What Helps 10Month Old with Constipation?

M., everyone who suggested putting Karo syrup in the bottle (or cup) is right on. With both my babies, I had to put a tsp of the light Karo syrup in every bottle or else they would get constipated. It works like a charm and it's a lot less trouble than adjusting their solid food diet, and you don't have to medicate them. Hope this helps!! T. M

Have you tried ground flax seed? Just mix it in with cereal and/or fruit. Just a little at a time.
Ann Blair Kennedy

Try switching from apple juice to white grape juice. More fiberous content in the cereal also should help.

a little prune juice goes a LONG way!!
My doctor also recommended Fleet Baby Lax Glycerin Suppositories. If you use those, make sure you're ready to clean up!

I used to watch this little girl who had the same problems. My sons doctor said to avoid apples and bananas. To eat everything that started with "P". plums, prunes, pears, peaches, etc. I have found that blue berries make babies poop too!! lol. Did you try prune juice? I would think that If you gave her that with her breakfast each morning, she would go. It could be her formula though. You should try organic baby yogart too, because that puts the good bacteria back into babies digestive tract and helps to break things down better too, which in turn may help her go like normal, as long as she's not allergic to dairy.

I hope this helps some and good luck.

My daughter had similar problems. Have you tried infant massage? This worked really well for my daughter when she was your daughter's age. You rub their tummies in a clockwise motion 10-12 times, this helps move the stool through the intestines. Then you start at the belly button and lay your hand flat and stroke in a downward motion. This just helps the body to do the work. There are different books and probably even a class that is offered in the area. Also I would be careful with adding too much juice. Plain old water will help more with constipation by keeping her body hydrated. The juices have too much sugar.

My sister's doctor told her she could use glycerin suppositories daily if needed. Check with your doctor first, though, becuase that sounds strange to me. You can get them from the drugstore, just ask the pharmacist for the child size ones.

Dr Sears was a godsend when my son was an infant. He has lots of help and advice here http://askdrsears.com/html/8/T081100.asp Good luck! We had to use the baby suppositories on my son for awhile until he got regular again. Now he still only goes once a week but it's not painful or hard, just alot of poop! He will be 3 soon.

M.,

My best suggestion is using flax oil, which not only helps the issues with constipation but also provides essential omeaga 3s. I don't know if you are familiar with Dr. William Sears. He has been a pediatrician for over 30 years, written numerous books, and is the father of 8 children. Here is the link to his site and what he had to say about flax oil.

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/t081100.asp

"Flax oil is a favorite. A healthy alternative to mineral oil is flax oil, which not only has laxative properties, but is a valuable source of omega 3 fats as well. (Although you may hear that mineral oil is a good oil to relieve constipation, because it is a mixture of hydrocarbons dried from petroleum products, I have never been convinced of its safety. And, unlike flax oil, it certainly has no nutritional benefits.) Unlike mineral oil, which slides through the intestines, possibly taking vitamins with it, flax oil is a nutrient that facilitates absorption of the vitamins.
Dosage of flax oil:
Infants: one teaspoon a day
Toddlers: two teaspoons a day
Children and adults: one tablespoon a day"

I hope this helps.

B.

Had this issue w/ my baby when he was 3 months old, and saw a gastrointestinal specialist in C., NC for infants. We even thought he had a blockage at one point, but he didn't. Come to find out - babies don't 'all' go everyday. While it's more common for them to poop everyday, it's not a requirement. However, if the poop is painful, as it was in my son's case - my gastro specialist gave us some sound advice. Cut out rice 100% until the problem is resolved, cut out banana's 100%, both of these items constipate. Add 1 to 2 tsp of applesauce to each bottle, or every other bottle. This has natural liquid in it as well as fiber, both which battle constipation. There's no magic remedy unfortunatly, you just have to find what works. We also added M.O.M., the unflavored, no stimulant kind to his bottle 2 x's a day until he was going 'regular'. We added 1tsp per 4oz. This was a slow process, but with the applesauce, and the M.O.M. he eventually got on a schedule. He is 7 months old now, and seems to still have harder then normal stools, but he poops more regularly w/o crying. This is w/o any aides, he now has a healthy diet of fiber and fruit with cereal served 2 x's a day mixed with a fruit like peaches, apples, or pears. In a last ditch effort to get him to poop at the worst of our situation, we had to buy 'Babylax' by Fleet, and use them 1 x a day for 1 week, this was a little bulb of liquid glycerin. Don't worry - it's 100% safe according to the specialist, glycerin is found in alot of products we use daily, and is not habit forming. But it does help the anal sphinter(sp) relax in order to allow a BM. If she's had painful BM, she may be unconciously holding it in, and the anal sphincter(sp) is a muscle that allows the rectum to open up and let things move. The glycerin triggers a 'full' feeling so that they go! This will also help reduce the painful movement if it's used for about 5-7 days for promoting a schedule. I never used the whole bulb of liquid, I would use about 1/2 and it would work within 10-30min. As for the iron in her diet, according to the pediatric gastro-specialist, iron is no more of a cause then milk itself, and she needs it! We also tried gerber's apple/prune juice and mixed it 1/2 with water to dilute it and add water to his diet - this coupled w/ apple and prune juice was very healthy for him as well as adding an extra boost to his daily fruit intake! Good luck, and if it's any longer then 3 days, I would strongly suggest seeing your ped. and asking if a referral to a gastro specialist is necessary. This is a great way to ease your worries!!!

My son also had problems with this...He would not drink the prune juice, he refused the bottle with the karo syrup, and I'm really not a big fan of pescription medications (unless EMERGENCY) (i just think they have way more things going on than doctors tell us)....I talked to my child's doctor and she suggested that the next time he had a "hard time" passing a bowel movement to lay him on his back, try to get him to "semi-relax", and let him put his little feet on the palms of my hands to let him apply pressure with his feet to help his push it out more easily...This worked EVERY TIME!!...We even turned it into a little game...hope this helps

Dear M.,
I have a 4 month old little girl but have been around many children throughout my life. You might want to try prune juice vs. the plum and karo syrup w/ water. The karo syrup and water would be your best because the syrup coats the stomach and luburiates the bowel trac for easy relief. Also if you don't warm the bottle try to warm them and warm some apple juice. You may find that even though fruit is suppose to loosen the bowels it has a reverse affect on your child. Hope this works for you....it has always worked for me.

My son did this from @ 3 mths to current time-he is five years old now!! We struggled with this on a daily basis-we tried everything that we could think of and that was suggested to us-When James was three, we went to a pediatric GI Dr. Shesaid that his bowel,colon and intestine were so dilated and engorged, that he may need surgury!!! Thankfully he did not-we gave him mineral oil once a day mixed in juice, Fletchers liquid laxative,milk of magnesia,and Ex-lax-nothing worked---Dr Donna started him on Glycolax( Miralax) twice a day. This was a miracle for us!!!!!!!!It is not habit forming because it is not absorbed by the bady. It settles in the intestinal tract and causes more water to accumulate in that area-then passes out with feces. James has had to stay on this medicine for the past two years and is finally ablt to start weaning--gradually!!! Our Dr advised us that if this would have been left untreated-he could have had permanent damage to his bowel and colon. I know how hard it is for a mother to see her child in pain-as it got worse, my son screamed every time he tried to use the bathroom. It is horrible-esp when there is something that can help.Good luck!!!

If she's eating solid foods, you can try some oatmeal with raisins in it. (Use rolled oats, not quick oats.) Just cook the oatmeal according to directions, and add the raisins near the end. Then take about half of it and puree it in a blender or food processor, then add it back to the rest. That way there aren't too many big chunks in there for her to eat. Raisins seem to be magic - they actually caused my little guy (who used to be constipated as an infant and now at 15 months has swung in the opposite direction) to have constant diarrhea and I had to cut them out of his diet altogether for now.

Also, make sure to cut out any foods that can constipate - apples, bananas, cheese, etc. Continue doing the prunes - I would do it every morning with breakfast until she starts regularly having softer stools. If she has enough teeth that she can start eating larger chunks of soft veggies, that might help too. It seemed to make a difference with my little guy when he got off some of the pureed stuff.

Also, if the stools are hurting her, you might want to try putting vaseline around her anus whenever you change her diaper. If she has any fissures there from hard stools, it will put a barrier over them so they don't hurt when she poops. It will also help to lubricate the area so maybe the stools aren't so hard to push out.

Good Luck! I hope she gets better soon!
L.

My friend's son had a similar problem and her Dr. told her that over time if a child is constipated on a regular basis the bowl stretches and it holds more and more making the constipation occur more often and the bowl movement, when it comes, more painful. She had to put him on a strict diet for several months of no rice, no bananas, no constipating foods at all. She had to give him prunes with oatmeal every morning and applesauce and apple juice at lunch time and more prunes before bed. Once he was on a regular bowl movement schedule for about a month and half she gradually added back in rice and other foods and decreased the prunes. Now she just makes sure he eats a well balanced diet of fruits and veggies and has had no problem since. The Dr. said once the bowl was back to normal size and regulated the rest would fall into place.

Good luck. I know this is stressful because my poor friend was a wreck.

One of our twins has this problem, they just turned three. It is so heart breaking to watch them go through this. At first we gave him Gerber Pear juice, without adding water which is what I usually and still do 1/2 and 1/2. That worked for a while but then he wasn't able to pass again so our Ped gave him a prescription laxative called Mirolax, the generic through Walgreens is Polythylene Glycol, it works great! It is nonhabit froming which was important to us, no stimulants!! He originally took it twice a day but that was to much for his petite body so now just once a day, you can mix it with juice or milk in the morning. It has no taste to it and is a crystal/white powder. I hope one of these works for your baby! Good Luck!

Hi M.

My daughter (now 28 months) ahs had the same issue for a while. We found no magic potion, we just made sure to limit her intake of "binding" foods (like bananas, bread, and cheese) and to really push the water (or juice in your case). I would slowly add the foods back in, one at a time, after about a month. If she started to get constipated, we'd start over. She is now able to eat all of those things on a somewhat regular basis (not everyday, but maybe 3-4 times a week). We tried castor oil, but she wouldn't even take it (no matter what it was mixed in!)

It is so hard to see them struggle with it! We've been there twice, and I swore after that that I would monitor her food to make sure it didn't happen again! Good luck!

A.

My son had constipation issues as well, and it turned out it was diary -- cheese, milk, etc. We switched him from cow's milk to soy milk and he's been doing much better.

I'd try water, apple juice, and less milk products.

M.,
I would go to a health food store or vitamin store and see if they have something for children. The fruit is good, but it has a lot of fiber in it, which can actually constipate a child. Also the sugar in fruit can make matters worse as well. Squash, Broccoli, Spinach will help, if you can get her to eat them. But I would definitely check with the health food store, they should be able to recommend something that is ok for a young child to use that she will not get dependent on, like she can with over the counter medications. You might also want to ask her doctor about doing a very gentle enema with sea salt. you could use just 1-2 cups of warm water and about 1-2 tsp of good sea salt and that would help flush her system. I wish you the best I know this must be difficult. If all else fails, talk with a naturopath and see about changing her diet to help with the problem.

When my duaghter went through this my Grandma told me to put a little Caro Syrup in her bottle or sippey cup and it worked. I bought the clear Caro syrup and use maybe a teaspoon every other bottle. It really does work! Try it because my baby's doctor was no help with this matter and I was really getting worried about her just like you are. Let me know how it goes.

For infants and toddlers, 2 tablespoons of dark Karo syrup in 4 ounces of water works the best; the next best thing is 4 ounces of apple or pear juice. When our almost 4-month-old daughters had issues (and we had no clue about it, because our son was breastfed and never had issues with bowel movements), it was really bad, so we mixed the dark Karo syrup with the juice and gave her some everyday. Now, she goes everyday with no problem--but it took a couple of weeks for her system to adjust, so make sure to do it everyday.

As a child--elementary school age--I had issues, and my family gave me prune juice, which worked great, too.

Also, be wary of her intake of banana products, because they can lock up her bowels. There's something else that does it too, but I can't remember.

My son had problems with constipation as well. You need to try and get her to drink water. I used to put a little drop of apple juice to flavor his and he would usually take it. Tha juice can actually cause constipation due to the sugar (which we learned the hard way). Tha flax oil is also good, but if your daughter is like my son, water is the only thing that works. Like you, we also tried the prunes, etc. Now, as a toddler, we make sure he gets at least 4oz. of plain water daily and a good amount of fiber in his diet which he gets through whole grain cereals and bread and he hasn't been constipated in quite a while.

I would put about a teaspoon of karo syrup in warm water and give to my son when he gets constipated. It seems to help. If this continues, I'd asked your doctor for their advise.

I am sorry to hear that your baby is having such a rough time. My niece did go through the same thing she would hold onto the couch, or my sister would pick her up, lean her head on her shoulders and hold her legs for her. She would cry and cry. (there seemed to be blood in the stool too!) We were so worried. We tried all the juices and all that. She took her to the Dr. several times and went through all the same things, juices, more fruit, more water, cut back on milk, etc. Nothing was working. Finally the Dr. said to put her on soy milk. To our amazement within 2 days, she was going with no issues what-so-ever. Not sure if this could help or not, but thats the ONLY thing that we found worked for her.
Good Luck and keep us informed. (hugs to the little one!)

My youngest dealt with same issue...he would scream to go to the bathroom...and will try to hold it for days...
We tried mineral oil (clear substance - natural - used it in the 'old' days...) Wasn't sure if it did much for him... so eventually asked Pediatrician after months of this...and got prescription - white powder to put in juice daily --- it softens the stool and he doesn't scream and cry anymore!
It breaks your heart, I know. We were using alot of suppositories - which were horrible for me to think of having to use on him... so finally - we couldn't take it all anymore and asked for the Dr. to try the meds. (Was our last resort...I'm not one for meds...)
So you might try the Mineral Oil first... they say something like a half teaspoon or teaspoon full(depending on size of child). Good luck - let me know what happens!
ps. 'Miralax' I think is the name of the med.

One of my daughters had a chronic problem with hard stools. I just added a bit of Dark Karo syrup to her bottle or her cereal. I would say around a teaspoon? It is very sweet and helps to keep baby regular, but I would only use it sparingly because it is syrup. I actually had my pediatrician recommend it.

Good luck!!

My daughter had problems with constipation and the pediatrician said to put a tsp of Karo Syrup in her bottle. I also kept small glycerin suppositories around for "poop" emergencies when I could tell she was trying to go but it was too painful. You don't want to use the suppositories too often because they can physically become dependent on them! Good Luck!

Hey Monica!
If you haven't tried it, give her Apple juice. It makes your bowel movements loose. Otherwise, you can try taking a q-tip with vaseline on the end and stimulating the rectum. I have two kids who have been fortunate and have never been constipated. But my mother says the q-tip works.

C.

My girl was like that, I switched her from formala to Whole Milk with dark kero syrup and after a few days she was fine and poopin once a day with no problems and I also made sure I gave her at least 4 ozs of apple juice and deluted it with an oz of water.
I wish you luck
M.

My daughter had this problem at this age. No matter what we did, she was still constipated or had very hard stool, like pebbles. Our pediatrician said some kids are just like that, usually they outgrow it. He prescribed a powdered laxative that we mixed in her juice for a full year. It didn't give her loose stools or anything, just made her comfortable. We tried at various times throughout the year to see if she could go without. She finally outgrew it

Our pediatrician had us put karo syrup in my daughter's bottle for a couple of months because she didn't go for a whole week one time. We put 1 1/2 teaspoons in her morning bottle every day and it kept her regular. Give it a try.

My son has issues with large stool and having a bit of blood in it. His pediatrician said give him raisans, grape juice (white or red) and prune juice if he would drink it. Fortunately he likes prunes so he will eat the whole ones. You could always talk to your doctor about getting her on some Miralax. It's just a powder (tasteless, oderless) that you can add to her drinks that would help soften the stool and make it easier to go.
Also rub her belly. my sister's son has had issues with not being able to go, hard stools, things like that, and it really helps if you just sit with him and rub his belly around the waiste line; it helps the muscles in the bowles relax and push the stool through.
Second to that, yougurt is great for diarrhea, it has cultered bacteria that is excellent for the colon/intestines that helps clean them out; couldl be beneficial for constipation too. Though she does not have diarrhea, you might want to try some of the new Activa yogurt they have on the market. And Karo syrup as the other moms have recommended is always helpful. Good luck!

Hi M.,

I'm not sure if this will help or not but I know when my little one was constipated her ped. recommended putting dark karo syrup in her bottles (1Tbs.) at that age. She was only 5 months and it worked, so I'm not sure if this will work with your little one or not.

I think I would try taking her back to the ped. and explaining yet again how much pain she is in when having a BM.

Prunes sometimes helps. Also a little karo syrup in the milk will also help. Hope things get better for your baby

M.

Hi M.! Add a little Karo syrup to her bottle and then add her formula. Make sure you get the clear kind of Karo syrup. You might have to shake it a little to get it to desolve. When I say a little, I mean like a teaspoon. She'll love the taste and it will make her go. It's awful when they get constipated like that. This happened to my daughter and we rushed her to the doctor at 10p.m. not knowing what was wrong! She was in so much pain. Check with her doc about this, but it should be very safe to do and he can recommend it to his other moms. Hope this helps! A.

My son had the same issue for months... from 5 months to 8 or 9 months, then I started giving him 1/2 prune juice diluted with 1/2 water in his sippy cup...
Suprisingly he LOVED IT!!
It did the trick, maybe took a few days to level out. He got a little "runny" for the first day or 2, then PERFECTO!
I didnt' have to do this for very long, maybe 3-4 weeks until he started going regularly, he is 22 months now, with no problems!!!
Best of luck!!

Water Water Water Water Water

the only natural way to keep you body hydrated and regular is plenty of water.
Also ask your doctor if adding some of that fiber one to her food when you feed her would help. Her body might be too young for it, but it might be a simple way of adding fiber and her not having to eat more plums or prunes....

Goodluck

The something else Heidi couldn't think of could be applesauce. Apples and apple juice will help loosen bowels, whereas applesauce will help to control diarrhea. You may also try abdominal massage. Try using a therapeutic grade essential oil (such as Young Living, found on the web) like peppermint, fennel or ginger, mixed with a carrier oil. Apply to the abdomen and use clockwise motions to massage the area. This will help stimulate the bowels, increasing circulation as well. It works well with my one child, who is prone to getting constipated. Pears are also a good food to use on a regular basis, as are cucumbers (at an older age). Too much dairy can also create constipation. Good luck!

I have twin girls that get the same way and i use Karo syurp (dark)in all bottles and prune juice and that seems to always work for them. Mandy Carter

Hi!

Sorry your 10 month old is going through this (take it from a family full of bowel issues lol)

Did you try just plain warm water?

And then Glycerin Suppositories. We had to use these on my 1 month old last week (luckily i never had to on our 3 y/o).. Go to the pharmacy (Rite Aid is where we got ours) And we got the Rite Aid Brand PEDIATRIC Glycerin Suppositories. Then break it in half (if you have nails it works better bc they dont break easy). Then just hold it in till she poos. Sometimes with our daughter it took 5 mins of holding it (like the 1st time) Then others it only took 30 secs or so.

It is normal for them not to go for a few days up to a week now... But if they are in pain and you know they need to then do that (thats why we had to she was screaming in pain and her belly was disfigured from all the gas and stuff - which she is on special drops for now bc shes holding gas in her intestines)

Hope that helps.. I know you don't wanna do the suppositories - trust me i couldnt do it too long and my hubby had to take over and do it ever since..

Tabetha "N."

Oops just realized i was a little late - sorry! lol

My 16 months old son had chronic constipation and I was struggling to release his constipation but prune juice, gripe water etc didn't work, then a friend told me about Toddler magic tea that helped a lot and he started going daily without any pain.

Karo Syrup is the oldest remedy around. Mis 1/2 tsp. with 2 oz. of water before she eats & this will help. Only do this when constipated. It does work!

The doctor recommended Citricil for my 4 month old grandson.

Another thing that works realy well is warm apple juice dont water it down just give alittle bit but warm. I work at a daycare and that is what we use and i works within a couple of hours after we can get them to drink it good luck

I have a 9 mth old with the same problems. She can go 4 or 5 days w/o a single Bm. i just recieved 31 responses to my request. Check them out there was alot of good advice.

Both of my daughters had that problem and I had to use the brown karo syrup and then when my first daughter turned 1 she went straight to milk from soy formula and was fine, my second daughter is 3 now and can still only drink soy milk and I give her a powder form of laxative every day in one of her cups of milk. You may want to check into that soy, karo- syrup or powder laxative!

I was just looking through my Parents magazine last night and they had a massage technique that you can use to help with constipation. I am sure if you go online you can find the article or go and buy the magazine at the store.

Good luck. I hope you find something that works

I found the only thing that worked with my daughter is and was Gerber pear juice! About 4-6oz a day. Now when I was still giving formula we added molases to the formula. About a teaspoon per bottle.

Hi M.,
I feel like I should respond: I'm A. in SC with 2 kids: one 11-year-old girl and a 3-year-old son. I had this experience with my daughter. Not so much that she was hospitalized, but I figured out that cheese wasn't helping and neither was discussion with grandparents, etc. I just wanted to suggest no matter your beliefs or way of life, that you try best to not allow too much discussion and stress on the subject in the company of your baby, even if she is sleeping. It's tough, but you may want to not make it a topic during family gatherings or phone calls. I believe that even the little ones know what we are saying and feeling so when we tell them they ARE something or they hear us tell someone else about them, they believe it to be fact and unchangable. I had my daughter's grandmother repeatly confirm to her that she was constipated. Once I moved and put 4 states between the two, my daughter was better and I caught on to the possibility of my reaction and stress regarding the issue causing her more difficulty. I also believe that talking to our children while they sleep is helpful with many issues. Try not to put the pressure on her, but rather affirm to her always and even while she is asleep, that her body is healthy and strong.
I've been there with my child's head on my lap and I remember how miserable and helpless it feels. Try not to let it get to you since she will feed off your feelings. Try to relax yourself as much as possible.
Other than that, of course I am not saying that I am a doctor and heck, it's even against legistation where I live to tell someone what to do or eat without a license. This is simply something to consider. I wish you and your daughter good health and unstressed restroom visits.
Sincerely,
A.

Prunes!!!!! My son loved them and they always did the trick. But don't over do it or you'll get a different reaction!

I am a case manager that works with adults and children with disabilites. Persons with Autism often have bowel and constipation problems. One of the remedies suggested is to take a warm bath in epsom salts, which is supposed to relax the bowels. One of the mother's I work with has tried this with her son and said it worked for him. Just a suggestion...

M., Have you tried giving plain water in a bottle? Maybe let her take an ounce of water in between feedings. Just make sure that she does not choke. Also, try karo syrup ( I think I spelled it right). Check and see if you can put this in with her fruit drinks. I do both of these and they really help with constipation, and are safe and recommended by my docs. I hope it works for you. Good luck.

Hi M.,

I know exactly what you are going through. I have a 20 month old who seemed constipated from the time he was 6 months old until after he was a year old. We went to Asheville Gastro and they couldn't see anything wrong w/ his digestive tract; therefore, they prescribed Miralax and/or Glycolax. It is not a laxative but rather a sugary type substance that is mixed in a bottle/food and helps tremendously. Caleb was on it daily for about 8 months and is now very regular on his own. He still has some problems and if he doesn't "go" at least every three days we give him a dose of the Glycolax and he goes that evening. I heard that raisins aren't always the best thing because they can swell in the intestine and cause some problems. I haven't given Caleb raisins for his problem, that's just what I had been told. I hope that helps!
Good luck,
S.

i learned when my son had the same problem . that after everything i and i would give him just bout all a heard was a warm bath to help him calm before he started and it made it a lot eaiser in the long run

I have an 11 month old that went thru the same thing. He didn't go for days........I gave him 1 jar of Beech Nut prunes and it did the trick. I don't know if you have tried the prunes yet, but it did wonders for my boy. Good luck to you.

Fruit is always helpful...

My daughter had the same problem as a baby and I did use the karo syrup but make sure you are using the dark one,because the doctor did not tell us wich one ,so we use the clear one and did not do anything until we used the dark one.
Hope it works.

My son was having problems just a few weeks ago. He went 9 days without a bowel movement. He constantly cried. I felt so bad. I tried the same things as you plus suppositories. The suppositories worked and also a spoon of castor oil should help. You can get both of those at the pharmacy or Wal-Mart. They make adult and child size. They're called glycerin suppositories. I think they say ages 2 and up, if so cut it in half long-ways. Try to give it to her while she's asleep so she doesn't fight with you. I'd also give her some fiber mixed in with her juice for about 7-14 days to get her regular again. I'm a pharmacy tech and this is what my pharmacist recommended to me at the time and it worked! Hope it helps!!
H.

Isn't it terrible to watch your little one go through this struggle? My daughter is 1 1/2 and since she was about a year old, we have been giving her a powder laxative prescribed by her doctor. We tried raisins, juice, water, etc. - nothing "natural" seemed to really help her. It is horrible to watch them struggle - Doesn't it seem like they look right at you and wonder "Why can't you help me!!??" We didn't intend to have her on the laxative this long, but the doctor reassured me there is no harm in giving her this. She uses the generic GlycoLax, the brand name is Miralax. Ask your doctor - we just add it to her milk daily.

The best advice I could give is WATER, lots of water inbetween milk. Water is natures cure, and it is a lot better then maybe reducing the milk in the diet that is needed for brain development. Water isnt'a first day kinda cure, but it will help slowly and possably solve it. Old home remedies do work, but if you'll read up on them they can all have very bad effects on your children. Since you're child is only 10 months old thick syropes and things such as that will probably only give a tummy ache. My friends pediatrition perscribed her a laxative that is safe for an infant, but I think those sort of things should be left to a pediatrition.

Hi M.,
Although I have not experienced this with my own children I did experience it with my neice. She used to cry for hours trying to use the bathroom. The doctors suggested suppositories. It did work but we also had to hold her in our arms and bend her as she was using the bathroom. I hope this helps!!!!!!!!

Did you say you tried prunes? That is what finally helped my baby when he was constipated. An entire jar of stage 2 prunes. Good luck!!! N. H.

Try just a small amount of straight undiluted apple juice. My daughter's doctor reccommended that when she was that age for constipation before trying a children's laxative. It worked pretty well, we gave her 2 oz of pure apple juice in her bottle for two days and that fixed the problem. And we didn't have to resort to medications. Which I know can be a concern when you're dealing with babies.

My son, now 15 mos had the same problem when he was 6-10 mos...It was his formula for the most part....I had to give him prunes or prune juice adn that worked real well. Also there are things called glycerin suppositories..not to be used every day but can be used when a child hasnt gone in a while. I sliced them down the middle and used a half of one on my kiddo. He had a bowel movement in like 15 minutes...also ask your doc if you can add like maybe some fiber like that benefiber stuff to her food...Its an idea. Well, I hope this gets better for you. I know how it was for mine and dont wish that on any child. Good luck
-T.

I'm not sure what you and your doctor have tried, but the stool softner Miralax works fairly well, but you have to use if for 4-6 months after you start, in order to get the problem under control. You should also stay away from bananas, cheese and rice cereal, they can cause constipation. You could also try switching to soy formula or soy milk. Karo syrup in the formula can help "grease" the intestines. There is a product called gripe water that helps with colic. My son had colic and it worked wonders. It can help to keep children regular. It is not specifically for constipation, but it is all herbal and natural so it can't hurt. You can go to www.colicease.com to order it. I hope that this can help, I hate it when my children feel bad. Good luck. T. S.

Hey M., My name is L. and when my son was that age I had to use prunes. Usually a size 2 baby food jar of prunes did it. Also taking their legs and bicycling them worked with helping to move the stuff through there system if they are having a hard time passing it. I hope that that helps.!!
L.

Hi! I can sympathize with your problem. I find applesauce, pears (baby food), and even the organic apple sweet potato help my daughter. I have tried the prune juice however she does not like it! Only other suggestion that I have is to watch your baby's diet (i.e. cereal, bananas, etc..) Good luck!

my son had that problem the first month he was born. He almost had to go get a barium enema, but finally had a bowel movement the morning of. I did all that stuff you said.. the fruit juice, the no iron, all that and finally I added some Karo syrup to his bottle and it worked.. I also gave him some maalox, but that was recommended by the doctor. I would check with your doctor before trying either thing, but it definitely worked for us.

try apple prune juice or palin apple juice will open the child up were they won't be constipated anymore M. W

My mother always used for us, and now I for my son... Karo Syrup. Its in the baking isle, very dark syrup in a clear bottle with I believe a blue label. Just put a Tbsp. or so in the bottom of a bottle, if warmed it seems to taste better, and has always helped when needed. Hope it helps your little one as well. GOOD LUCK!

M.: I had the same problem with my daughter, if we switched from Breast milk to formula, or intoduced new foods..
Molasases is also a laxative, What I did was just dip a spoon into the molasases, "do not add a spoon full!!!! , that would create a major mess.." and mix it in with the formula a little will go a long way. we had to do that until she reached a year. try it once a day and if still does not work up it to 2, I hope this helps
L.

I have found that a spoonful of white kayro syrup works wonders. The doctor introduced it to me and It is awesome.

Hi M.,

My 18 month old had problems with this as well. I found that if I let him have about 4-6 oz of white grape juice everyday he did remarkably better. I would always dilute the juice in half with water, but it isn't necessary by any means. Also, my little man has acid reflux and lactose intolerant(which does not apply) but once we switched from formula to soy milk it was like a night and day difference...

My best friends little girl also had the same problem. Hers was much more severe however, and she ended up having to use suppositories for her. So, I think if it continues to be a problem you may want the chat with your ped about it.

Hope this helps

Y.