My 12mo often has a tummy ache, but then it passes

A concerned mum has come to our #AskTheVillage community for advice.

It’s always a worry when your child appears to be sore, especially when you don’t know the best way to help.  

Where cow’s milk allergy and other medical issues have been ruled out, a toddler’s sensitive tummy could be in response to any of the numerous foods they eat. 

One concerned mum noticed her toddler would often experience soreness in her tummy after a toddler milk drink and so she asked our #AskTheVillage for help and the advice from other parents came flooding in.

“I’ve recently moved 12mo onto a toddler milk drink and she often has a tummy ache, but then it passes,” she began the post, before adding that she was going to seek medical advice but would appreciate any first-hand experience from other mums.

“She goes to the toilet regularly and eats well. I’m going to see our GP but I’d love to hear from other parents if your kid seems to have a sensitive tum?”

Thankfully, the #AskTheVillage community of parents had plenty of advice based on their own experiences dealing with young kids and tummy troubles. 

“We found that our little one had different reactions to different formulas so we just tried a few until we found one that worked for us,” wrote one mum.

 Another community member replied, “If you’re looking to change your toddler milk, you can get sensitive formulas – we use Aptamil Sensitive Toddler and it works well for us.”

A mum of twins suggested keeping a food/drinks diary could be helpful. 

She explains: “One of my twins had a sore tum and the other was fine – they had the same diet, so it wasn’t easy to work out the problem. For us, water intake was a big issue, and she was constipated. Maybe keep a food/drinks diary for a week and then take that to the doc?” 

Another agreed, writing: “Try keeping a food journal and see if there’s a pattern between what your little one eats and when she gets a tummy ache.” 

“Stay strong Mamma,” urged another mum, saying she experienced this issue too.

“The GP told us to keep a food journal and it turned out that we needed a formula for sensitive tummies. Took a couple weeks to settle into it and it was fine after that. Good luck!”

A food diary may be a good place to start if your child often has a sore tummy. (Image: Getty)

Advice for parenting a toddler with a sensitive tummy

• If your toddler has tummy troubles, it’s important to pay close attention to their dietary needs. Where you notice these tummy troubles are worse after drinking regular dairy milk or a toddler milk drink, it might be worth trying a sensitive version, which is based on some broken down (or ‘partially hydrolysed’) protein.

  Aptamil Toddler understands every feeding journey is unique and their premium toddler milk drink, Aptamil Sensitive Toddler* is a gentle formulation with a unique balance of partially hydrolysed and whole whey protein for sensitive tummies, and with prebiotics and probiotics. 

• Provide your child a varied, balanced diet rich in fibre (think fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds) and remember to offer your child small meals on a regular basis to avoid stomach discomfort from being too full. 

• Remember to keep fluids up and offer your toddler regular drinks. Adequate levels of fluids are an important factor in preventing constipation and water should always be your child’s main drink. 

• If you’re still worried, keep a food journal to identify any patterns between specific foods and tummy aches and consult a healthcare professional for guidance. 

*Aptamil Toddler milks are formulated supplementary food for young children, when intake of energy and nutrients may not be adequate.

Brought to you by Aptamil Toddler

Important: Any advice on #AskTheVillage is general only and should not be substituted for medical advice. Always seek and follow advice from a medical professional in relation to any health issues or concerns you may have.