Foods to Help Relieve Baby Constipation

Hello mommies! Hope you're doing great.

This week, I notice Chesska is not pooping regularly - means she moves her bowel every two days, which I find unhealthy. One time, I caught her in one corner, holding at the sofa,  and straining so hard with her sweat dripping all over her face. I found out then that she wanted to poop but she couldn't. I peeped her diaper and saw her stool. It looked hard, unable to move from her anus. By then, she kept crying - maybe her anus got sore.I pity her so much because I knew how it felt when constipated.

So before anything got worse, I right away did interventions on how to relieve her constipation. 

1. Integrate fiber on her diet.

Fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber to help stimulate bowels.  We, mothers,  would sometimes miss to include fruits and vegetables to baby's meal. Normally, in the Philippines, we gave our babies rice with soup, and we always thought that would be enough to satisfy them, without knowing that they didn't get enough nutrients from it.  I know most babies are picky at this stage,  but if we start teaching them to eat the right foods as early as now, and by setting as an example by eating such foods, then surely they will get used to it  until they grow up.

Since I've already learned a lesson, I am now giving my baby some fruits every after meal.  Here's the list:

a. Papaya
   
Papayas are not only sweet, versatile and tasty, they are also a very nutritious fruit. They contain high amounts of Vitamin C (helping absorb non-heme iron), Vitamin A (2516 IU's.) and even Vitamin E.
Papayas are also a good source of fiber and folic acid.  (via:  http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/papayababyfoodrecipes.htm )


b. Mango

Mango is one of the exotic fruits in the world with great health benefits. Some of the health benefits from mangoes in baby food includes protection of eyesight, fights microbial infections, easily digestible, improvement in brain development and many more. (via: http://parentinghealthybabies.com/health-benefits-of-mango-for-babies/)

c. Apple

One of the most important nutritional components of Apples is that they contain two types of fiber; insoluble fiber and soluble fiber. Both the insoluble fiber in apples and their soluble fiber pectin, help maintain bowel regularity (thus helping to prevent diverticulosis and colon cancer). The insoluble fiber works like roughage, while the soluble fiber (pectin), helps keep the bowels regular (avoiding constipation, avoiding diarrhea) and specifically affects the makeup of the stool.  Pectin will firm up the stool as it is a soluble fiber.  (via: http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/applebabyfoodrecipes.htm)

d. Watermelon

Watermelon, one of the champion fruits of summer, provides various health benefits for babies which include maintaining hydration level during summers, strengthening the immune system, bone development, produces red blood cells, increases haemoglobin level and improves brain function. (via:  http://parentinghealthybabies.com/health-benefits-of-watermelon-in-baby-food/

e. Banana

Bananas are often called one of nature's perfect foods because they are said to contain many of the nutrients that a person needs to survive. One of the most important nutritional components of Bananas is that they contain potassium and fiber. Bananas are also high in Vitamin B6, Vitamin C and Vitamin B2. (via:http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/bananababyfoodrecipes.html )

2. Give her lots of water

As soon as a baby starts taking solid foods, she must be provided with water. Water helps loosen and soften stool. It also helps flush out toxins from our body.


3. Provide healthy snacks

Unhealthy snacking can sometimes aggravate constipation.  In order to make snack more enjoyable, why not provide your baby an attractive at the same time a healthy and tasty snack. It is just a matter of creativity.  The kind of foods I offered to my baby aside from biscuits are nuts (unsalted - beware nuts can cause allergies for some babies),  champorado out of oats,  apple sliced in different shapes,  fruits, etc.

Soon, I am going to post here how to cook Champorado out of oats...

Just feel free to leave your comments or suggestions on the comment forms below.