having a child....its all about firsts. this past week we experienced a landmark first with Miss Magoo. Constipation. Now. Until the Magoo came around, such a term would usually leave me feeling a bit red and quick to change the subject (or channel if i was cursed with daytime TV and all its poo adverts). Last week we stepped up her formula to the stage 2 kind. Didnt really think much of it. Stage 2, according to the container is for kids eating dry food with formula, from 4 months on. She's over 8 months and has been eating semi-solids for months now. Well. turns out, the extra iron was too much. Blocked her up like a jackknife rig on the old 110 in Highland Park. For 3 days. No poopie. We cut down the cereal which also has healthy amount of iron. We increased the liquids. Hell, i was about ready to giver her a ciggy and a cup of coffee. Finally, Friday, it reached a boiling point to where she would be straining and straining, red as a beet, eyes literally popping out of her head and then all of sudden she would burst into tears. At one point Friday afternoon she lost it. Mom lost it, called me and said for me to get my ass home, but only after i stopped and got some glycerin suppositories and her old formula. We learned from a friend and the pharmacist that this happens all too often with kids her exact age when you switch formula. Add more water to reduce the iron content per bottle. In the meantime, suppository should help. When a friend of ours experienced this with her son around the same age, and she gave him a suppository, apparently he shit all of the place, within seconds, including on her, her face, hair etc. Im thinking "oh shit, (pun intended)do i need to go get a slicker and some tarp from home depot?" i came home Friday evening to a frantic, paper thin wife and a kid that just passed, according to the wife's report, a piece of poo hard as a golf ball. Her eyes were still red. poor thing. i had something for her. Something I've done twice in my life now. Suppository application. (Once, the wife had a bizarre illness and well, I had the honors.) I administered the suppository and sealed the diaper all in about 3.5 seconds, fearing the worst. But the worst didnt occur. She did however, have some bottle and look as if she was about to pass out from exhaustion. Then, she started the pushing and shoving again. She's in her chair and im washing dishes. Ahhhhh we thought..."SHE'S GOING TO POOOP!!!!! EVERYONE GATHER AROUND!!!" The suppository is taking effect! there we are skipping down the street like whats his face in that gay ass christmas movie, bells ringing, poop everywhere. Hell, i even sang her the ever so appropriate "Hanky the Xmas Poo" song. But the straining was still too much and she lost it...vomiting like mad. Milk was shooting out her nose and mouth, she looked like she was in trouble. We freaked. But she subsided after a few minutes. We went to check her diaper. There was poo! Then, around 6;30 on Friday, she crashed. For 10 straight hours. Saturday...she must have poo-ed about 23 times. It was amazing. Of course, now, she's back to normal. These things, while Im now viewing as priceless, are actually tremendously scary. When you hear your girl squeel like youve never heard her squeel, you freak. you're dialing 911 and of course they calm you before calming the baby. and of course you feel kind of stupid when you learn...its just poo.

Patrick, not only do I understand, but comiserate and remember. Hayley had horrible issues with constipation, to the point of having to change her diet, and of course the in-laws refused to listen and she would come home constipated EVERY SINGLE FUCKING TIME...... I do have a pointer that pharmacists don't mention that will help eleviate this problem from recurring again, and will make it so that you don't have to use medication except in very extreme circumstances. Let me know if you want my "poo poo" friendly secret :p Take care of you and that precious baby and beautiful wife.

any poo poo advice is certainly welcome and fact nearly required. hell, we've discussed nate's crap more times than i care to remember. no reason not to be forthcoming with baby poo info.