What are the signs of constipation?
Your child may be constipated when they aren’t having daily bowel motions or their bowel motions are painful and hard to pass. Some children have very large stools every 2-3 days, which is also a sign that your child is constipated. Some children can have associated stomachaches or leakage of stool.
What causes constipation?
There are multiple factors to constipation in any case but here are some:
Lack of fibre or fluids in the diet can cause constipation
Processed foods and dairy products can make children more prone to constipation
Minimal exercise / daily movement is also associated with constipation.
Constipation can also be due to underlying illnesses like celiac or thyroid disease.
For the purpose of this post, we will solely be focusing on ways to improve bowel motion via dietary measure.
Pears
Not only are pears a good source of fibre, but they also contain sorbitol and fructose, too. Sorbitol is a natural sugar alcohol and fructose is a natural sugar…and both act as laxatives.
Serving: Half medium pear
Fiber: 3 grams
How to offer to your toddler:
Toss it into a blueberry smoothie with the peel.
Cut pears into wedges for finger food.
Blend into a puree.
Sauté with cinnamon.
Slice thin and add to a grilled cheese.
Pro tip: Preheat oven to 150°C fan-forced.
Line 2 baking trays with baking paper and set aside, Slice into 2mm slices and lay on the baking trays, sprinkle with cinnamon and Bake for 2 hours, stopping after the first hour to turn the slices over. Cool on wire racks.
Oat Bran
Oat bran comes from the outer layer of the oat grain and has more fibre and protein than your average oats. Whole grains, like oat bran, keep their nutrient-packed parts, all of which contain fibre. Meanwhile, processed grains, like white bread, offer little to zero fibre. 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:
Blend oat bran into a smoothie.
Mix with vanilla yogurt.
Pour oat bran into muffin batter before baking.
Replace your normal breadcrumbs with oat bran when cooking meat and fish.
Pro tip: When offering fibre-rich foods to your toddler, be sure to serve lots of water, too. Upping your toddler's fibre intake without upping their water intake can lead to more severe constipation. Children 1 – 5 years old should drink at least one litre each day. This includes water, milk on cereal and juice* (Royal Childrens Hospital AU)
Apples
Apples are full of both water and fibre, making bowel motions easier to pass.
And since apples have fibre 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:
Toss pieces into a spinach smoothie—with the peel.
Cut apples into thin slices.
Grate or shred apples to add into oatmeal.
Dip apples in peanut butter, melted cheese, or yogurt.
Saute or bake slices or cubes
Pro tip: Applesauce and apple juice don’t contain the same amount of fibre as whole apples * But if you only have applesauce on hand, mix it with prune puree or oat bran to boost its fibre content. You can add apple juice to a berry smoothie, so your child gets both sorbitol and fibre to help move their stool.
Raspberries
Raspberries contain good levels of fibre and antioxidants which help lower inflammation.
Raspberries are most abundant from early November until mid-April, with peak production during summer. In the off-season consider buying frozen since they’re picked at the peak of freshness, aim to buy organic as berries are commonly flagged in the dirty dozen.
Serving: Quarter cup fresh or frozen
Fiber: 2 grams
How to offer to your toddler:
Toss into a peach smoothie.
Offer fresh, soft raspberries as finger foods.
Blend into a puree and mix with yogurt to eat with a spoon.
Puree and mix with yogurt and spread on 100% whole wheat toast.
Add frozen raspberries to your overnight oats and store in the fridge for at least four hours.
Pro tip: Chop frozen raspberries into small pieces and mix into your child’s hot oatmeal to help cool it down and boost the fibre content.
Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are fibre rich and super easy for toddlers to eat since they’re practically taste-free! Simply toss them into a whole host of foods. Chia seeds offer calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, too, which help support your little one’s bones and teeth. *You can purchase both black and white chia seeds colour is really the only difference between black and white chia. Both types share the same neutral taste, the thickening/gelling ability, and the same nutritional profile.
Serving: 1 tablespoon
Fiber: 4.8 grams
How to offer to your toddler:
Bake chia seeds into banana bread.
Blend and toss them into spaghetti sauce.
Add to overnight oats or hot cereal.
Include in a yogurt
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. *See this link for chia pudding recipes to include the kids in the fun: https://mykidslickthebowl.com/banana-chia-pudding/
Green Peas
This easy-to-eat veggie contains lots of fibre and helps your toddler reach their daily vegetables needs. Toddler appetites vary from day to day. Suggested daily serves are ½ serve of fruit; 2-3 serves of vegies; 1-1½ serves of dairy; 4 serves of grains; and 1 serve of lean meats, eggs, nut or seed pastes (like peanut butter, almond butter or tahini), or legumes. (Raisingchildren.net.au)
Serving: Quarter cup
Fiber: 2 grams
How to offer to your toddler:
Serve peas mixed with steamed rice.
Add peas into a veggie and ground turkey soup.
Stir into mac n cheese.
Make a pea pesto sauce.
Consider pea soup
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.
Lentils
Lentils are a versatile plant-based protein and a must-have in your toddler’s diet. These tiny legumes are loaded with fibre, 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:
Use them as a delicious taco filling.
Include lentils in a chocolate muffin recipe.
Serve up some low-sodium lentil soup.
Cook lentils into your pasta sauce.
Pro tip: Whether you choose red, green, or brown lentils, they’re all equally packed with fibre—and they all need to be rinsed before cooking to help remove any tiny debris that may have been picked up during harvesting.
Avocados
Avocados contain a high fiber content, and are rich in vitamin C, B vitamins, and protein. Not only are they simple to prep, they’re smooth, creamy, and most toddlers will enjoy avocado.
Serving: Half small avocado, without pit and skin
Fiber: 5 grams
How to offer to your toddler:
Add avocados to a mango smoothie.
Fork-mash and spread on a toast.
Cube and serve as finger food.
Mash with a bit of salt and lemon juice for a mayo substitute in sandwiches.
In a blender mix Parmesan cheese, avocados, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic for a yummy pasta sauce.
Pro tip: You can make avocado chocolate mousse via the following recipe: https://www.kidspot.com.au/kitchen/recipes/chocolate-avocado-mousse-recipe/ulc24gti
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