10 Ways to Naturally Relieve Constipation in Toddlers

This guide is for children 12 months and older. After age one, most children poop between once every other day and a couple of times per day, though this varies widely depending on diet, water intake, and exercise. Although bowel movement frequency does not define constipation, constipated children typically do not pass more than two stools per week.

WHAT IS CONSTIPATION?

Among toddlers, constipation is defined as passage of hard, sometimes painful, difficult-to- pass stools that may be very large or small, like hard little pellets. Among toilet-trained toddlers, constipation also presents with a history of extremely large diameter stools that can clog a toilet and/or a history of poop accidents occurring about once a week.

Constipation is also associated with:

Poop accidents
Anal fissures
Picky eating
Hemorrhoids, which can cause blood around the stool

THE BRISTOL STOOL FORM SCALE

It is a scale that classifies stools ranging from hardest to the softest.

Type 1&2 are significantly considered constipation.
Type 3,4&5 considered as normal
Type 6&7 indicates diarrhea

10 Ways to Naturally Relieve Constipation in Toddlers

1. LIMIT COW'S MILK

Consuming too much cow’s milk is one of the most common constipation culprits. Toddlers only need about (2- 2.5 servings) of dairy per day—including milk, cheese, and yogurt. If the child drinks more than 16 ounces of milk per day or consumes more than 2-2.5 servings of dairy foods, decrease the amounts offered and work with the child’s health care team to find other foods to eat.

AAP (American Academy of paediatrics) RECOMMENDATION ON COWS MILK

Whole cow’s milk and low iron formulas are not to be used <1 year of age because babies’ digestive system may not tolerate the cow’s milk protein in large quantities. Low iron formulas can lead to iron deficiency anaemia
Toddlers (12-24MONTHS) can consume 16-20 ounces of whole milk per day.
2-5 YEARS can consume low-fat milk around 16 ounces/day.

2. STOP BOTTLE FEEDING

AAP recommends that babies start weaning from the bottle by 12 months of age and completely phased out by 24 months. However, the earlier you wean off always better.

Prolonged bottle feeding poses health risks for children:

Increasing risk of tooth decay
Iron deficiency anemia
Prolonged use linked to obesity by consuming too much milk through the bottle as a comfort feeding rather than hunger feeds
Malalignment of jaw and teeth

3. INCREASE WATER INTAKE

Water is essential to maintain hydration and help poop move through the intestines. Ensure the child is drinking more than 8 ounces of water per day, especially if constipated. Offer water at mealtimes and have it easily accessible for the child throughout the day so they don’t have to ask for it.

How to make toddlers drink water?

Try a special water cup as motivation.
Adults or caretaker modelling before them by drinking water and narrating a story so that the kids get encouraged by drinking more water.
Can give flavored water or make the child squeeze a lemon into water, or add fruit into it by giving them options that will encourage them to drink water.

TRANSITION FROM FEEDING BOTTLE TO OPEN CUP

Gradually introduce an open cup or straw bottle from 9 months of age.
But 12 months wean off from the bottle and give milk through an open cup or straw cup.

4. ENCOURAGE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Exercise is one of the best ways to get poop moving. Exercise increases blood flow to muscles, including the intestines, and encourages food to move through the intestines faster. Encourage the child to stay active throughout the day. Physical activity doesn’t need to be structured—any movement is great, including playing on the playground, hide-n-seek, or running to and from rooms.

EXAMPLES

“Simon says” good play for movement
Dancing to their favourite song
Jumping and playing around
Exercise videos and kids yoga
Obstacle play : Set up an obstacle course with items around the house like pillows, an empty laundry basket, cardboard boxes, or large pots and pans. Ask the child to push, pull, lift or carry, climb over, jump off, and crash.
Cycling

5. IDENTIFY POOP FRIENDLY FOODS

Every food impacts poop, and one of the most effective strategies for relieving constipation is to focus on foods that will loosen or soften poop.
A low-fiber diet increases the risk of childhood constipation.
High-fiber foods loosen/soften poop
Simple carbs and heavily processed foods tend to harden and bind poop
Foods rich in probiotics, like kefir, can potentially help regulate pooping. Here are some of the most effective whole foods to help relieve constipation:

6. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE BEST TIME TO POOP

Our bodies have a built-in reflex called the gastrocolic reflex.
When food enters the stomach, the large intestine receives input to contract and move the stool to the rectum, which ultimately causes the urge to defecate.
Basically, the gastrocolic reflex helps make room for more food.
Take advantage of this reflex and regularly visit the restroom 15-30 minutes after meals.

Additionally, take the child to the bathroom every 3-4 hours. Don’t ask if the child needs to poop. Simply say, “Let’s go! We’re going to go sit on the potty.” If keeping track of time is challenging, just time potty check-ins upon waking, after every meal, and before leaving the house.

7. OFFER WARM BATH

Warm baths help relax the body, which can encourage pooping.
The warm water is soothing to any unconformable areas around the anus (like an anal fissure or small tear) while also encouraging the external anal sphincter (a collection of skeletal muscle fibers that surrounds the anus) to relax,
a necessary step for stool to exit the body.

8. MASSAGE ABDOMEN

Research increasingly shows that massage promotes pooping in adults and children. Massaging facili-tates movement and relaxation in the intestine. The large intestine is shaped like an upside-down “U,” starting in the lower right quadrant and ending in the lower left quadrant of the abdomen.

Massaging in small clockwise circles around the navel
“I LOVE YOU” massage to abdomen
Bicycle movements of legs

I LOVE YOU MASSAGE

9. AVOID STOOL WITHHOLDING

Stool withholding is avoiding the urge to defecate. There are many reasons why someone would ignore the urge.

In young children, stool withholding often happens after a traumatic experience of pushing out a very hard and/or large stool or being more interested in the current activity, such as watching television or playing a game.
Stool withholding may manifest in several ways: fear of using the toilet, poop stains or poop accidents in the underwear, an increase in pee accidents (and sometimes even UTIs), crossing the legs, or sitting on heels while actively fighting the urge to poop.

A poop- friendly diet, regular movement, adequate fluid intake, and consistent pooping schedule can help reduce stool withholding.

10. THE POOP POSTURE

Use a toddler potty so the feet are planted on the floor.
Use a child toilet seat insert when sitting on a regular, adult-sized toilet seat.

Set up a step stool to have the knees slightly higher than the hips.

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