TODDLER
9 Foods to Help Your Constipated Toddler Go!
The right diet tweaks can get things moving again!
Scritto da
Happiest Baby Staff
CONDIVIDI QUESTO ARTICOLO
SCELTE DEI GENITORI
Bestseller
TODDLER
Scritto da
Happiest Baby Staff
CONDIVIDI QUESTO ARTICOLO
Bestseller
Poop frequency varies from kiddo to kiddo—with some going a few times a day and others going every two to three days. And this can make it difficult for parents to figure out if their toddler is truly constipated. If you need help deciphering your tot’s toilet troubles and easing their constipation—you’re in luck! Here’s your guide to toddler constipation:
While every child’s poop schedule is a bit different, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), most children have one or two bowel movements a day, while others have BMs every two to three days. That said, regularly using the toilet doesn’t necessarily mean your child is fully emptying their bowels. Here are some common signs your toddler may be constipated.
Constipation is a common problem in children. Fortunately, most of the time it’s a short-lived issue. However, severe and chronic constipation does occur in 1 to 5% of children in the U.S. , according to a report in the journal BMJ Clinical Evidence.
There are few main constipation culprits, including withholding. That means your toddler ignores the urge to poop because they’re afraid—or they simply don’t want to stop playing—to use the toilet. Other common constipation causes include:
Diet tweaks greatly influence your child’s popping habit. In addition, the following adjustments can help get your tot’s bowels moving again:
The truth is, most children aren’t eating enough fiber-rich food. In fact, research shows that only 9% of 2- and 3-year-olds are meeting basic fiber intake requirements and that number dips to 7.5% for kiddos up to 4 years old. Yikes! So, the big question is: How much fiber should your toddler be eating? And the answer, thank goodness, is actually pretty simple: Just add five to your child’s age and that’s how many grams of fiber they need each day. Got a 3-year-old? Their age plus 5 grams means your tot needs 8 grams of fiber daily. Of course, knowing how much fiber your toddler needs is one thing, but putting those mysterious grams into real world/real food terms is another! Here’s help:
Fruits and vegetables are fiber-rich powerhouse…but so are whole grains. When putting together your toddler’s snacks and meals, be sure to offer up a mix of all these foods. And if your kiddo doesn’t love, say, pears or lentils…no worries! Simply shoot for two to three servings a day of fruit and two to three servings a day of veggies that contain at least 2 grams of fiber and make sure the majority of the grains you serve are 100% whole.
Not only are pears a good source of fiber, they contain sorbitol and fructose, too. Sorbitol is a natural sugar alcohol and fructose is a natural sugar…and both act as laxatives, which help stimulate poop.
Serving: Half medium pear
Fiber: 3 grams
How to offer to your toddler:
Pro tip: If your child refuses pear (or apple) peels, lay them on a cookie sheet, sprinkle with cinnamon, and bake at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 ½ hours to get yummy and nutritious apple peel chips your tot will love!
An apple a day can help keep hard stools away! This water- and fiber-filled fruit is great at making pooping easier. And since apples have fiber in their flesh and their peel, it’s best to eat both.
Serving: Half medium apple
Fiber: 2 grams
How to offer to your toddler:
Pro tip: Applesauce and apple juice don’t contain the same amount of fiber as whole apples. But if you only have applesauce on hand, mix it with prune puree or oat bran to boost its fiber content. You can add apple juice to a berry smoothie so your child gets both sorbitol and fiber to help move their poo along.
Sweet, delicious raspberries are simply bursting with constipation-fighting fiber! They’re typically in season between July and September, so in the off-season consider buying frozen since they’re picked at the peak of freshness.
Serving: Quarter cup fresh or frozen
Fiber: 2 grams
How to offer to your toddler:
Pro tip: Chop frozen raspberries into small pieces and mix into your child’s hot oatmeal to help cool it down and boost the fiber content.
Chia seeds are fiber-full and super easy for toddlers to eat since they’re practically taste-free! Simply toss them into a whole host of foods. Beyond fiber, the tiny black seeds offer calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, too, which help support your little one’s bones and teeth.
Serving: 1 tablespoon
Fiber: 4.8 grams
How to offer to your toddler:
Pro tip: If your child has an egg allergy, you can use chia seeds as an egg substitute. To replace eggs, mix 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 2.5 tablespoons of water.
Prunes are fiber-packed and wonderful at helping to put an end to bowel struggles. The thing is, prunes aren’t exactly known to be a kid-favourite…but they should be! Pitted prunes—aka dehydrated plums—are really tasty!
Serving: Quarter cup or 4 prunes
Fiber: 3 grams
How to offer to your toddler:
Pro tip: To reduce the risk of choking, make sure prunes are pitted, moist, and soft before prepping for your toddler. You can also also give your toddler 2 to 4 ounces of prune juice a day. It’s laxative effect works way better at stimulating poop than other types of juice.
This easy-to-eat veggie contains lots of fiber and helps your tot reach their daily vegetables needs. Most children aren’t getting enough in their diets, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics—and can benefit from two to three servings a day. (One serving of cooked veggies is 1 tablespoon for 1-year-olds, 2 tablespoons for 2-year-olds, and so on.)
Serving: Quarter cup or 4 tablespoons for age 4
Fiber: 2 grams
How to offer to your toddler:
Pro tip: Green peas are a freezer must! They’re affordable and perfect for long-term storage…plus, toddlers love to eat them frozen. Simply dump these green dreams in a bowl and let your tot enjoy.
Oat bran comes from the outer layer of the oat grain and has more fiber and protein than your average oats. Whole grains, like oat bran, keep their nutrient-packed parts like the bran, endosperm, and germ—all of which contain fiber. Meanwhile, processed grains, like white bread, offer little to zero fiber. You can buy oat bran in easy-to-mix powder forms that make fighting constipation a bit more convenient.
Serving: Quarter cup
Fiber: 3.6 grams
How to offer to your toddler:
Pro tip: When offering fiber-rich foods to your toddler, be sure to serve lots of water, too. Upping your kiddo’s fiber intake without upping their water intake can actually lead to more poop problems! Toddlers need between one and five cups of water daily, according to the AAP.
Lentils are a versatile plant-based protein and a must-have in your toddler’s diet. These tiny legumes are loaded with fiber, iron, B vitamins, and copper—and help to get your little one’s digestive tract moving.
Serving: One-eighth cup
Fiber: 2 grams
How to offer to your toddler:
Pro tip: Whether you choose red, green, or brown lentils, they’re all equally packed with fiber—and they all need to be rinsed before cooking to help remove any tiny debris that may have been picked up during harvesting.
Avocados are a nutrition powerhouse thanks to their high fiber content, and richness in vitamin C, B vitamins, and protein. Not only are they simple to prep, they’re smooth, creamy, and tastebud-approved, so even the fussiest of toddlers adore avocados!
Serving: Half small avocado, without pit and skin
Fiber: 5 grams
How to offer to your toddler:
Pro tip: You can whip up a quick toddler guacamole by fork-mashing half an avocado and mixing in 1 to 2 tablespoons of jarred salsa.
Bottom line: Diet changes can often work wonders on a child’s constipation. In addition to adding in fiber-rich fruit, vegetables, and whole grains, it’s also smart to limit low fiber foods like chips, white pasta, desserts, and crackers. But sometimes diet changes aren’t enough to fix constipation. The AAP recommends calling your child's doctor if your tot hasn’t pooped in two to three days—or if passing a stool hurts. If necessary, the pediatrician may prescribe medicine to soften your toddler’s stool. And be sure not to willy-nilly give your child laxatives or enemas! Always consult your doctor first.
Avvertenza: Le informazioni presenti sul nostro sito NON sono consigli medici per alcuna persona specifica o condizione. Sono solo intese come informazioni generali. Se avete domande o preoccupazioni mediche riguardo vostro figlio o voi stessi, si prega di contattare il vostro fornitore di assistenza sanitaria. Il latte materno è la migliore fonte di nutrizione per i neonati. È importante che, in preparazione e durante l'allattamento al seno, le madri seguano una dieta sana ed equilibrata. L'allattamento misto (seno e biberon) nelle prime settimane di vita può ridurre la produzione di latte materno e la decisione di non allattare al seno può essere difficile da invertire. Se decidete di utilizzare il latte artificiale per neonati, dovreste seguire attentamente le istruzioni.
