How often a child passes a bowel movement varies, but ideally they should have a soft bowel movement every day. Some children poop many times a day, while others may go once every two days. The most important thing is that your child’s stool is soft and easy to pass. If a child has hard, large stools that are hard to pass, or they poop less than three times in a week, they may be constipated.
Healthy bowel habits to avoid constipation include:
- Eating Healthy: Help children to eat healthy foods, like whole grains, fruits and vegetables. A diet high in fatty, sugary or starchy foods without enough fiber can cause the bowels to slow down.
- Drinking Water: Have children drink more water. Drinking water helps keep poop soft as it moves through the body. Not having enough fluids can cause poop to become hard and dry.
- Keep Moving: Have children stay active to keep food moving through the body.
- Let it Go: Teach children not to hold a bowel movement. Delaying pooping can make it harder to go later, so help them learn to …let it go!
If your child is constipated often, help them to create a regular bathroom routine. Choose a time of day when they will sit on the toilet, preferably 30 minutes after a meal. Build up to 3 to 7 minutes on the toilet at a time. Praise them for their efforts. You can offer a small reward for sitting on the toilet. If they get bored easily, you can offer books or toys to distract them.
Avoiding Vacation Constipation
It’s not odd for a child (or adults) to get constipated on vacation. This “vacation constipation” can be due to many things like a sudden change in diet and exercise. It’s common after a long flight because your diet is usually interrupted, and you are sitting for a long time.
To prevent constipation during travel, try to maintain your usual diet, sleep and exercise routine. Drink plenty of water and clear fluids. Avoid foods that are high in fat, such as pizza, processed foods, chips, candy and ice cream. These foods can make constipation worse. Keep as active as possible. Schedule stretching breaks when you’re in a car, plane, bus or train for a long time. Try to get your normal amount of sleep. Go to the bathroom when your body tells you to go—even if you don’t want to interrupt your trip schedule for the day.