Mari’s story: The year her daughter’s constipation took over their lives – and how everything finally turned around
Written by: Alba Health team
Last updated: 2026-01-08
Mari and her partner have one child, a daughter who is now 18 months old. Before she was born, Mari had imagined a first year filled with closeness, routines, and that magical bubble everyone talks about. But from the very beginning, it became clear that their journey would look very different.
Breastfeeding didn’t work, no matter how hard she tried. She pumped, breastfed, bottle-fed, and started over again. Nights were broken, days were too. At the three-month check-up, the nurse at the child health clinic said something that both hurt to hear and brought a strange sense of relief:
“You need to sleep. You can’t go on like this.”
They stopped breastfeeding and switched to formula. For the first time in a long while, they saw a chance to catch their breath – but instead, something even harder began.
When constipation and stomach pain took over everyday life
It started almost immediately after the switch to formula. At first, they hoped it was just a phase. But they soon realised that their daughter was severely constipated. It didn’t last days or weeks – it lasted for months. From the age of three months until almost her first birthday, her stomach ruled much of their lives.
Mari describes it as a downward spiral:
“It was like our world slowly shrank. Everything revolved around whether her stomach was working or not.”
They noticed they became more restricted by routines and sometimes avoided planning bigger outings. They knew that if their daughter was in a bad phase with her stomach, evenings often meant more discomfort and distress for her. At the same time, she showed very little interest in food, trapping them in a cycle that felt impossible to break.
When Mari sought help, it felt like the healthcare system had one solution – and one solution only: Omnilax. Something to give every day to “keep things moving,” without anyone really talking about why her daughter was constipated in the first place, or what could be done about the underlying cause.
“It’s like it’s just accepted that small children are constipated. And that the solution is always Omnilax. I got so tired of it.”
A podcast episode that stuck and became the start of a new direction
In the middle of all this, Mari heard about Alba Health on a podcast. She rarely gets hooked by that kind of content, but something about how it was presented made her keep listening. It didn’t sound like another “buy this and everything will be fixed,” but like someone actually talking about children’s gut health with knowledge and research behind it.
For the first time, she felt that someone was describing problems she recognised – in a way that made her pause. Still, she was a bit sceptical:
“I don’t like buying loads of baby products that different companies try to convince you that you have to have.”
And she didn’t immediately connect it to the constipation. But the idea stayed with her. And after yet another week of stomach pain and feeling helpless, she made a decision:
“We’ll try. We need to know more than what we’re being told right now.”
When someone finally saw the whole picture
When the test results came back, Mari assumed the focus would be on her daughter’s eating habits. But the nutrition coach went straight to the core of the problem: the constipation.
She explained that a specific bacterial strain – one that’s important for normal gut function – was missing from her daughter’s gut microbiome. That deficiency meant her gut couldn’t work properly, which explained both the constipation and why she reacted so strongly to food.
Mari remembers the feeling clearly:
“At first, I almost felt offended, because I was so emotionally fragile. But she was so clear, so pedagogical. Not judgemental at all. Just: ‘This is how it is. This is what’s missing. And this is what we can do.’”
For the first time, Mari received advice that actually felt logical. Not tips, not guesses, not “try a bit of pear” – but knowledge based on her daughter’s unique biology. Finally, an explanation that tied everything together. She felt seen, not blamed:
“It was such a relief. Like someone finally saw the whole situation.”
When the coach recommended a specific probiotic strain, Mari hesitated at first – she had heard all the debates about drops and all the parental anxiety around what’s “right.” But the scientific explanation convinced her to give it a chance.
The aha moment: When the constipation eased in just a few days
In June, they started the probiotic. And after just about a week, something happened that felt almost unreal:
Her daughter started pooping. Normally. Without pain. Without struggle.
Mari describes the feeling as if someone had suddenly lifted a weight off her chest. Something that had consumed her thoughts for almost a year… just disappeared.
“It was such a relief. But also so sad. Why did no one say this earlier? Why does healthcare have so little of this knowledge?”
She realised that their story wasn’t unique – but that far too few parents get the help they actually need.
When mealtimes went from anxiety to curiosity
With her stomach finally in balance, their daughter began to explore food. Mari stopped hiding nutrients in meals and instead served food as it was. Her daughter got to taste on her own terms. Slowly but surely, the resistance faded.
One day, she ate yoghurt – something she had completely refused before. Food was no longer charged or stressful; it almost became fun. Exploring food together and watching her daughter dare more and more changed the whole family’s habits, making meals calmer and more enjoyable for everyone.
“It became like a hobby. From total anxiety to actually enjoying it.”
Today: A gut that works – and a family that has found calm again
Today, their daughter’s gut is working as it should. She eats better, feels better, and the family’s everyday life has changed. The constant worry has quieted. They’re now planning to do a new Alba test around her second birthday, mostly out of curiosity about how her gut microbiome has developed.
“This changed everything. We thought it would be like this forever. But it didn’t have to be.”
Mari’s message to other parents: You’re not alone
Mari wants other parents to avoid the loneliness she carried for so long. Constipation in young children is common – but it’s not something you should just accept. It’s not your fault. And there is help that’s based on evidence. She says:
“There’s so much research that never reaches parents. It’s devastating. I hope it becomes more accessible in healthcare, so fewer children have to be in so much pain.”
Today, their lives are no longer ruled by constipation, stomach pain, and worry. Instead, there is laughter, joy around food, and a sense of calm that has finally been given space.
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