would recommend against going with just a swimming suit since it is a public pool and if he accidentally poops, you will have some issues. The swimmer diapers work great.

A half of a kiwi works every time when my 18 mo. old is constipated. Good luck!

I have the opposite, I have a little girl about 19 months and has not missed a day on the poop cylce....anyway have you tried raisins or grapes!! When we first started grapes I would peel the skin, but did not do that very long. (She has a mouth full of teeth) They work wonders !!!

My son had the same issue , What worked good for him was eating pear or drinking the juice if you can get him to do that. Or else try a little dark karo syurp in something and that will make him go with in an hour or two. You can buy the swimmer pulls up for him in the water buy them at wal-mart and target in the diaper section they dont get to full of water they work way better than a diaper does.

Raisins always work for my son when he is constipated.

I used Little Swimmers, which are pull-ups, all summer. They did not fill with water and get soggy. I also put swim trunks over them...just because they are cute.

Regarding the waterpark, I think all of the swim diapers work about the same. However, I can't recommend enough the Speedo zip-up swimming vests. They are GREAT especially for waterparks. Target has them. That way if your little one wanders out of your eyesight for a second, you know he's safe!
(from one T. to another...)
Have fun.

Hi T.,
Our son had this problem from birth to 8mo old. We tried EVERYTHING! We found the best luck in Pear Juice, found in the baby section. Prune juice made things worse for us...it only disturbed our son's stomach and gave him cramps. Have you tried peeled and tiny cust of apples? Today, our son is 3 yrs old, and within a half hour of giving him an apple we have "stinky diapers".
Also, because we had such problems for so long, our Pediatrician did prescribe a clear syrup type of oral relief. It is sweet so they don't mind taking it. We only needed it until our son began eating more solid foods...fruit in particular. Something to consider.
Regarding the swim diaper, most public pools require the use of the swim diaper. In my opinion, they work really well, and hold a LOT! I would recommend them. Good Luck and have fun.

My daughter had the same problem. The Dr. told me to give her 1 part maple syrup and 2 parts water. It always works. I have used it when she was 6 months old and when she was 5.

Swim diapers work well. They are used to keep the poop in and not in the pool. If you just use a swimsuit then the poop will fall through the holes of the boy's swimsuit, not to mention the mess of cleaning wet poop out of the swimsuit. To take off the swim diapers just rip the sides and it is easy to clean.

try raisins.
those swim diapers work great!

Since my daughter was born my pediatrician told me to use Glycerin Tablets if she doesn't have a "BM" in 2 days. (I purchased at Coborns pharmacy) Because of her age, I break off a small piece and it has worked within minutes. Lucky for us, we haven't had to use them all that often.
Good Luck!!

We struggled with this issue with our first son 'til he was 23 months old.

All of the suggestions so far are good ones. Prune juice, applesauce, mineral oil, yogurt (be sure to avoid the ones thickened with gelatin and get the kind with acidphilous - which will probably be identified as "Active Yogurt Cultures". One that has not been mentioned that sometimes helps is Baby Food Carrots. Last resort is the glycerin suppositories which do also work - you just don't want his body to get used to depending on artificial means to stimulate elimination so you don't wnat to use them more often than necessary. 2 days without is not clinically considered constipation. The gal who said 4 to 5 days was correct.

In addition to adding the food suggested and avoiding bananas, make sure he gets lots of exercise. My guess is that his body is adapting to the change in diet. The idea of offering him liquids through a straw or getting him or even letting him choose a fun water bottle type container is good. You could explain to him how important it is to drink a "goal amount" (you decide how much to tell him) of water or whatever you choose every day and tell him it is so important that we are going shopping for a special water bottle that you need to drink all of it ? times each day. If he refuses to drink the goal amount (as long as it is reasonable) he doesn't get to use the container he chose.

I do have some advice on how to help you little one go potty. I work with many people who have that problem and we have a very easy homemade remedy. Mix apple sauce and pureed prunes together. 6 prunes pureed to about half a cup of apple sauce. If it seems to thick just add a little more apple sauce. It is called power pudding and it does work. you can adjust how much you give your child by the results that you see. I would start out with a teaspoon of this mixture at first since your child is only 18 months old.
The nice thing about this is that it has no chemicals in it and it's good for him. Can be used as a serving of fruit in his daily diet.
The store brand "little swimmers" pull up swimming trunks for children are nice. You can buy them for little girls or little boys. I'm sorry however that I forget who makes them. Good luck.

Please please, wear something that is tight fitted around the your little ones legs when he is swiming. If you don't and he has a bm it will close the pool down!! I am a swim instructor and I give this message to everyone who comes to my lessons with their infants and toddlers. The swim diapers work great, but costs a LOT, plastic pants work and are reusable. Cloth diapering websites also sell a swim diaper that is reusable a little more pricy but the legs seal well. i wouldn't trust the built in diaper, but that's just my personal opinion.

H.

If the home remedies don't work, like corn syrup, fruit, prune juice, etc. I would recommend asking your doctor if you can use over-the-counter Miralax. My son is 14 months and has struggled with constipation. The things like fruit, prune juice and corn syrup used to work and then they all the sudden had no effect. So the doctor recommended Miralax and it worked great. I just mixed it in with his milk or juice once a day for a week. It has kept him regular a lot longer than the other things.

And the swim diapers I think are great. So easy to just rip off after you've used them.

My grandmother used to mix some of the dark Karo syrup in with the milk or formula. It always worked for her. You should take him to see the doctor if this doesn't improve soon. There could be some kind of blockage and you don't want to let this go for more than a few more days.
As for the swimming use the Pull-ups or something. Going without any diaper can be very dangerous. All children pee in the pool you can't seem to stop that but poop in the pool can cause illness to others in the pool. Doctors also recomend that if you have diarhea not to go swimming bacause of the bacterial danger to others.

I had a similar issue with my son. I remember our pediatrician recommending prune juice, but saying that it was ok unless they went for 4-5 days without a BM. It could be his little body is adjusting to the new changes. I would call the pediatrician if it continues today - just to see what they say.

Ans YES - those swim diapers do work. They don't fill up with water. We have used Huggies and Pampers brand and been happy with both. You just want to be sure you change them ASAP if they do have a BM - it could get messy! Have a great time!

Use white corn syrup (Karo) and put it in milk. Put a good amount in there. It may seem gross but it will "clean" them out! My daughter was always constipated when she was little. Also have him drink a lot of water.

The swim diapers do work. They don't fill up with water at all. They are pretty cool and worth using.

Good luck!

My Dr said- fruits with P will make you poop- sorry the phrase is catchy to me. I always used Pear juice- and the only place I could find it is in the baby section- I think Gerber makes it. I always gave him one cup of straight juice then diluted the next ones so he was getting some water too. Now, at 7 yrs old if my son knows he hasn't had a bowel movement or his tummy starts to hurt- he asks for peaches or pears or plumbs. I am glad he is so aware of his own system.

well for the constipation I was told Karo syrup. It doesn't take much, but that is supposed to help. Otherwise grape juice and fruit juices can be natural laxatives. Milk can back them up so if he is drinking lots of milk that could cause the problem too.

As for the swimming thing those pull ups really work and they are definetly necessary. I have tried using a regular diaper and going without and trust me thats just a mess. The water can be relaxing and sometimes kids will always have a bm when they go swimming. The pull ups are far more expensive than regular diapers but they are so worth it. Plus most pools require kids to wear them.

We always used prune juice when our daughter was that you and constipated. If he doesn't like the taste you can mix it with apple juice, but apples along won't do it. My daughter is now seven and eats tons of fruits and vegetables and still manages to get constipated. She really loves fiber one granola bars. They come in chocolate or peanut butter. My kids also snack on high fiber cereal and that seems to help her stay regular. Gerber also makes pear juice, but prune works better.

I have used the swim diapers with both of my kids. They do hold some water, but they don't swell like a diaper would. My kids never minded and I liked being able to rip them off and toss them. I have never tried the swim suits with the diaper already in it. Both brands of the swim diapers are good. Just make sure that you don't use them as a diaper any other time. It doesn't get absorbed and can leak if they are running around and playing.

Apple juice can be binding, try switching to peach or white grape juice. I had a lot of trouble with my son not bming for 3 - 5 days!! I kept thinking he's eating tons of fruit and drinking tons of water, what am I doing wrong! Well, we switched him from canned fruit in light syrup to fresh fruit and added rasins to his diet. Now he's a champion bmer, his record, 4 times in one day last week! He has sinced evened out to once per day, but I think the fresh fruit was a big factor. Good Luck~!

Try Prune Juice. That is what worked well for my daughter. But just a little. 2 ounces should be good. She loved it and it got things working right. I only ever needed to give it to her once, twice at most to get her poop started. LOL But too much and you get the problem opposite of constipation.

And yes, Swimmers (or whatever the swim diapers are called) work. I used them with my daughter and will use them with my son this summer. Have fun, I remember my daughter LOVEING the water at that age.

Since you have had a lot of responses, I don't know if anyone told you that Apple Juice actually adds to the problem. When a child has diarrea, they tell you to give the BRAT diet.. Bananas, rice, apples and toast. So if the problem is constipation, you want to leave those out of the diet. Gerber has little bottles of prune juice that works well. Also Teddy Grahams have the oatmeal ones now and that is a lot of fiber, which always seems to keep my granddaughter going.

We also bought the little swimmers last summer for my granddaughter and they worked wonderful.

The Little Swimmers work wonderful for swimming. They don't "blow up" like a regular diaper and tear off on the sides for easy clean up. My pediatrician told me that anything that started with a "p" is used to tighten up the bowels. I would suggest talking to your pediatrician if he doesn't have one today and they will probably recommend Senokot.

Raisins are great for speeding up poop. =)
If he's not potty trained, definitely get some sort of swim diaper. I really like the suits with the built-in; I just saw them at Target for $5.99. Swim diapers work well, too, but that gets expensive.

My children have these challenges. Two days is not that bad - four plus is. I have found that Punes work really well. I use both the baby food (Gerber 1) and Prunce juice - I use both on the kids.

My 18 month old is also resisting the sippy up. I am just giving it to him like once an hour to take a few sips.

Hang in there!

I wouldn't worry yet about the constipation, unless he is in pain? You could try prunes.
As far as the pool goes--definately put him in a swim diaper! They work. You don't want the pool shutting down due to something floating in the water. Have fun!!

Maybe try feeding him some prunes. That usually does the trick.
As far as swimming, most states' health regualations require you use the swim diapers. They do not fill up with water and if my son is only in for a short while, I reuse them the next time. I also got him a baby float and he loves it.

Most places that have a pool won't let a toddler who is not potty trained IN the pool unless they have the swim diapers on. I used them all the time last year and they work great. I think I used the Huggies brand, but I think any of them work. They don't get huge like a regular diaper, they stay the same size. I just put them on under her bathing suit. They have tear away sides so they are easy to get off too.

My 16 month old daughter has always had some constipation problems. We have never put her on medication but what works for us is pear juice mixed with water. If she goes two days without a bowel movement, we just give her more pear juice and this has always worked. Be careful not to overdo it though! She normally drinks at least 6 ounces of pear juice each day but we will give her more if she hasn't pooped. We also stay away from cheese which I think binds her up. She also drinks a ton of water throughout the day; we just leave a sippy cup with water on the table and she grabs it throughout the day. Hope that helps!

Hi,My name is E., I am the Grandmother of three one 17 year old young lady and 2 Grandsons, 2 and 14 years old you are doing the right thing, giving him fruit, lots of water,and cereal lots of raisins!soft apples fruits juice Grape juice is the best! ou are doing a very good job! As far as the water- proof pull-ups I have not tried them yet! let me know what you think when you buy them for your child, From E., to T.

Try feeding him some melon - it did the trick for my son (who's now 2.)

Have you tried getting him to drink from a straw while in his highchair of at the table? My kids drank like crazy from a straw. That would prob. help with constipation.
Also, most pools REQUIRE a swim diaper to keep body fluids in. A regular diaper won't do that. Swim diapers are not designed to absorb, they just don't let any poop or fluids out. It's a great safety feature!

I don't have advise on the constipation, but I do for swimming.

You CAN NOT just put him in a regular swim suit if he isn't potty trained, that is against the law. (Eww) Those swim diapers are WONDERFUL! They don't absorb the water at all. When my youngest (now almost 2) was 3 months old, we went to a water park. I actually put a swim diaper on, then a swimsuit with a diaper built in on him to make sure that nothing would leak out.

When he was 18 months, we went to a lake, and there I just used the swim diaper under a regular swim suit and that worked just as well. I even just took him in the swim diaper, so I've tried it all. :) All of them worked great and he didn't get soggy at all.

Hi T.,

A child with constipation is a child that is not eliminating toxins from their body in addition to being very uncomfortable. This is a very unhealthy problem and will lead to other problems. I know of a product that works very well for this consitipation problem, but the vitamins and nutrients in it will also bring him health in so many ways - probably will get less colds and other problems. If you go to my website www.marketamerica.com/salemi and look under "Health and Nutrition" and then in the digestive area of products you will find the "Strawberry Kiwi Aloe" - tastes very good. My grandchildren love it. You need to give your son about 1 - 2 oz per day - you can mix it with water or give it to him straight. It is 150% pure and better than any liquid aloe out there. Please read the information on Aloe in the website and view the demo. If you log into my website you will accumulate credits for every order and eventually get free products. For more information and/or questions you can email me.

J.
email: ____@____.com

I don't have much to say about the constipation. I would wait it out a couple more days if he doesn't seem to be in pain. If he does, call the doctor. They might want you to give him a suppository. Did you try some prunes? They make those one pack ones, you could cut up.
The Great Wolf Lodge is so much fun! I think you have to put a swim diaper on him there. I think it's a rule. The swim diapers work fine. They get wet but not like regular diapers. If you plan on swimming all day, I would plan on changing the swim diaper a few times but if you're just going for a couple hours, you'd be fine with just one. Have so much fun and don't forget to watch the clock show!

Hi T.
Karo suyrp is usually used for babies under six months and after that 2oz of prune juice. Don't add water to the prune juice just give him the 2oz and he should be stinking up his diaper in no time. I also use juicy juice for my daughter she is 7months today.

A couple things that have worked for me
- mix applesauce and prune (baby food0 together.
- mix prune juice w/ apple juice in sippie cup - let him carry this around all day - keep it filled.
- they now sell individual prunes - that taste just like candy.

- all else fails - suppositories are a pain but do work!

Just read your email. We struggled with this with my daughter from the time she was a month old. The doctor told us to give her a 1/4 of a teaspon of Haley's M O. It is wonderful stuff. They will have a bowel movement everyday at about the same time. Sounds like your baby is a little older..but we gave it to her til she was nearly 2 1/2...so it might be worth a try. I just went to the local pharmacy...asked for it...it is over the counter. Goodluck!

We've never used the disposable swim pants (or disposable diapers for that matter) but I've bought the swim diapers at Target, the washable ones. They are terrycloth on the inside and actually a absorbant. The disposable ones only hold in solid poop, if its a little runny it will leak out. The cloth ones will hold in all fluids. I would recommend them anyday over more disposable products.

My son had alot of problems with constipation also. You could try prune juice, but it doesn't taste the greatest. He needs more fiber in his diet. My son had to be put on Marilax I think that is how you spell it. It used to be by prescription only, but know you can buy it over the counter. That stuff was a miracle worker. He went from going once a week to know totally regular and we don't have to use it any more. If you do try it start out with just a little until you find out what amount works for him. With my son I think I filled it to the first line and that was perfect for him. And every time with in an hour after drinking it he would go. I would just mix it in with his juice and he didn't even know it was in there.

The swimmers I thought worked great we used those all the time.

just push the fluids!! my son just went throught the same thing. he would drink milk in place of eating. so we had our hands full. Make him drink juice and water. It will be hard but you will get through it. My little guy will cry for his milk and I have to tell him no it is hard. Also try Sugar Free Popsicle. It has some calories but not the sugar!!

Hi T.,

Sounds like your son is pretty bound up...poor guy. I know my kids can get constipated from time to time, especially when they aren't getting lots of fluids. A few things that I try include (some of these you've already tried):
-various fruit juices (pear, apple, orange if they can handle the citrus)
-Prune juice (recommended by various Dr's)
-fruit (grapes and blueberries always seem to do it for my daughter)
-acidophilus supplement. This is a probiotic or healthy bacteria that naturally grows in our digestive track. It aids digestion as well as fight off the bad bacteria, yeast, and other things that the body needs to fight. Acidophilus can be found at any health food store and at natural food sections in some grocery stores. It is totally safe for adults and children and the health food store clerks are really good about recommendations for small children. As always, if you are concerned, check with your pediatrician about your son's issue and about food allergies and supplement usage.

On your second topic, I've used the little swimmer diapers for both my daughter and son. They act like a diaper, but seem to not soak up all that much water from the pool. It will have some water absorbed from moving around and such, but you could just keep several extras on hand if needed.

Hope these help!
K.

My 20 month old grandson has fought with constipation since he was a little baby. When he was about 1 we were told to not give him any milk for a few days and push plain water and and if he wouldnt drink that (which he didnt!) put just a little bit of sugar in it. He didnt drink much also after taking the bottle away so to get him to drink during one of him bad epsisodes, we let him drink from a "big boy" glass with a straw and he would drink the whole glass cuz he thought it was neat and different. I took it one step further and diluted some prune juice and he seemed to like it. Now we discovered that he likes those individually wrapped prunes (he thinks they are fruit snacks) you can get ones with different flavors too.

My son struggled with constipation at that age as well. Our pediatrician suggested mixing mineral oil (about 1-2 tsp) in with some applesauce or chocolate pudding. There is also a gentle laxative over the counter called Miralax that can be given in a small dose (about 1/4 the adult dose) if he is constipated more than 4 days.
Second, swim dipers are meant only to keep stools in, the are non-absorptive. The disposables are fine, but it is a better deal to purchase the cloth/rubber ones (available at Walgreens and a lot of the waterparks) as long as you don't mind washing them.

I had this problem when my little guy was about 12 months and we weaned him from the bottle. I found that dried prunes were a hit! I tried to give him them in the morning with breakfast usually something higher in grains (to also help with the constipation) so usually Cheerios. Since they are dried they are similar to a raisin, not totally in taste.

We have been to many water parks and generally what I have found is that if they are under 3 and not trained yet they have to wear a "swimmer" diaper. They do not fill with water and they do not totally stop urine from going through (my experience anyways) but they are still a little protection for the pools so that they and you can enjoy being there.

Hope this helps!

M. S.

Try giving him plums they taste better then prunes or prune juice. Little Swimmers work great. I used them all the time with my now 11yr old.

You've already got a ton of responses! Our peditrician said pear juice or sugar water. We always used sugar water (1 tbsp per 1 oz of water) about an ounce to 2 ounces and that always seemed to work.

Hi Susan,

I was told that a little syrup (maple or karo) would help when my little guy was having trouble. I tried a little in his bottle and also fed him waffles. I don't know if it was just good timing, but he did have a bowl movement later in the day. Hope all goes well.

try prunes for the constipation. And swim diapers are a must when you swim in a public pool, lake, or anything. They do not fill up with water, but are for the purpose of holding in the poop so you don't contaminate the whole place. That would be embarassing! I don't think a swimsuit with a built in diaper would be as helpfull doing that and all public pools that I know have signs posted requiring swim diapers on any baby or toddler not potty trained. Just buy the size that you'll need this summer and they will get used up.

Hi T.
You may want to try putting some Kyro syrup in his sippy cup about a teaspoon.

I would buy the swim diapers they work well and are alot less hassle than a swimsuit with diaper built in Good Luck and have fun on vaction. T.

Have you tried pear juice instead of apple? You might mix a little prune juice with it now and then. Also the swimmers are from huggies and they work very well and they can wear them my themselves without a siut.

I had a similar problem when my son was about 4 months old only he went 5 days. My pediatrician said it is normal. Though when I took him to a chiropractor he was concerned with the toxins sitting around for too long. He started him on acidopholus (it is commonly found in yogurt). I have been using it for about 3 months in fact the whole family is. It has many great benefits for everyone. My now 7 month old has a bowl every day and is very happy.

Try giving him raisin's and prune juice. My grandson has the same problem. Regular milk constipated him during the change over from fromula to milk. He would cry because his tummy hurt so bad and sharp pains. I do suggest having a good supply of diapers on hand you will need them.

The swimmer pullups worked real well for us last summer. No complaints.

Hi T.,
You might try a teaspoon of honey. It is a mild laxitive and contains many vitamins and minerals that are healthy for him too. It can be repeated every hour if necessary. Also, you can either give it by the spoon, or put it in or on food. It won't harm him.
Sincerely,
C. M

Hey T.! I also have an 18 month old son, so I agree with the handsome part. Is your little guy as busy as mine? Holy cow!! Anyway.....how about trying a little dark corn syrup (tbs. or 2) in whatever he may drink? That has always been a fix around here. Hope you find something that works for him.

Pool diapers.....we have used little swimmers since our first child (10 years) and they work terrific! One time we tried a swimsuit with a built in diaper....not so good!! There are actually a lot of pools that require the swim diapers. Have fun at the Lodge.

For the reluctant b.m.s all I can suggest is a little prune juice in everything you can sneak it into (other juices, oatmeal, mashed veggies)...it sweetens things up a bit and gets things moving!

As for diapers in the pool, you mostly need to be concerned with #2. The swimmy-diapers do get all wet but they contain b.m.s, which cause the real health risk in pools. Built-in swimsuit diapers may also work but we haven't trusted them enough to go swimmy-free. However, do NOT expect swimming diapers to work like regular ones outside the water. They don't absorb urine hardly at all and that can lead to some pre-pool messes if you're not careful!

Is your son constipated? Its ok for a kid to go 3-4 days without a bowl movement. I had asked my doctor the same question you are asking (my son is now 21 months old). After 3-4 days then maybe you need to call your doctor.

As for the pool, the swin diapers work great. They do not get full of water at all and they hold in the pee. Most hotels make them mandatory when taking young kids in the pool.

Hi T.,

I would check your local store for stool softner pills. The only problem is they have to swallow them whole. My son took one every day for a while till he was drinking more fruit juice. As for the swimmer diapers, they work great. The water does not get in them at all.
L.

The swim diapers work wonders... They don't fill up like a diaper. For the constipation... after all that you have tried, have you tried a pediatric supository... Seems to help.

Unless your son is having hard pellet like stools then he's probably not constipated. Kids are just like adults, they don't necessarily have a bowel movement everyday. If he does not seem uncomfortable and his stool is still soft when he does go then he is probably just fine and isn't going because he doesn't have to. Also don't mistake grunting and groaning while he's stooling with straining. A lot of kids make noise while they are going. In the event he does have hard stools then you could try prunes or prune juice. My 21 month old just discovered Sunsweet prunes, loves the taste just make sure you don't give him too many or you might get more than you bargained for :) Stay away from apple juice, it actually does just the opposite of what you want.

As for the swim diapers they do work pretty well (although not so great if they are wet and your child stools) but you do need to change them every so often because if your child has been swimming a long time and they are full of water when they do urinate, the diapers will leak.

we had that problem with our now 2 year old son. We tried the prunes, and he didn't like them. Our doctor said we could give him some of that fiber sure that mixes with the drinks and doesn't have any taste to it. We give him some a couple times a week just to help keep him regular.

Hi T.,

When my son was that age, we went through the samething. The only thing that worked was 1/2 teaspoon of kero syrup in one of his bottles/milk cups. It took a couple of days, but it regulated him quickly and naturally.

Hope this helps.

A.

When my daughter wasn't having bowel movements, I'd give her some prunes. It worked, but you can't give a lot to them because they can become dehydrated.

Those swim pull ups do work. Just watch out when they get out of the pool though. When they sit on your lap or anything those pull ups tend to saturate whatever your child is sitting on. They don't get full of water like a normal diaper would. They pretty much keep their shape. I was amazed that they saturated my shirt as much as they did with water when I picked my daughter up out of the pool. So that's something to watch out for. I hope this helps.

Apple juice is actually binding so not a good thing to give to your son. Pears, peas, peaches all will work wonders... Make sure he is not eating too much rice, potatoes as that will also bind him up.

My boy had the same problem and had it for years. There was one point where he didn't poop for two weeks! The problem is that when he was constipated, he would hold it as he remembers that when it came out it hurt, so he got into the habit of just holding it. It was a struggle, but he finally broke thru it a month ago and he is 5 now. What helps is grapes and raisins. Prunes are good too. Don't give your boy bananas and go easy on dairy products as the doctor told me it causes constipation. Bananas were his favorite fruit and I just had to stop giving it to him. I give my boy lactose free milk (Organic Valley) I know its expensive, but its been wonderful as I feel better giving him some calcuim that he needs for his growing body. You can try soy or goat milk, but my boy didn't like them. Yours may. I hope this helps.

As for the swimming pull ups, yes they work very good! I think its required to use them for toddlers in public swimming pools. Better to buy them at Target or Walgreens as those water parks do offer them at an expensive price. Have fun at the Great Wolf Lodge!!

I have found that Karo - Corn syrup worked very well with my chidren and my day care children when they had the same problem.
Hopes this helps.
T. B

"Little Swimmers" work great. We used them for both our boys.

Hi T.,
My daughter used to have the same problem. She hates just about every juice except for Prune juice which I would add to her water and milk. An even easier is to had a teaspoon to tablespoon of benefiber to drinks or mix into food. Both things got my doctors blessing! As for the pool, the swim diapers work fine. They sort of contain urine (barely) but are mostly needed just incase of a poop. A long warm bath will also help relax your sons bowel muscles.
Hope that helps!

Apple juice is actually constipating where apple sauce is not. You could try him on a jar of prunes. Grind up the fruits. 2 days isn't a huge worry. My son went four days and was just fine.

All the pools require a swim diaper and do not allow regular (or no) diapers. They work just fine and are not expensive.

Have fun!
KT

T.,
My son has the same problem occassionally. We have found that giving him some peaches works great. He loves the little individual size packs, I drain the juice off and give him the entire container. He normally poops within a couple of hours!

Good Luck!

Do you feed your son whole grain whole wheat bread? My daughter never gets constipated for long, especially after getting the extra natural bran.

I'm not a fan of swim diapers, as they just get super soggy and weigh the child down. I love the swimsuit with a built-in diaper, which doesn't absorb so much water. Usually babies and toddlers aren't in the water long anyway.

Good luck!
K.

On the subject of the swim diaper...the swim diapers do work for a while. They don't absorb much and will hold in a poopy for a short time. They are nice for about 2 hours and then need to be replaced. Regular diaper will be pathetic so don't even try. They soak until they explode. The Great Wolf Lodge is a blast - have fun!

T.,

Have you tried prunes for his constipation? Doctors will tell you that if you are constipated to drink a can of the prune juice and usually within 2 hours you have to go to the bathroom. Prune juice does not taste very well but it does work and I would start with a small amount and gradually increase the amount he has until you find what works.

Secondly, for your trip to Great Wolf, Little Swimmers work wonderfully and do not absorb the water like a diaper. Enjoy your trip with your family.

T.
Proud mother and grandmother

you can try to rub his belly in a counter-clock circle and also rub the bottom of his feet, near the arch area all the way side to side across the foot.(start left and work to the right)(this follows tha natural digestive tract thru reflexology) I'm a licensed massage therapist and this always seems to work for my son. Also 1 dried apricot a day seems to help this from happening and helps solve the problem. My son happens to get this problem quite often.
I just tell him the apricot is a piece of candy that is like a vitamin.

As for the swim diapers-they do work for a certain amount of time. If you are in the pool more than 2 hours it is going to swell.

They other thing that you can try is yogurt. My son now 3 was the same way. We hav ebeen giving him a cup a day and he loves it. the other thing is to try pushing the water. That helps keep things loose. Another thing we tried was adding a little Fibersure to his meal. It is tasteless and mixes right in to whatever he is eatting. As a last resort the doctor told us to flush him out with 4 ounces of Magnesium Citrate(available over the counter at Walmart). Just know that if you do this it takes about 12 hours to work and then it is a flood for about the next 6 hours, but if they are really hurting it is worth the relief. You can also use it in small doses(we used about 1/2 ounce everyday in his glass of juice)he is now off of it and only on the yogurt.
Hope this helps.
J..

This is going to sound strange to you, but it works. When my son used to get constipated I would get a dill pickle speer and scrape out the seeds and let him suck on it, it seemed to get rid of the problem. I think it has to do with the vinegar in the pickles. And no serious side effects.

When my son was getting constipated we tried prune juice which seemed to help.

Also, the little swimmers diapers work well. They do not get so big and bulgy like a diaper does. I have never tried the built in.

I have a 19 month old son and have used the 'water pull ups' for swimming. They work great an do not fill up with water like a diaper. My little guy has the same problem once in a great while an I will pick up some apple/prune juice by the baby food section at the store and that does better than just the apple juice alone.

Bananas can help with constipation and diarhea, and can help with both.
Little Swimmers (the water diaper) yes they do work and do not fill up with water like and ordinary diaper

Can't really help you out with the constipation, sounds like you are doing everything that I would do. Maybe ask your doctor for more suggestions? Good Luck...

As for the swimming, definately use the Little Swimmers! They work great and do not get bogged down with water like a diaper would. Don't just put a swim suit and call it good, if he poops in the pool you'll have a mess that easily could have been prevented. Have a wonderful time at the Lodge!

Is he complaining? If not, just feed him oatmeal with syrup, push the water a little harder, maybe give him a tummy rub. Don't be afraid to give it a few days--as kids' bodies and diets change, this is not uncommon (especially at this age!) However, if it goes more than 5, get thee to a doctor!

About the swimsuit issue--YOU MUST ABSOLUTELY YES NOW ALWAYS use a swim diaper on your child. Both types of waste are decently taken care of by this (though obviously if you *know* the kid has dirtied the thing, change it). Failure to do so is spreading BIOHAZARDOUS materials. Those with weakened immune systems can become seriously ill (ever heard of RSV? It comes from poop ya know) and the pool has to shut down and have their pool cleaned and rebalanced and what-have-you. That's what they're for. Consider the rest of us and use them! :)

Contrary to popular belief, apples can actually cause constipation. If your son won't eat pears, try pear juice or better yet, prune juice. If that doesn't work, you can buy glycerin suppositories over the counter. Glycerin helps to lubricate the rectum and loosen stools. You may have to try more than one. If that doesn't work, or you need to use them for more than a couple of days, see your doctor.

As far as swimming goes, I use Little Swimmers with my daughter and they work great!!!

My Daughter, now 4, has always struggled with constipation. Here is what I have learned from her Dr...

Apple juice contributes to constipation, so try to dial that back. Prune juice works great, mixed 1/2 with water or full strength. We have given my daughter this every day with breakfast for a few years. Usually keeps things moving, and if she has a bad bought, we give it full strength or even offer 2 glasses.

All the "P" fuits are helpful...peaches, pears, pinapples.

Whole grains are good. Whole grain gram crackers especially good.

Back of dairy products...cheese and milk, even yogurt.

Last resort...there were several times things got so backed up she couldn't get the poop out. It just got too big and too hard. When our's was about your child's age we needed to occasionally use "Fleet". You get it over the counter in the pharmacy. It is made for babies. It is an oil that comes in a single use applicator that you squirt into her bottom. sort of like taking her temperature. It is quick to do and works like a charm...always within 20 minutes for us and usually less.

Good luck!

I wouldn't worry to much until it trails for 4-5 days...it will eventually happen. Maybe a banana might help. Juice may actually have an adverse effect, if given too much. So just be patient.
Pull up swimmer diapers are the ONLY WAY TO GO! Your little one may poop unexpectedly and you definitely do not want to have to deal with floaties in the pool, very embarassing! When finished just tear them off at the sides, literally. They are a little pricey, but priceless. Have a great time at Wis. Dells, great place, tons of fun! If you child has delicate skin take some aquaphilic to protect against raw spots.

Hi T.,
I'm not sure if this will help or not, but when my son wouldn't go for a couple of days we would give him a teaspoon of white corn syrup twice a day. Seemed to help and it was sweet so he didn't mind it.

Don't worry about it too much. If he's getting a well balanced diet, it will come. Try raisins. My oldest was constantly going between raisins and cheese at that age to stay regular. He would only go every other day and still does. My youngest goes every day. Everyone is different and it changes as they grow.

Swim diapers work and are required at most waterparks and pools.

Not sure if your little guy is still having problems, but this is what we did for all our boys. Prunes! Either the baby food if they couldn't quite chew yet or if they were old enough the actual fruit. Worked everytime! Good luck.

Try raisins and grapes. Also, mix a cup of 1/2 prune juice and 1/2 white grape juice for him to drink. This is actually very tasty (doesn't taste like prune juice) and will definitely get his system going.

we have one child that has always struggled with consipation since she was a baby and still deals with it at 5. She was put on a medication called enulose, but now takes over the counter Miralax...if you have constant problems check to see if you can you use miralax once in a while. it is a tasteless powder you put in liquid.

also be careful about the snacks, cereal and breads you give him. there are many great high fiber granola bars(fiber one for adults has 9gm of fiber and are really good), cereals (not kid cereal, but raisin bran, oatmeal,shredded wheat) etc that he will like. also there are many vege and fruit products that come with characters...if the frozen beans have dora on it, for some reason my kids will gobble down!! Believe it or not, spagehttios is a pretty good food choice, high fiber and calcium!

You may also want to try baking/cooking high fiber items. Google high fiber recipes. I also like to bake breads or muffins with veges/fruit and the kids love!! Have made carrot muffins, pumpkin and zuchinni bread etc.

My daughter had problems with constipation when she was little and I just gave her some Karo syrup...it sounds silly but a spoonful-a-day made a big difference. Also, peanuts worked for her (depending on how well your little one chews!) or peanut butter might help it, too. Hope this helps!

Swim diapers are great...they do not expand when the child gets into the water. The disposable ones are best in case the child has a BM in them they can just be tossed out. If you do the buildt in ones or the washable ones have an extra at hand. Nothing worse then washing out poop when you are trying to be on vacation. Usually public places with pools require children who are not toilet trained to use some kind of swim diaper as they do not want to have to close their pool because of a BM accident. The pool could be closed from 1-24 hours depending on their policy. Have fun at Great Wolf Lodge!

Prune juice works great too, it doesn't smell the greatest but it worked for my child when she hadn't had a poopy for several days as well. White grape juice worked too, much better tasting.

The swim diapers don't fill up like a regular diaper. They get wet but don't swell up. Some pools require them so getting a swiming suite with one included, and stillmight have to wear a swim diaper if they require them.

Hope this helps.

H. (stay home mommy to a 3 and a half year old, 17 month old and new baby 6 week old, I am busy but it is also lots of fun.)

I'm not so sure about the first one - try baby prunes. And the diapers are Little Swimmers and they work fantastic. They don't suck in the water at all - at least they didn't for my daughter. Have fun! (With the second question!)

Not much advice on the constipation issue but as for the diapers.....I took my daughter to Great Wolf Lodge (she looovveeed it!!) and the water diapers work great! They don't get all huge and soggy like a regular diaper and they come of easy, sort of like pull ups. I would definitly recommend them.

They are called Little Swimmers pants and yes they do work. As for toys for him to play with, any floatation made for his age that has a head on it and bring a few floating rings. You can find all of this at Walmart as they should be starting to bring out their swim stuff. But if you cant just check other locals like Target, Kmart, Costco and so on.

As for him being constipated, try peaches they always got my girls to let loose..so to speak..lol Or Castor Root Beer flavored childrens Laxitive in the the pharmacy section of your local Drug Store, if you dont see it right away as the Techs or Pharmacist they will know it right away. I have used this too for whem my oldest daughter wouldnt go #2 on the potty chair for a week at a time.

And as for the Harsh comments from one poster on what you should and shouldnt be wearing, there was no need for that. Im sorry they talked like that to you. Hugs have a good day

Avoid apples and bananna's they cause constipation. Fruits that start with a P are best along with beans. High fiber foods will help. Heathy Choice bread is high in fiber and so are chick peas. My daughter is on a prescription powder that I mix in her drink every so often to losen things up. It doesn't make her go but when she does it's not so hard.

They sell swim diapers in the diaper isle. One brand is called Splashers. They are in a small blue package. They do not blow up like a diaper. I would recommend using these. This is what my local community center has for kids to use.

As far as the constipation goes, does he act uncomfortable or constipated? Or are you just assuming he is because he hasn't gone for a couple days? Because it can be perfectly normal for kids to go as little as once a week (I was surprised to learn this)especially if his food or drinking habits have changed. So I wouldn't worry about it if he is not acting bothered by it. If however he is acting bothered by it, you should definatly do something about it. A warm bath can be helpful.

On the water diapers...little swimmers I think they are called, yes they hold the water in they do not get poofy like a regular diaper. Most places like Great wolf actualy require babies to wear them so I would definatly purchase some before you go. Have fun!

My daughter has been chronically constipated since she started eating solids. She is now 2 1/2. Feeding your son prunes &/or prune juice should work very well. I found prune juice to work the best. Start with about 2ounces of juice, and if that doesn't work, try another 2 ounces. Just be carefull - there is such a thing as too much! If the problem becomes worse, you can try the Miralax laxative and ask your doctor how much to give. This has worked wonderfully for us.

T. - As for the constipation, try putting a little Kayro syrup in his sippy cup of juice and see if that helps. Good luck! K.

Hi T.,

The swim diapers will not fill up and get heavy. They are great if your 18 month old decides to finally have his BM in the lazy river at the lodge! Going a couple days isn't a worry. Keep doing the fruit thing and make sure he's nursing well (or formula) and not getting dehydrated.

We took our baby to the Wilderness Lodge in the Dells and it was wonderful! I hear Great Wolf is just as awesome. Have fun and relax!!!!

B.

I did have trouble with my daughter at 7mo when we took her off the bottle, I found prunes worked and that yougart that they are pushing if you are irregular and there is a prune flavor in that and Reese loved it. (warning when they are ready to poop expect an explosian) oh and about the swim suit I found at Target for Reese last summer they carry these swimsuits that you did not need a diaper under them and they were absorbent. (I did put a diaper on until we got to the pool and took off the diaper when we got there, I was afraid she might have had a bm and than if she did quick and clean with out messing up her pants.)

We just got back from the Great Wolf Lodge! It was incredible! We took our two daughters, 23 mo and 6 mo. They do require you to use "appropriate swim diapers" and they are available at a shop there. (although I'm sure they are very pricey there) We bought the Huggies Little Swimmers and they were awesome. They don't fill up with water much at all. My kids loved the zero entry kiddy pool and the older one liked sitting on the raft with daddy on the lazy river. There is so much to do there, I want to go back!!

Swimming... the swim diapers work GREAT!!! I have been using them for years, and have never had a problem. I would get either a life jacket, or a "swim helper" type thing (it is vest like, covering the front and back of the child with hard boards of floaty material). You can usually get these at Target, although it may be too early in the season. These are great for many reasons... you have a little peice of mind in case you turn yours eyes for a second, and the kids love having a little more freedom when you just hold thier hand, and they are on thier own otherwise. Also, these trainer things are cool because you can (as he gets older) remove a bit of floatation at a time to let him adjust to keeping himself up! My last suggesting would be hold of on tons of toys - they are hard to keep track of. Just go to Target, or the dollar store and get some of those squishy balls for the pool. (about the size of a baseball) They don't float far away, water squeezes out of them (fun for kids), and you can play a bit of catch. Bring extras! Other kids there will think you are great, and you will always have one for your son. Have a great time!

OOOo Be careful :) My son always seemed to have to poop after playing in the water there a while. Well, at the beach, at the Y. So definitely put the swim diapers on! It keeps all the pieces together!! Highly recommend ripping the sides to take them off...especially if they are full of poopers !

Dont worry too much yet, the poopers will come :)
Keep feeding him and giving exercise, water when you can, and he should be ok.
Have fun!

Raisins are also good. Pushing fluids (include water) is important, but I know that's hard at that age when they aren't using a bottle. The body has to adjust!

If he continues to have problems (or if abdominal pain becomes an issue), leave a message with your doctor. He may benefit from some MiraLax in his juice now and then.

You'll have a blast at Great Wolf Lodge! Yes, get some Little Swimmers (swim diapers)! (If he's on the border between sizes, a little small works better than too big I think.)

Dried prunes and raisens are a good temporary fix. Children's chewable acidophilus is your best bet for long term colon health. You can find it in any of the local health food coops, Whole Foods or many of the vitamin retailers. They are delicious.

Acidophilus is good bacteria for the colon. It has to be supplemented because the good bacteria we are born with get destroyed by antibiotics and/or a poor diet (similated milk has no fiber or bacteria so it is a poor diet in this respect). You won't regret giving him acidophilus - it will improve his moods as well as his digestion.

Hello T.

Our daughter had the same issues from early on. We use a fiber drink called FiberWise. It has both soluble and insoluble fiber to help your digestive system stay healthy. Both our girls consider it their orange juice. Great flavor and very little fructose. We shop at a store called Melaleuca! The great thing about this store is saving money on an incredible safe, environmentally friendly product line. Our house is free of chemicals and we spend less per month then when we were shopping at Target for the same kind of necessary products.

I would be happy to share the information with you if you are interested in saving money! My email is ____@____.com.

K. E

Some say white grape juice works well--otherwise I probably can't help you there!! But those little swimmers you're talking about work wonders in the pool--they don't retain much water at all!

Try putting a little Karrow syrup in his tippy with water or juice. It seems to work for us. I think almost all hotel pools require the little swimmer diapers so I would buy some before you go. If you don't they will require you to buy them at the hotel desk and they charge you an arm and a leg then.

I was told by my Ped, that fruit starting with P will get bowels moving.
Peaches, Pears, Prunes (juice), etc.

Also, as far as the diapers for swimming, I'd get the swimmer pull-ups but still, have him wear those little plastic pants that keep in poop, etc. I'm a member at the Y and I can't tell you how frusterating it is when little ones don't have that on and there are accidents that cause the pool to close. It really wrecks the fun for everyone and most public pools will have that policy anyway. (Some even sell those plastic pants.) You wouldn't want to be the mom who had this happen to her, because ALL other parents would be frowning upon you. Use the diaper, even though it'll get completely sopped and defeats the purpose, but the pants stop the poop.

I mixed baby food prunes with regular applesauce regularly when my 3.75 year old was about that age. Or, I mixed prune juice with her apple juice.

It always did the trick.

A little prune juice should do the trick.

Please, Please do not use just a regular swim suit. EWWWW!
The swim diapers work very well, but this time of year they are hard to find.

when my daughter get contipated the edvice that my doctor gave me was to put half prune juice and half regular apple juice together to loosen up the stool and also try to delute alot of the juices down with water if he does not like to drink the water.

T.,
I am not sure what advice you might be looking for... What I have to offer you is glyconutritional supplements. This would provide your very handsome son the nutrition his body needs. It includes freeze-dried fruits and veggies in a delicious gummy bear (no preservatives or table sugar). Also, a chewable tablet that contains the vitamins and minerals his body needs. The main product helps the body's cells communicate and is called Ambrotose. It is in a powder and can be mixed in juice or applesauce or yogurt or whatever he likes to eat. These are the best products on the market. You don't have to believe just look on this website and see the proof from the science and validation - www.mannapages.com/pjhansen
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P.
I Care

Hi - sounds to me like you have a very sweet little boy and situation is pretty normal. I have 2 kiddos who have each gone through swings in the bm area based on food intake and age. I would not worry until it got to day 4 or so. In the meantime, the juice can have an opposite effect, so don't overdo it (4-6 oz per day for that age). My kids love the fiber wafers for adults (cinnamin cookies). When needed I give them half of one (adult serving is two) and they think they're getting a treat!
As for the water diaper - it will get a bit soggy, but it's needed. The regular diaper (which you'd put under if there's any gaping) will get pill-y and crystalize, so you'll need the second layer, then the swimsuit. I know it's a pain, but consider the health problem and embarrassment if he had a bm in the pool. Have a fun time and good luck!

Try 8oz.2%milk and 1oz.dark karo syrup.