If you have been following my blog, you know that I am a mom. I am a mom of a girl and a boy. And holy cow, are boys different from girls!! The differences became abundantly clear in the toddler and preschool years. One of the biggest differences that we have experienced so far is the potty training experience.
My daughter was a breeze. She was a little older when she was potty trained, 3.5, but when she did it, she went all the way. She woke up one morning and said she wanted to wear underpants and from that moment forward, she was fully potty trained. Night and day. Pee and poop. Done.
My son on the other hand. Jesus take the wheel!! It was a couple of months before his 4th birthday that he decided to pee in the potty consistently. After a month or so, he was toilet trained for pee day and night. However, for some reason, he refused to poop on the potty. We tried everything and nothing worked to incentivize him. So, we would give him a diaper to poop. After a couple of months of this, we prepared him for the inevitable. We told him that we were not going to buy any more pull ups and that as soon as the last one was gone, he had to start using the toilet. We had this conversation with him a few times a week so that he would be ready. Well…we ran out of pull ups and instead of trying to use the potty, he decided to hold it and refuse to go (unless he was at my grandmother’s house where he could use a pull up).
So, then we were constantly dealing with a constipated and miserable little boy. He had a fear of the toilet…which brings me to the main topic of this blog. How to help relieve constipation naturally.
According to Seth Webb, DNP, “Constipation can be a range of issues that affect elimination. It can vary from infrequent bowel movements, to having hard stools, passing large stools that are painful and even accidentally passing stools due to build-up.”
Child constipation symptoms include any of the following:
- Two or fewer bowel movements per week
- Hard stools (balls of stool or firm stools)
- Painful bowel movements
- Blood in the stool or when wiping (small fissure, or tear, of the rectum)
- Firm or painful abdomen
- Fear of using the toilet (along with painful bowel movements)
HOME REMEDIES FOR CONSTIPATION IN KIDS
One of the biggest challenges with toddler/preschooler constipation is that it can be hard to get them to actually do, eat, and drink the things that they need to help them feel better. So often with anything toddler-related, the more you want them to do something, the less they want to do it! And there’s the issue of communication—they aren’t always able to articulate what they are feeling. And in the case of my son, he just shuts down and refuses to communicate. The following are a few easy home remedies to try. Even my strong-willed child doesn’t fight me too much on these.
- Increased water intake (for children older than 1). Water keeps the body hydrated, which also makes pooping easier. Getting enough water helps prevent constipation and promotes regularity.
- Juice (pear, white grape and prune). The recommendation for juice is 4 ounces or less per day. Juice promotes bowel emptying because of a sugar, called sorbitol, that isn’t digested well, so it stays in the stool. It increases fluid in the stool, making it softer and easier to pass.
- Abdominal massage. For infants and small children, massaging the abdomen and bicycling the legs are great measures to help pass stools. I use Tamer essential oil (apply around the belly button) along with massage to help stimulate the need to go.
- Increased fiber. We all know processed foods, high-fat foods and unhealthy eating habits can factor into many health problems, including constipation. To build a diet rich in fiber, get several servings of fruits and vegetables each day, along with drinking plenty of water. My son’s favorites are cantaloupe, apple, strawberries and grapes.
FOODS THAT HELP PREVENT CONSTIPATION
Fortunately, certain foods can help relieve constipation by adding bulk, softening the stool, decreasing gut transit time and increasing stool frequency.
- Produce like melon, berries, citrus, cucumbers, celery, bell peppers, grapes…anything that seems like it has a lot of water in it. Cut and serve as needed to avoid choking hazards.
- All-fruit popsicles usually contain a lot of water and are fun! (You can also try this Mango-Kefir popsicle recipe.)
- Fiber-rich foods like oatmeal, whole grain breads, whole grain pastas, and other whole grains. (You can also try a probiotic supplement.)
- Slightly watered down prune juice, pear juice, or apple juice.
- Avocado: Offer cubes or slices, mash and spread on toast, put into smoothies. The oil helps to coat the digestive tract and keep things moving as a natural laxative.
- Coconut Oil: Try adding a teaspoon to smoothies or freezer pops, use it to cook vegetables. Some kids like it by the spoonful! My dog certainly does!
