Increasing toddler's fruit and veg and fluids

[mummyfullofturkeytummy]

My DD1 2.7 was potty trained for about 6 weeks until she developed an anal fisure after a bout of constipation, and found pooing so stressful that we put her back into nappies . She always ate whatever we were eating at meal times, but a couple of months ago, it has been a real struggle to get her to eat fruit and veg. We've also been struggling to get her to drink anything. She used to have just water until 6 months ago when she wasn't very well, and to increase the amount of fluids we gave her squash. Now she only likes one type of squash, and she sometimes only drinks one beaker full in a day (plus her 2 bottles of milk). Does anyone have any tips on how to get more fruit, veg and fluids down her so that she doesn't get constipated again?

I know it sounds like going back a step, but can you puree veg and put it into her food? Eg, pasta sauce, shephards pie etc. And could you make her food gradually sloppier, so at least she would be getting a bit more fluid that way? You could try making a big deal about going out to buy her a special new cup/beaker, and let her choose it herself. Straws? Anything to make drinking fun. And I'd have a drink in every room too, always within her reach.
And could you puree fruit into a smoothie/ or put it in some yoghurt, starting with a tiny dollop on the first day and very slowly adding a tiny bit more?
I think the drinking is more crucial than the fruit/veg, but are there any signs she isn't drinking enough, such as dry skin or strong smelling dark yellow wee?
HTH

Thanks. There are some good ideas there. I did try pureeing cauliflower and brocolli, but keep forgetting to put it in her food . I need to get her some new cups and plates, so I'll let her choose them and see if that helps. We are going to re-start potty training again soon, so I need to get her diet sorted before then.

I give dd some juice or squash in an old Fruit Shoot bottle, in her pram or car seat when we go out; she'll drink quite a lot that way.

What does she have for breakfast? Dd has a weetabix with pureed fruit mixed in. A cup of undiluted orange juice and some weetabix with pureed prunes in for breakfast works wonders .

She has pureed fruit mixed with yoghurt or custard as a pudding too. And tinned fruit - she likes tinned peaches and pears (in juice).

I always leave a beaker of juice in the living room so she can go and drink when she wants. Could get tricky when we start trying to leave the lids off, but it works for now.

What about "drinking out of mummy's glass"? Or has she got a dolls teaset? - put drinking water in the teapot and let her pour herself some "tea" (on the kitchen floor, probably!).

Will she eat raisins? Mine love them and are good for bowels!

Are u giving her semi-skim milk?

Thanks for your replies. She has full fat milk at the mo. She does have a beaker with her all day. I've just bought some children's glasses, and this seems to have been successful (although its only been two days so far). She's not really a big Weetabix fan. She will have it on the odd day. Its strange because she will eat raisins once in a while, but like any fruit, she'll eat it one day, but not the next. The pureed fruit in yoghurt is a good idea. I put some pureed broccoli and cauliflower in her noodles today and mashed it up with a lot of cheese and this was successful . Please keep your ideas coming. Thanks.

Make a soup up and use the water you've boiled your veg in and if she won't eat it from a spoon put it in a cup for her, freshly squeezed orange and mix with water. Is it dilute squash she drinks? Put some bannana in her weetabix, wholemeal bread give her toast for breakfast, cheese on toast etc