Constipation in 12 Month Old

My DD wasnt a big prune fan either... pear or apple juice went down MUcH easier for her. She preferred plums too. Apricots, peas, and spinach are also good anti-constipation foods. Also, if you are giving her cereal that can be a culprit... Especially if it's rice. (Although, any cereal with iron in it won't help her constipation any...)

When my DD got really bad, I would give her a tummy massage. After a nice warm bath, I would use the heel of my hand to rub small clockwise circles on her tummy. (Concentrating on the area between her belly button and pelvis, and only using as much pressure as you can comfortably put on your eyelid.) I usually worked from left to right, then some longer strokes. Then I bicycled her legs for a little while, before repeating the massage. I almost always got a big, nasty blowout within an hour or two of doing this. (Just a warning... Use one size up in diapers, because when that blows it will be NASTY! Lol.)

Good luck!

Stop the cow's milk, first of all. Both of my kids were sensitive to it and had HORRIBLE constipation. Our pedi had us switch to soy milk (or you could do rice milk or something - ask your doctor what they recommend). My kids couldn't drink cow's milk until they were closer to 3 years old. A lot of kids are that way.

Our pedi had us give a capful of Miralax daily in juice. If the constipation is SO bad that Miralax isn't helping (it's not a laxative, it just makes the poop softer), give a tablespoon of mineral oil mixed in orange juice (the juice helps disguise the taste, although one of my kids would drink the mineral oil straight). Mineral oil will break up and liquefy everything in there. As a word of warning, the mineral oil will clean your baby right out, but it will be spectacular when it happens. Maybe double up on the diapers! And then once she's cleared out, stick with the Miralax until you're sure she can go without straining. That's what we were advised to do both times with our kids, and it did work. Best of luck. It's so miserable when your little one doesn't feel well!

Would you consider a children's supplement? Friends of mine had constipation during pregnancy and had constipated infants. While breast fed, the baby got the adult supplement through her mom, and then transitioned easily to the children's version. It's in liquid form, can be added to milk or to water, and is patented (so it's proven safe, effective and unique). Food patents are very difficult to obtain so this is a fantastic thing if you can find it. I can refer you if you're interested.

I'd also re-think the cow's milk - not sure that it's necessary at all and it's causing problems.

Short of a huge elimination diet, I'd look at adding what she needs (through a supplement) to enable her to metabolize more foods in an easier way. She's got to be miserable, poor thing. And constipation is not healthy over time anyway.

If she's really blocked up, try a nice warm relaxing bath - that can get things going even if sometimes they poop in the tub. Not ideal I know but it relieves the immediate pain.

We always use pear juice after our pediatrician recommended it. Tastes a whole lot better than prunes. We still use it now that everyone is older.
I gave half of one of those small Gerber bottles of juice, diluted with water. It never took more than once or twice of those half servings.
I would switch from cow's milk to another type of milk. When my oldest was little we learned quickly that we had to limit the amount of cow's milk or he'd get constipation and wouldn't feel well. So if he had pizza and ice cream at a party for instance we had to make sure he had absolutely nothing else with dairy in it the rest of the day and sometimes a day or two after. He out grew some of the sensitivity, but not all. We still don't do a lot of dairy each day.

Fiber can sometimes build up and build up until it forms a blockage. It's not always a good thing to give.

Hide the prunes in something else. Give her other foods that cause loose stools too. I googled how to relieve constipation naturally. I got lots of sites and suggestions.

The other thing you can do it hard on you but will work. Give her a warm water enema. It's not a chemical one so it should not hurt her. Ask the doc first though!!!! They may have sound advice about what NOT to do. Like using tap water, there is a lot of bacteria in our water so a DOC may say use only distilled water. Or a doc might say use an infant suppository once per week or once per month if it's really really bad.

Our doc had us give our granddaughter half a suppository when she got blocked up. It's not a solution of course but as she ages she will grow and be better equipped to handle poop better...lol..

http://empoweredsustenance.com/5-steps-to-cure-constipati...

Talk to you Pediatrician because mine put my little one on NonFat milk to aid with constipation or hard movements. Back when I had my first (21 yrs ago) the big ticket was Whole Milk and now with my 4th (5yrs ago) the times had changed and for the better I might add. She did far better on the NonFat.

(My daughter breastfed for 3 years so I am not totally sure that we didnt even introduce milk until 2 so that may have helped also...)

Best of luck to you

Talk to your Pediatrician before deciding to stop giving her cow's milk and switching to an alternative. When my daughter would occasionally get constipated at that age, we used a suppository.