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Poop or No Poop

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Since we have to clean it up, we are very aware of what kind of poop our baby is making. We see different colors, different amounts, different consistencies. Some of them really worry us. The explosive poop of breast fed babies or the days of no poop, what does it mean and what can we do about it? Here are some helpful suggestions:

Baby or toddler constipation

Try  Poop Goop– Two different concoctions to whiz up for your baby/toddler’s constipation

Long-term constipation – see When Your Child Just Can’t Go
To get the article in pdf – click here: When Your Child Just Can’t Go.

Breast-fed Baby’s Explosive Poop

Q.
I know breast fed babies have different colored and often softer stools then formula babies. My baby’s stools are very soft with the majority liquid.  None of the seedy things the books and peds talk about seeing are present.  When he goes, it’s nothing short of explosive. When I say explosive, even if the diaper is new and dry, it comes out with such force (and noise) that very little is caught in the diaper and it gets very little saturated. The poop shoots out the sides and back to the point you can feel it hit you if you’re holding him. Both docs told me I just need to get used to the softer stools of nursing and I felt like they thought I was exaggerating.  Its been two weeks of what I would call liquid stools and I’m concerned about him being dehydrated or actually having something wrong. I called the nurse line today and talked to her about it and she said it sounded normal, but she’d be happy to bring in me to talk to another doc.  Am I crazy to feel like this is not normal?  We have gone through 5 blow out outfits since 5am, not counting spit up changes and its only 5pm.

Read answers from other moms 

Guarding Family Mealtimes

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I was interested in this Today’s Christian Woman article on Family mealtimes.

In times past, children could be seen at the dinner table but were not to be heard. Thankfully, that has changed, as we now know the value of providing a safe and enjoyable mealtime environment for the entire family.

Family mealtime is critical to your children’s physical, emotional, and spiritual development, as well as their academic and behavioral progression.

Family mealtime is the primary avenue for parents to connect with their children. It’s a time for parents to serve as role models, to encourage healthy eating habits, and to establish family traditions. Children benefit from the socialization, the establishment of family unity, and the increased literacy and language development that occur during mealtimes.

Social skills develop naturally when family mealtimes are a regular practice. Children learn through the observation and interaction that occurs in a mealtime setting.

Because families are so busy, mealtime may be the only time to have a real conversation. As kids participate in the conversations, they learn how to take turns skills, not to interrupt, and proper etiquette.

Mealtime can become a safe place to share personal thoughts, feelings, and opinions. I don’t know of a single family that would say they are not closer to each other because of regular mealtimes that include the entire family.

A 2007 study at the National Center on Addiction & Substance Abuse at Columbia University reveals that children who have frequent family dinners are at a 70-percent lower risk for substance abuse and are half as likely to try cigarettes or marijuana compared to kids who have fewer than three family dinners per week.

Families that eat four or more meals a week together also tend to be healthier. Kids eat more fruits and vegetables when served a home-cooked meal or are instrumental in helping prepare the meal. And less fast food benefits everyone.

Read more at: Today’s Christian Woman

Kid-Easy Cinnamon Toast

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Does you preschooler love cinnamon toast but you hate the mess they make? Here’s a great solution.

Blend cinnamon and sugar into a tub with soft spread margarine. The kids can spread it themselves without so much mess.

Do you have other ideas for simple things like this that will make mealtimes easier and more fun? Write your idea in a comment below.

Picky or Problem Eaters

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“Picky Eaters” Will Not Starve Themselves
But Problem or Resistant Eaters Might

by ISA MARRS

I spend a lot of time writing and speaking about picky eating. When I say “picky eater” I am referring to a child who has picky behaviors but can learn to eat a broader diet and change the bad habits that are negatively impacting themselves and their families. However, when it comes to feeding disorders there is a continuum of severity. And many of you have children with more severe food aversions.

Approximately two-thirds of children on the autistic spectrum have severe food aversions which can impact their growth and development. While this population of children often has feeding aversions it is in no way limited to them.

Read more at SpeechLanguageFeeding.com

10 Nutrients Every Child Needs

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BabyCenter.com information:

Click on the links below to find out more about each of these crucial nutrients.

Calcium: Builds strong bones and teeth, promotes healthy nerve and muscle function, helps blood clot, and helps the body convert food into energy.
How much your child needs, the best sources, and more
For more information on your whole family’s calcium needs, see Calcium Deficiency

Essential fatty acids (EFAs): Help build cells, regulate the nervous system, strengthen the cardiovascular system, build immunity, and help the body absorb nutrients. Necessary for healthy brain function and vision.
How much your child needs, the best sources, and more

Iron: important for making hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying red pigment in blood, and myoglobin, a pigment that stores oxygen in muscles. Lack of iron can cause anemia, which can result in fatigue, weakness, and irritability.
How much your child needs, the best sources, and more

Magnesium: Keeps bones strong and the heart rhythm steady, supports the immune system, and helps maintain muscle and nerve function.
How much your child needs, the best sources, and more 

Potassium: Works with sodium to control the body’s water balance, which helps maintain blood pressure. Assists with muscle function and heart rhythm and, in later years, may reduce the risk of kidney stones and osteoporosis.
How much your child needs, the best sources, and more 

Vitamin A: Plays an important role in vision and bone growth; helps protect the body from infections; promotes the health and growth of cells and tissues in the body, including the hair, nails, and skin.
How much your child needs, the best sources, and more 

Vitamin D: Helps the body absorb minerals like calcium and builds strong teeth and bones. Essential for reaching growth potential and peak bone mass. Also functions as a hormone with roles in immune system health, insulin production, and regulation of cell growth.
How much your child needs, the best sources, and more 

Vitamin E: Limits the production of free radicals, which can damage cells. Important for immunity, DNA repair, and other metabolic processes.
How much your child needs, the best sources, and more 

Zinc: Needed by more than 70 enzymes that aid digestion and metabolism, and essential for growth.
How much your child needs, the best sources, and more 

Vitamin C: Helps form and repair red blood cells, bones, and tissues; helps keep your child’s gums healthy and strengthens blood vessels, minimizing bruising; assists with healing, boosts the immune system, and keeps infections at bay. Also helps the body absorb iron from iron-rich foods.
How much your child needs, the best sources, and more 

 

See more at BabyCenter.com