Potty training. It seems like I've heard it all. Wait until they independently take their dirty diapers off. Start before they turn 12 months. Run water and make noises to get them to pee on the toilet. Use stickers and rewards to motivate them. Let them roam free without diapers and they'll potty train themselves. […]
Oh, the beautiful Christmas cookie. When I was little, my mom would make literally dozens of different types of cookies. And I would eat all of them. But this year, now that I've come into my dietary restrictions with a little more awareness, and acknowledgement that there is no skirting around them – I approached […]
Your child is doing great. They are increasing the amount of stool they get into the toilet and having less fecal leaks. Momentum is building as they continue to improve. And then it all comes crashing down, and they regress. Why? Coughing. Well, let me clarify. Coughing is ONE answer (to cover them all in […]
Bowel movement. That's the medically appropriate wording to describe evacuating poop out of your body. Poop leaves your rectum, through your anus, and is expelled. Bowel movement. Movement. Move. Move. Your. Body. People often prescribe movement to someone who hasn't pooped in a while. (Working in hospital, I often hear "they haven't pooped yet. Get […]
What makes you feel relaxed? Think things that make you feel really good, grounded, and at peace? For me, its some good George Ezra or Hillsong United, a hot drink, clean sweats after a shower, and my husband beside me. Now, in that place, I wonder how I could ever feel anxious, stressed, fearful or […]
Imagine you're sitting on a swing – one of the old styles with the flat wooden plank. Now imagine there are no ropes to hold onto or balance yourself. You either have to use your body to balance yourself, or you have to hold onto the plank of wood with your hands, and possibly bend […]
When I'm working with kids to help them develop better toileting mechanics, I often end up singing. We'll be in the bathroom, they're on the toilet, and I'm sitting on the floor in front of them, coaching them through (sometimes, I have such a glamorous job). From outside the bathroom, someone passing by might think […]
It wasn't fun, it wasn't comfortable, and it wasn't the outcome I had hoped for. Today, a little on me, my personal dietary challenges, and just another reminder of why I love what I do. I grew up with a bit of a lax diet. Lots of sweets, big portions, and not the greatest education […]
I recently read a study that reported that constipation can present in children as young as 4 months of age. Four months. That may seem young, but unfortunately I'd challenge that study – as a practitioner, I've seen children with constipation younger than that. When I'm working with an infant, or I'm asking an older […]
Psalm 118:5-6 Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? Long ago, I would have previously answered that last part of the verse differently that I do today. I would […]
