Foods for babies with constipation

As a mother, seeing your baby grow healthily gives you the confidence that you are doing well. However, even if you are giving your best, some problems may arise that make the little one feel unwell.

One common situation in babies and children is constipation. This means having fewer than two bowel movements a week, which causes pain and discomfort. And when they do go, the stools can be hard and painful to pass.

If your little one is experiencing this terrible discomfort, don’t despair; it can be solved. It will only take some adjustments to their diet, and everything will improve. That’s why we want to recommend foods for babies with constipation to include in their diet.

Which fruits to eat for constipation

If your baby is still breastfeeding, be careful with your own diet, as consuming little liquid or some foods that worsen constipation may cause your child to suffer from this unpleasant condition.

Instead, opt for fiber-rich foods, since depending on the baby’s age, it is necessary to include fiber in the child’s diet to help with bowel movements, which will benefit their health. Here are some suggestions:

Fruits for constipation: these include plums, pears, papaya, oranges, pineapple, mango, tangerine, and watermelon. All these fruits are rich in fiber, which supports the digestive system.

Red berries: among these are strawberries, blueberries, cherries, raspberries, currants, blackberries, grapes, and aronia berries. These delicious fruits—known as berries—are excellent for relieving constipation.

Include these fruits in your baby’s diet, as they not only have high nutritional value but are also ideal for digestion, helping to facilitate intestinal transit and thus preventing constipation.

However, if the child is very young and not yet eating solids, you can prepare purees from some of these fruits, such as pears and papayas, which are easy to mash. This way, your baby can consume them easily and benefit from their laxative properties.

Foods for constipation

There is a wide variety of laxative foods. Therefore, if your baby has stopped breastfeeding and started eating solid foods, you can include them in their weekly menu. Some of these are:

• Legumes: these include various beans such as lentils, red and black beans, peas, and chickpeas. Due to their high fiber content, they help relieve intestinal constipation.
• White and lean meats: these contain less fat than red meats and are easier for your baby to digest. Examples include chicken, turkey, rabbit, and fish.
• Soups: these are among the foods for constipation that also promote intestinal transit because their liquid content makes them easier to digest. You can prepare soups with some vegetables and a bit of protein, like chicken.
• Purees: like the above, these are also ideal for your baby. You can give your little ones pumpkin or celery purees, which are very rich in fiber.
• Zucchini puree: due to its smooth texture, it is essential for your baby to consume it when starting to eat new foods—besides breast milk—as it is very easy to digest.
• Whole grain flours and cereals: this refers to oats, breads made with wheat bran, whole wheat pasta, or brown rice. These fibers speed up intestinal flow, making them ideal to prevent constipation.
• Vegetables: these include beets, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, asparagus, corn, lettuce, spinach, and cabbage. There is a variety of vegetables, so teach your child to eat them, which will help combat constipation.
• Yogurt: this dairy product is rich in probiotics, meaning good bacteria that have a positive effect on your baby’s intestinal health. It also provides calcium at the same time.
• Olive oil and flaxseed oil: these oils act as mild laxatives. Therefore, adding them to your baby’s food will not only improve flavor but also help lubricate intestinal flow.

Foods to avoid if your baby suffers from constipation

You should know that some fruits and other foods cause constipation, so you should avoid them. Their consumption can worsen this uncomfortable condition.

Keep in mind that some of these foods—depending on how they are consumed—can act as laxatives or cause constipation.

• Apple: we mentioned that this fruit can help your baby with constipation, but only if given raw or with the skin, as these aid intestinal transit. However, be careful because the same fruit—if consumed grated or peeled—has the opposite effect.
• Banana causes constipation: although this fruit is very good due to its high potassium content, it contains little water and is very dry. Therefore, your baby should not consume it too often, as its starch content can harden the child’s stools.
• Carrots: this vegetable, rich in vitamin A, is among the foods that cause constipation due to its astringent properties. If the baby suffers from constipation, they should not consume it regularly to avoid worsening the condition.

Also, avoid giving your baby foods high in calories regularly, such as fried foods, sweets, margarines, processed meats, fatty meats, and chocolate, because they have little nutritional value and can harm your baby’s digestion, causing the unpleasant discomfort of constipation.

In conclusion, make sure your baby drinks plenty of water, consumes laxative fruits, and stays active. If they are not yet walking, exercise them yourself and give stimulating massages. The results will be positive—you will have a happy baby, and you will be at ease.