Toilet habits (waayyy TMI sorry)

My DS1 is now 5 years old and i'm a little unsure about his #2's.

Pretty much since he's been toilet trained and i've been helping him wipe himself i've noticed that his #2's are really soft. Not runny but no real form to them. He is quite regular in that he goes once a day but he can sit there for 5 min or more to finish. I have mentioned it to our Dr on a couple of occasions and he's noted it down but has not seemed too concerned about it. But does this sound alright??

As well as the "Why" it is happening i'm a little uneasy about it for him once he begins school (at kinder this year), i don't want the time it takes him to become something he is self concious of. And it can be a little tricky to get him clean.

We have a fairly good diet, lots of fruit and some veg (fussy as to be expected) and not a lot of junk and at the beginning of the year we've started on the A2 milk. Does it sound like there is something that doesn't completely agree with him? He never compalins of a sore tummy but sometimes if we're not close to the toilet we can have an accident.

Last year i visited a naturopath and she was completely happy with what i described but i haven't been back to her yet. I'm wondering if i should book him an appt?

If it's just him that is fine, if it's nothing to be concerned about then great but i don't want to disregard it before i'm sure.

Any ideas?

Thanks ladies :)

Ds is the same. I put it down to the amount of fruit he eats

Yes i've thought of that littlelara... maybe it is just a 'normal' thing :dunno:

It does take some kids longer to fully control their bowel habits. Most likely culprit is the sugar content from the fruit :dunno: Might be worth giving something like Metamucil a try ( maybe 1 dose after dinner). It will help to "firm" stools when they are runny. Works both ways (for constipation and loose stools). Just be aware to introduce slowly as it may increase flatulence/gas in tummy initially if DS is prone. It will settle over a few days. HTH.

Maybe it is the fruit? I'll look into the Metamucil, thanks for that belle75.

It doesn't bother DS, he deosn't know any different, it's more so me.

Thanks for you help :)

I'd actually be wary of using supplements or medications as our bodies (particularly kids) can become dependent on them really easily and then it's really hard to get things on track without them. I would see this as a last resort, and only ever for a very short period of time.

What you describe could be within the normal range, or might be related to something going on like a food allergy or intolerance. Was there a particular reason for chaning to A2 and has it made a difference? If you suspect a dairy issue and A2 hasn't made a difference, it could be the other protein in dairy (the one that's in A2 milk) that is the culprit. Or it could be a different sensitivity altogether, or not a problem at all. The only way to rule out food sensitivity is to do a full elimination diet and then challenge for one element at a time. It's time consuming and hard work but it does give you the answers. If you suspect dairy you could start by cutting that out totally (including all foods with milk solids, there are a lot) - a dietician is a good idea as they can help with a diet plan that meets all the nutrition needs.

Does your DS drink lots of water? Does he have accidents often? If this is something that is not in the normal range, there are other reasons why kids can have troubles - lack of muscle control, lack of sensation of needing to go etc. It really comes down to how much of a problem it is. If it is a problem than resolving it before it affects him at school is a good idea. Perhaps seeing an OT that specialises in toileting could help. They will give you a good idea of whether this is just a version of normal, or something that needs to be looked into further, and can help you with strategies too.

All the best with it.

Thanks MantaRay. No i have not noticed any difference since changing to A2 but i also did it as i have been trying to reduce the amount of additives and preservatives in our diet. DS drinks water every day, the amount varies but we do not buy softdrink or juice. The kids have a cup of milk morning and night, milk on their breakfast and maybe a yoghurt once a day. I'm really not experienced with food allergies in any way what so ever so really not sure what i should be looking out for but i suppose a part of me is wondering if the toilet issue is a sign :dunno:. DS is usually fine in getting himself to the toilet on time but recently while we were away he had a few accidents in getting there on time. As to if this was as a result of his tummy or if it was because he was leaving it too late not wanting to leave the fun things he was engaged in i really don't know. It was over about 3 days and then he was fine.

I wouldn't give anything to DS before speaking to a professional and i think i will do that, if the issue is enough to have me questioning if it's right or not then i feel i need to look into it more before i disreagard it. If i then can be assured it's all ok then i'll make myself relax about it.

Gosh this being a mum business is tough, give me a crying baby any day :lol:

Thanks so much for your reply :)