Hi everybody.
I'm Melissa.
Welcome to CloudMom.com.
Today we're talking about kids and constipation.
We sort of pride ourselves around here with covering issues that can be a little bit uncomfortable
for all of us moms.
So, today I'm gonna share some of my own family's experiences when it comes to kids and constipation.
I'm gonna try not to embarrass any of my kids too much.
But I think it's a really, really important issue and you do hear a lot now about issues
developing with kids who become constipated, who are trying to hold it in too much, or
have different kind of issues related to going to the bathroom.
So, I think it's a really important thing you have to deal with as a mom, post potty
training by the way.
I'm not talking about babies and constipation.
I actually covered that in another show.
Okay?
So, kids and constipation.
This is really about my family's experience.
I mean in my family, we have had issues with kids getting constipated when we are traveling,
or we're going to my mom's, or when they started a new school, or there was some change.
And I found that sometimes they would have a tendency to like get nervous and hold it
in and try to prevent themselves from going to the bathroom.
Now, anyway, so...
Or when their diet changed.
For example, we were on vacation once and one of my kids got constipated.
So, just to talk a little bit about my house.
I mean it's kind of a funny thing.
I try not to like get too involved because I want them to have a little bit of their
own independence, but I do try to keep a little bit of a loose track on who went to the bathroom.
So, I'll say, you know "Did you make a poopy today?" because otherwise, especially with
my boys, I find they like never wanna sit on the potty, and I don't think that's good
because I don't think it's healthy, 'cause I want them to have a like regular bowel movements.
[chuckle] So, anyway...
So, I try to get them to sit.
During the school week it can be hard, but if I can I try to get them to sit on the potty
before they go to school for a couple minutes, and then either before or after dinner to
sit on the potty just for a couple minutes as a way of routine because I swear to God,
with some of my boys, otherwise then they would like never go.
Okay?
So that I find to be really, really helpful and I try myself to keep a little bit of loose
sort of track of all this when it comes to the littler kids.
Okay.
Sorry, looking at my notes here about some of the other things I try to do I find that
they really help.
Water, tons of water, especially a big bottle of water after school I think can be really,
really helpful.
I try not to do it too late in the day because then they can be up at night peeing.
High fiber foods, we try to do whole grain cereal, we try to opt for whole grain breads,
lots of fruits, lots of veggies.
And, again, it's whenever we break out of that routine that I can see that my kids can
get some issues with getting constipated.
One of my kids has had a more serious issue, and I did talk to the doctor about it and
he takes half a capful of MiraLax in orange juice during those periods of time.
This has been a bit of a controversial thing, by the way.
Some doctors and some parents feel that MiraLax is getting over-prescribed and that there
are other things you can do with water and diet and habits, such as what I'm trying to
describe here in my house, to prevent constipation from happening or to help kids develop like
healthy habits when it comes to going to the [chuckle] bathroom.
So, anyway, keep that in mind when it comes to MiraLax and I'm actually gonna link on
the blog to a really, really great entry from the Motherlode Blog on the New York Times
on this issue that I found to be really interesting, and I think you will too, you will also.
If you've dealt with having kids that get constipated and there are certain things that
have worked for you and certain things that you've found out, please share your experiences
on this blog, on CloudMom.com.
I'd love to hear them as well as I'm sure would other moms.
So, thank you so much for watching.
Just checking my notes to see if I have anything else.
No, I think that's it.
Tune in soon for some other really exciting shows from CloudMom.com.
And I hope you guys like my new little HD set here at home.
I've been editing my own videos, filming my own videos in HD for the first time.
So, hope that you like them, hope to see you again.
Thanks so much for watching.