Is Your Child Waking Up Because of Poop?
Is your child always waking up from their nap early with poop (that “special” surprise)?
The whole thing stinks, that’s for sure, but it’s really maddening when your child is waking up because of poop and sleep is affected on a regular basis.
If your child is waking because of poops, here are a few different ideas to consider:
1) Starting after 12 months of age, toddlers can control their bowel movements. Just like puking on command, some children choose to tout their independence with this control – especially as a tactic to stall or delay nap time or to end it prematurely.
2) Digestive changes can occur around the time of a growth spurt.
3) If the poop problem has been persistent for over a week or two (and really affecting your child’s sleep schedule) take a look at trying to get out a poop early in the following ways:
- Change up foods and their timing. Try more fibrous foods at different times (try oatmeal vs. toast for example). Raisins, prunes, pears and bran cereal are also good foods to try. Stay away from constipating foods such as bananas.
- Focus on water intake. Offer water more often throughout the day.
- Talk to your pediatrician – children who poop every day, may be constipated. If the other methods above do not work or are not enough, medicine may be needed to get things moving.
If this is a new or sporadic problem that you’re having, try a quick diaper change with no interaction in a dimly lit room (or with no light at all).
Then try to put your child back down in the crib for their nap in the hopes that they will fall back asleep.
Protect your baby’s Ass-sets
Make sure that you slather diaper cream before their nap in case they poop to prevent a rash.
Putting a little cream on will be the best preventative measure to help your baby’s skin but allowing them the motivation that they should not poop again.
If your child’s nap is super short, make sure to focus on an early bedtime to prevent your child from becoming overtired.
Since this post is already TMI, do you have any tips to share? How frustrated are you about the poop problem!
