Throw Out Pull Ups, or What? Constipation and Potty Training

my daughter has never had stomach problems but whenever she is constipated i usually give her a little flaxseed oil (she'll take it by the spoon but mixing it in oatmeal/yogurt/applesauce works too). it's better than mineral oil or other kinds because it does not leach the body of nutrients on it's way out of the system. my kid just potty trained with a baby bjorn potty chair and she was way less scared about pooping on it than in the big potty. she was constipated between poops and at first she would ask me for a diaper when she had to poop but i would tell her no and just read to her while she sat on the potty chair. i feel so bad for you two because it's hard enough to deal with potty training and then to add food allergy to that must make things really hard. i just kept telling myself through the process "i don't know any freshmen in college who still wear diapers!"

After a year with what seemed liked diarrhea with our 2 year old, we realized, (2x with in two and a half years of needing a lax. b/c he was so blocked up in his small intestine, hence the former would just pass thru), that he needed a daily laxative or it would keep happening. And, this is with a kid who was/is on a high fiber diet. Though I do not give him the full dose otherwise he'll develop a yeast infection from pooping so much, he is going so much easier now, is not distended, etc. So, b/c of my son's experience, I do advocate for a laxative if necessary. My mom, twin bro. & I all struggled with this when we were kids, and still do- though we're not dependent upon a laxative- so it does run in familes. Hope that helps!

Hey S., you could try a natural laxative like OATMEAL
its healthy and great source of fiber.

For POO training let her sit on the little potty

and right before bed let her watch the potty video,
and also right after breakfast.

set the egg timer for 45 minutes and then ask her to sit on the potty, IF it takes her a long time put it infront of the TV or give her some books, even a little Nintendo hand game
if her siblings have one,

sit with her, the whole time

NOTE the time she POOS and then you know how to plan for the following day, based on the time she eats and then the time she poos, and set the egg timer for 10 minuites prior.
help her get ready and then let her sit, get fancy hand soap , vavnish blue colored dropins to make the water blue, and of course nice big girl undies ( make sure they are LOOSE fitting ) don't show her her panties until she poos.

and then help her wipe with KANDOO wipes not baby wipes

Nail polish
earrings
bracelets
rings
hair barrettes
and if she goes a week, you visit the salon together to get a manicure.

I don't like pull ups cause they remind me of diapers and , the kids think of them like diapers, and they are much harder to pull down then panties

Kids will have accidents but they have to feel it
a few times first so they know when they have to go.

All part of the training,

Hope this helps

Good luck

M

PS Raisin are also very good laxative and you could offer them to her CHOCOlate or CARAB ( fake choclate cuz of her dairy issue and then yougurt flavored but they have the FAKE vanilla carob chip kinds)

Prune juice but my kids hate that and aloe juice which is watered down and much more tolerable,
and simply offering her more WATER during the day.

I think the constipation issue needs to be resolved. Having MSPI doesn't mean she is going to be constipated for the rest of her life. Constipation is not healthy- you need to find a diet for her that will allow her to pass a softer stool. No daily laxatives! Laxatives will make her bowels function less and less on their own. I think your diapering issues will fall into place when you fix this major constipation problem (fruit, fruit juice, maybe fruit smoothies with fiber supplements? Probiotics would probably be a great benefit to her too). Can she do goat milk? Goat milk protein is much easier to digest, and my kids love vanilla goat's milk yogurt. This contains active cultures (probiotics) that might aide her digestion.

Update: Forgot to mention this earlier so I am editing. The reason why I think you should focus on unconstipating her is because I had this problem as a child and it made it traumatic for me to go to the potty. My parents would sit beside me and read me a story while I sat on the potty, which would help me relax and go.

Shes 4... just put on panties in the day .. and after enough accidents.. she just might get the idea. This will be easier as the weather warms up.