My son has been constipated and is now on a prescription medication.
He’s only two, and we really don’t like the idea of him being on a prescription for extended periods of time.
What sort of foods (besides the obvious fruits) are good for constipation?
We’re sort of clueless in the nutrition department.
I’m sure you know to add a lot of whole grains? Try 100% whole grain breads, cereals, crackers, even cookies. Anything that can be made with empty, non-nutritious white flour can be made with filling, healthy whole grains. Fiber is the key, so find all the foods that are high in fiber. That’s why apples are a great fruit for constipation.
Is it really much better if I make it myself, or are store-bought whole grains okay, too, do you think??
Of course making it yourself is the best, but you can still find good store brand stuff. Just make sure it says 100% whole grain or that it has a lot of fiber in it. A lot of brands try to market their products as healthy by saying they have whole grains, but really what they have in them is negligible. Of course any fiber is better than no fiber, but they make it seem like you’re getting a lot when you’re not. Cheerios are a great kid-friendly snack with lots of fiber, and I’m sure there are some other good cereals that don’t taste like cardboard. Just basically look at replacing any white flour products with whole grains, and you’ll helping your family in countless ways.
Oh, and I forgot to mention leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, root vegetables, etc. These are also high in fiber and wonderful sources of vitamins!
Also, a lot of water and exercise, especially walking/running will help.
My 3 year old daughter is also constipated, it has been a constant battle since she was 6 months old. What I found to work the best is oats every single morning with added wheat bran flakes. I just add 2-3 table spoons to it while it is cooking.
I also give her flaxseed (powdered) in a porriged that they call raggi here in india. This way she would atleast have regular motions. I give her fresh juice that I juice myself every day from carrot, apple and oranges but she doesn’t like the pulp so it can’t help but I do believe that water also helps.
One more thing milk (cow) can make you constipated too.
Flaxseed can it be given to kids?Has it got smell ?.My kid also has constipation.Does porrige has lactose in it.
Flaxseed is high in omega 3 oils good for constipation and good for grownups and kids. As far as I know. I make the porrige with milk so probably not. Flaxseed has a nutty smell to it and I wont eat it but my daughter loves it. 
I believe lentils are high in fiber too (there are different types of lentils, with some that have more fiber than others). At first my daughter didn’t like them, but then I tried mixing them with mashed banana, and that turned out well. Also, I made them another time with a little tomato sauce, milk, garlic salt, and cooked spinach, and she loved it! I was surprised because I didn’t have a recipe and just had some extra from another meal I was preparing, so I just threw some stuff in the pot- glad I did because it gave me another way to feed the lentils to her. If you include brown rice in the meal, I think it makes a complete protein too- an added bonus!
anything with high fiber but to much can be a bad thing my daughter had constipation i just give her a small bottle of prune apple juice once a day and it works wonders i also give her whole grain foods