Withholding help!

[Staino1990]

We are on our 5th day of maximum laxido sachets for dissimpaction for my 3 year old and she is still withholding constantly. So far, she will only poo when fast asleep and unaware. I keep trying to explain to the gp that maybe if she poos whilst awake, I can help reassure her it doesn't hurt and break the cycle. He claims stimulants will make her worse by giving her cramps. After really having to fight hard, he has reluctantly prescribed senna. Has anyone else found their gp to be difficult? I really hope senna helps her realise that going for a poo doesn't hurt anymore, she will happily do toilet time, add stickers to her chart, blow bubbles, watch poo goes to pooland on the app etc etc, but WILL NOT push!

[CheshireMama]

Sorry to hear of this.

From experience- they can’t hold in very loose poo. So a high dosage of movicol will help clear her out. But of course the downside is the mess. Did this start after painful constipation? Reassurance is good and then her seeing that the poos are soft and can’t hurt etc.

I agree that a stimulant will help and shouldn’t make her cramp.

Keep going and you’ll have a break through. Bribe if you need to - we did!

Can you buy a new potty with a favourite character etc? And watch a tv show whilst on it. That’s how we got into a routine.

It’ll last a while - she needs to have time for the bowel to recover. Be prepared for months of work if she’s been withholding for a while

Good luck

[Staino1990 in reply to CheshireMama]

Thank you for your reply and advice! She would always poo in a nappy even though she was toilet trained and we didn't realise at the time but I think she's actually been constipated for a lot longer than we thought so we are still at the thick paste stage with disimpaction after 2 weeks. She does do the odd very runny one when doing toilet time as she just can't hold it whilst sat in that position but she tries as hard she can to keep them in bless her. I'm up changing her through the night every evening as she passes large stools whilst fast asleep after holding them all day. Hopefully once we introduce the senna, this will make her poo more during the day. It's not nice having to wake her in the night and strip the bedding etc, plus I have a 6 week old baby and my husband works nights! Hopefully one day this will all be a distant memory! X

[CheshireMama in reply to Staino1990]

It’s so hard. Especially when you’re in the thick of it, and with a newborn! It felt so so hard at the time and like it would never end. But it will.

Some good books on Amazon- everyone poos & potty princess. Might help.

Do get in touch with GP. Mine had weekly and then monthly calls until we had established a pattern. Push for better service and guidance.

[14crosstitch14]

Sweetcorn, prunes fibre lots of exercise and lots of water. She can not hold it forever.

[14crosstitch14]

If she's drinking plenty of fluid, try pears and dried fruit which has lots of fibre. Prune juice i'll be trying nextvwe havevmy daughter. Keeping that toilet routine after meals. Popcorn as it has lots of fibre. Oats and we change milk which helped also make your own fibre/flap jacks peanut butter with oats and fruit will help.