Food / drink to help with toddler constipation

[Kent20187]

My 2 year old daughter has suffered on and of since a few months but nothing tk major

Doctors never concerned and jsit prescribed liquid laxative

Sometimes she's fine. Other times she's in a lot of pain and discomfort

She has a pretty good diet and eats many foods but I am looking for suggestions of foods that may help move things along!

Recently we have been using prunes (which she loves ) and they do help sometimes but today she has been in a bad way

I was going to say prunes, but see you've already done that.

Maybe prune juice and lots of water.

Dates. You can get softer ones if that’s easier to eat.

Steam dried apricots and push them through a fine sieve. Mix it then with plain yoghurt. And plenty of water to drink.

Worked wonder for DD.

There are also some reflexology points on the bottom of the feet which can stimulate the bowls.

@NuffSaidSam thank you! She does drink a lot of water tbh, I always make sure her beaker is kept topped up, but I will definitely go and get her some prune juice tomorrow!

@ALittleDropOfRain thank you! Will try this as well

mix a sachet of ellas prune with their ready break or fig biscuits as snacks

@reluctantbrit oh this is an interesting one! Absolutely going to try this as she loves Youghurt

Years ago when women who just gave birth were kept in the hospital for a few days, we would have a popcorn and prune juice evening snack. Rules back then were that women could not leave the hospital until they had a bowel movement after giving birth.

Beetroot always works for me!

Strawberries or oranges were what worked for us often.

@MummyCushion she actually loves beetroot as well!! I never think to give it to her regularly as my husbands and I both hate it and it never enters my head!

If she has enough of it she will have purple poo and then you really know it's working! 🙈

Tinned pears in juice (I drink the juice too)

Try giving them prunes and dates. This helps my toddler too.

She always found it hard to poo due to constipation. Sometime I think she just trying to work things out.

But prunes/dates and water usually help.

Raspberries are high in fibre and in season now, you could mash them into some yoghurt, apricots are another good summer fruit, especially poached and puréed.
In the autumn you can move on to poached pears, with the prunes and dates to see you through the winter months.
Try porridge for breakfast, that will help too, besides being very good for their arteries.

Mangoes are natural laxatives. Also pumpkin.

So a 2 year old needs around 15 g fibre a day. Most people over estimates the amount of fibre they eat and in the UK even adults don't meet the toddler requirements for fibre.

This is a good starting point:

https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/fibre.html

Kiwis are a great source of fibre and have evidence behind them for relieving constipation.

Also like already mentioned by yourself and others prunes, dates, figs, tamarind, apples and pears are also good to keep on rotation. Perhaps 1-2 of any of those fruits on a daily basis.

The doctors are not usually concerned because it is so common and the official guidance is to prescribe the laxatives but it can cause so much issues on a personal basis like you've experienced.