Susan GrahamNine Days and Counting
November 16th 2008 14:55
It's now Day Nine of my daughter's refusal to poop. I thought for sure yesterday would be the day she finally gave in -- we loaded her drinks with Benefiber, and her belly is so big it looks like a basketball (and it's just as hard). The poop is starting to leak into her panties now, so every few hours she has to go "check her butt" and clean herself up. She is pale and lethargic. But she is eating and drinking.
Before bed, I encouraged her to try to poop. I cheered her on like a ridiculous motivational speaker. I made up songs and poems related to pooping. I reminded her how much better she would feel if she got it out. I told her that it was going to come out anyway in the form of leaks. She might as well just get it out.
No such luck. She just wiped herself and cried. She told me she was afraid to let it out. I reminded her that she's done this many, many times before. Every time she gets scared to poop and it finally comes out, she is always surprised that it doesn't actually hurt. She feels so good afterward and swears she will never hold her poop again.
Does she have some kind of fecal amnesia?? She just looks at me like I'm telling her lies. She doesn't seem to remember all the other times for the past three years that she has let her poop out with NO pain. She is convinced that it will hurt, and that if she doesn't let it out she will never have to poop again as long as she lives.
I'm starting to get concerned that she's getting impacted. I am thinking of giving her a laxative, but Hubbie thinks it's a bad idea. "She will go when she's ready," he says.
He's probably right. I work myself into a frenzy over this pooping stuff, then she poops and it's all over for a week or so until she gets backed up again. I know she senses my stress, and it freaks her out even more. I try to take the doctor's advice and just ignore it. But how do you ignore your child when she's clearly suffering??
I just can't wrap my head around the idea of someone deliberately making themselves miserable! She's uncomfortable and in pain, and she KNOWS how to make herself feel bettter. Yet she REFUSES to do what it takes to make herself better! I just don't get it. It doesn't make sense to me. It makes me want to pull my hair out -- or hers!
So here I am, helpless to help my little girl. Right now, she's just sitting there on the floor watching "Clifford" in her nightgown, squirming around, tucking her feet under her to hold it all in. Today is Sunday. If she doesn't poop today, I will have to put her on the bus tomorrow morning with that giant turd in her belly.
My husband says it's her problem. She has to work it out for herself. I will take his advice and leave her alone today. I won't even mention it. Nothing else has worked so far -- I might as well try something new. I will keep you posted on Poop Watch 2008.
Before bed, I encouraged her to try to poop. I cheered her on like a ridiculous motivational speaker. I made up songs and poems related to pooping. I reminded her how much better she would feel if she got it out. I told her that it was going to come out anyway in the form of leaks. She might as well just get it out.
No such luck. She just wiped herself and cried. She told me she was afraid to let it out. I reminded her that she's done this many, many times before. Every time she gets scared to poop and it finally comes out, she is always surprised that it doesn't actually hurt. She feels so good afterward and swears she will never hold her poop again.
Does she have some kind of fecal amnesia?? She just looks at me like I'm telling her lies. She doesn't seem to remember all the other times for the past three years that she has let her poop out with NO pain. She is convinced that it will hurt, and that if she doesn't let it out she will never have to poop again as long as she lives.
I'm starting to get concerned that she's getting impacted. I am thinking of giving her a laxative, but Hubbie thinks it's a bad idea. "She will go when she's ready," he says.
He's probably right. I work myself into a frenzy over this pooping stuff, then she poops and it's all over for a week or so until she gets backed up again. I know she senses my stress, and it freaks her out even more. I try to take the doctor's advice and just ignore it. But how do you ignore your child when she's clearly suffering??
I just can't wrap my head around the idea of someone deliberately making themselves miserable! She's uncomfortable and in pain, and she KNOWS how to make herself feel bettter. Yet she REFUSES to do what it takes to make herself better! I just don't get it. It doesn't make sense to me. It makes me want to pull my hair out -- or hers!
So here I am, helpless to help my little girl. Right now, she's just sitting there on the floor watching "Clifford" in her nightgown, squirming around, tucking her feet under her to hold it all in. Today is Sunday. If she doesn't poop today, I will have to put her on the bus tomorrow morning with that giant turd in her belly.
My husband says it's her problem. She has to work it out for herself. I will take his advice and leave her alone today. I won't even mention it. Nothing else has worked so far -- I might as well try something new. I will keep you posted on Poop Watch 2008.
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Comment by katyzzz
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The problem keeps compunding itself.
I love your site, incidentally. Well done.