• Avoid giving your child too many foods that have a binding effect, such as bananas, cooked carrots or squash, and large quantities of dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. Two to three servings of dairy per day are adequate for a toddler. (One serving equals 1/2 cup milk, for example. For more guidelines, see our age-by-age guide to feeding your baby and toddler.

• Boost your child's fiber intake. Give him plenty of crackers, cereal, or bread, and fruits and vegetables such as prunes, apricots, plums, peas, beans, and broccoli.

• To help keep his stools soft, increase the amount of fluid he drinks. Water is your best choice, but a little prune or apple juice might also help. (In general, you'll want to limit your toddler's juice consumption to about 4 ounces per day, to prevent tooth decay and a ruined appetite.) He should wet four or five diapers a day or, if he's toilet-trained, urinate at least once every five to six hours.

• Encourage him to crawl, cruise, or walk every day, to get the blood flowing to all his organs.

• Massage your toddler's belly. Measure three finger widths below his navel and apply gentle but firm pressure there with your fingertips. Press until you feel a firmness or mass. Maintain gentle but constant pressure for about three minutes.

• Don't pressure your toddler to toilet train before he's ready. Pushing him to use the potty can make him afraid or resentful, and he could wind up withholding bowel movements. If you notice your toddler doing this, increase the amount of fiber he eats (see above), back off on the training, and wait until you spot the surefire signs that he's really ready.

• Encourage your child to use the potty as soon as he feels ready to poop. If he says he never feels ready, try having him spend five to ten minutes on the toilet after breakfast and dinner. (Children who have been constipated for a long time may have lost the ability to perceive that their rectum is full.) Try to make this a pleasant experience by reading a book with him while he's sitting there. But don't force him to stay there if he doesn't want to or he'll come to think of using the toilet as a punishment.

• Talk to your baby's doctor about treatment options. She may suggest an over-the-counter stool softener, a lubricant such as mineral oil, a suppository, or laxatives if your toddler is very constipated. (A glycerin suppository will stimulate the rectum and help your toddler pass a stool. While using a suppository occasionally is fine, don't do it on a regular basis, or your toddler could wind up relying on them to have a bowel movement.) Note: If your child is deliberately holding back his stools, your treating him with suppositories or an enema could be extremely upsetting to him. Always check with your doctor before resorting to this type of treatment.

• If your toddler is passing such hard, dry stools that he tears the delicate skin near the opening of his anus (you may see these tears, known as anal fissures, or a little blood), apply a little aloe vera lotion to the area to help it heal. And be sure to mention the tears to your doctor.