Constipation is really defined as less than two or three bowel movements per day, hard to pass stools, and/or straining to go. Let’s talk today about kids and toddler constipation natural remedies.

In adults, a healthy person will pass a bowel movement for about every 1000 calories they eat. It varies, of course, but there are some differences with kids in what you should expect.

Why Worry About Toddler Constipation?

Well, with being a Dietitian, there are two important things we talk about in our conversations about nutrition and your health: your bowel movements and your periods (if you’re a woman, obviously). It’s insane how greatly those two things can be impacted by your nutrition. Unfortunately, most conventional doctors, who you’ll probably go see for advice if your kid is severely constipated, will probably ask you very little about your kids diet and what they are eating. Instead, they will prescribe some medication to “fix” the problem. Likewise, the same thing happens with us adults.

Kids and Toddler Constipation Natural Remedies

So,  when a child is constipated from holding it too long, or delaying it, the colon absorbs too much fluid from the stool, and then the bowel movement is hard, dry and difficult to pass. Then, a kid may intentionally avoid going to the bathroom because it’s painful and they associate pain with going to the bathroom.

• as toddlers if there are struggles around going to the bathroom before they are even potty training, it can create fears of using the potty. This leads to negative associations and pain with having to go number two and using the toilet. Definitely not something you want to be worried about when it comes to potty training
• as young kids, if they withhold -meaning not going when they need to- it may be because they don’t want to use public bathrooms. Or if they’re like Bella, they love going in public places and they don’t want to interrupt playtime. Or, again, they have a fear or pain associated with going number two.
• kids may be wetting the bed at night, or having more accidents if their constipated, because there bladder has less space in a full stomach of BM.

What Causes Constipation in Toddlers?

In general, the standard American diet is probably the biggest problem. A diet of processed food, fast food, soda and sugar, etc. contribute to constipation. Other factors include:

• Lack of fiber
• Lack of water
• Inappropriate serving sizes
• Too much dairy
• Too much sugar
• Stress: a big factor often overlooked!

At Home Natural Remedies for Constipation:

1. Make sure your kid is drinking plenty of water. Plain water. We sometimes make flavored water with lemons or berries, but we rarely do juice .
2. 5-10 minutes after a meal, ideally in the morning, have your kid sit on the toilet. Make time to go to the bathroom. They aren’t missing out on anything and you can sit with them… show them it’s okay to spend time in the bathroom.
3. Eat more fruits and veggies. These are natural sources of fiber. Do not turn to fiber supplements, fiber bars, or adding tons of whole wheat items, because those can backfire. Instead, look to natural sources of fiber from fruits and vegetables,
   1. To find out the amount of grams of fiber your child needs daily, take their age plus 5. For example, a two year old they would need seven grams of fiber per day. An eight year old would need 13g. Now, that’d be a minimum, and it could vary, but it’s a food number to set.
4. Decrease dairy or stop dairy. Remove it for at least two weeks. As I explain inside the online MommyFeedingFamily.com course, I don’t think dairy is necessary for all kids. And in fact, it could make constipation worse, cause other inflammatory concerns, and there is no nutritional need for dairy. For more detailed explanation, check out Nutrition 101/Nutrition by the ages lesson inside the program.
5. Limit wheat/gluten and other inflammatory foods. You may think that adding more whole wheat foods are helping, but if your child has struggled with chronic constipation, the inflammatory aspect of wheat/gluten could be making it worse. Try removing for at least 2 weeks to see if the constipation improves.
6. Consider pre & probiotics- both are important.
   1. Look for Lactobaccilus and Bifidobacterium, and give daily. For more on my favorite kids supplements, download for free here. 
   2. Probiotics are important for good gut health, we also rotate probiotics in our house.
7. Limit laxatives, but use foods that have laxative-like effects. Some foods that may help your toddlers constipation include: prunes, prune juice, watermelon, grapes, etc.
8. Take Magnesium citrate. It’s safe for kids older than one, and it pulls water into the small intestines, similar to Miralax, creating a laxative effect, but is safer than miralax. The supplement Natural Calm is great for this.

Magnesium Recommendations by Age:

1–3 years 65 mg/day

4–8 years 110 mg/day

9–18 years 350 mg/day

      9.  Seek chiropractic help or get a kids massage, rub the belly, etc. I take my kids to get regular chiropractic care and feel its been a big help! Not just for constipation! 

More questions about childhood constipation? Do you have any other toddler constipation natural remedies? Have you come up with some tricks to help your little one “go”? Please comment so we can discuss!

Listen to my Mommy Feeding Family Podcast on the subject of Kids & Constipation!

I strongly suggest to consult with your doctor for your specific concerns. Disclaimer: this advice here today is for general use only.