Here is the only constipation diet plan you’ll need for your baby or toddler! Features a complete meal-by-meal plan for 5 whole days – with recipes!

You’re bound to hear someone giggle when the conversation is about poop, but as any parent knows, constipation is no laughing matter! Babies, especially, struggle when they have constipation, and it can be heartbreaking for new parents to watch helplessly. The first step in overcoming this helplessness is to get educated about identifying the condition and the right foods to feed your baby.

Signs of Constipation in Babies and Kids

1. Hard, dry, poop that looks like pebbles
2. Crying or straining to pass stools
3. Appearing uncomfortable during a bowel movement
4. Pooping less than thrice a week
5. Blood in stools
6. Abdominal pain
7. Bloating or swelling in the belly
8. Clenching the bottom
9. Belly feeling hard
10. Smelly gas and stools
11. Decreased appetite
12. Increase in spitting up

Causes of Constipation in Children

1. Lack of sufficient fiber in the diet

2. Insufficient fluid intake

3. Excessive junk food consumption

4. Switching from breastmilk to formula, or when starting solids

5. Lack of exercise or physical activity

6. Ignoring body signals to poop

7. Being anxious about unfamiliar bathrooms

8. Side effects of certain medicines like iron supplements

9. Structural problems of the intestinal tract, rectum, or anus

10. Other medical conditions like endocrine issues or problems with the nervous system

Now that we know what constipation looks like and what causes it, let’s look at how we can fix it through diet!

Constipation Diet Plan for Babies and Toddlers

Important Note: Please remember that these food charts are only for guidance and not a substitute for medical advice. Breast milk is the best food for babies, so breastfeed whenever your baby wants. The WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for babies under 6 months.

6 Months Constipation Diet Plan

	Early Morning	Breakfast	Mid Morning	Lunch	Afternoon Snack	Dinner
Day 1	BM/FM	BM/FM	Oats Porridge	BM/FM	Fig Water	BM/FM
Day 2	BM/FM	BM/FM	Avocado Puree	BM/FM	Brown Rice Cereal	BM/FM
Day 3	BM/FM	BM/FM	Raw Kerala Banana Porridge	BM/FM	Pear Puree	BM/FM
Day 4	BM/FM	BM/FM	Fig Water	BM/FM	Oats Porridge	BM/FM
Day 5	BM/FM	BM/FM	Brown Rice Cereal	BM/FM	Avocado Puree	BM/FM

7 Months Constipation Diet Plan

	Early Morning	Breakfast	Mid Morning	Lunch	Afternoon Snack	Dinner
Day 1	BM/FM	Dates puree	BM/FM	Brown Rice Cereal	BM/FM	Raw Kerala Banana Porridge
Day 2	BM/FM	Banana Oats Cereal	BM/FM	Green Beans Puree	BM/FM	Fig Puree
Day 3	BM/FM	Raw Kerala Banana Porridge	BM/FM	Green Peas Puree	BM/FM	Oats Pear Porridge
Day 4	BM/FM	Fig Puree	BM/FM	Raw Kerala Banana Porridge	BM/FM	Green Beans Puree
Day 5	BM/FM	Oats Pear Porridge	BM/FM	Green Peas Puree	BM/FM	Brown Rice Cereal

8 Months Constipation Diet Plan

	Early Morning	Breakfast	Mid Morning	Lunch	Afternoon Snack	Dinner
Day 1	BM/FM	Oats Raisin Walnuts Porridge	BM/FM	Broken Wheat Apple Halwa	BM/FM	Chickpea Spinach Puree
Day 2	BM/FM	Banana Oats Cereal	BM/FM	Roasted Gram Rice Porridge	BM/FM	Green Beans Puree
Day 3	BM/FM	Oats Pear Porridge	BM/FM	Chickpea Spinach Puree	BM/FM	Black Urad Dal Rice Porridge
Day 4	BM/FM	Oats Raisin Walnuts Porridge	BM/FM	Black Urad Dal Rice Porridge	BM/FM	Broken Wheat Apple Halwa
Day 5	BM/FM	Oats Porridge	BM/FM	Green Peas Puree	BM/FM	Roasted Gram Rice Porridge

9 Months Constipation Diet Plan

	Early Morning	Breakfast	Mid Morning	Lunch	Afternoon Snack	Dinner
Day 1	BM/FM	Multigrain Millet Porridge	BM/FM	Beetroot Chickpea Puree	Broccoli Soup	Oats Khichdi
Day 2	BM/FM	Instant Rice and Nuts Porridge	BM/FM	Black Urad Dal Rice Porridge	Broken Wheat Apple Halwa	Chickpea Spinach Puree
Day 3	BM/FM	Spinach Oat Pancakes	BM/FM	Broccoli Spinach Puree	Fig Puree	Roasted Gram Rice Porridge
Day 4	BM/FM	Oats Raisin Walnuts Porridge	BM/FM	Black Urad Dal Rice Porridge	Broccoli Soup	Oats Khichdi
Day 5	BM/FM	Multigrain Millet Porridge	BM/FM	Roasted Gram Rice Porridge	Broken Wheat Apple Halwa	Spinach Khichdi

10 Months Constipation Diet Plan

	Early Morning	Breakfast	Mid Morning	Lunch	Afternoon Snack	Dinner
Day 1	BM/FM	Mango Oats Porridge	BM/FM	Vegetable Dalia Khichdi	Tomato Ginger Beetroot Soup	Oats Khichdi
Day 2	BM/FM	Spinach Oat Pancakes	BM/FM	Chickpea Rice	Orange Slices	Spinach Khichdi
Day 3	BM/FM	Multigrain Millet Porridge	BM/FM	Black Lentil Khichdi	Broccoli Soup	Vegetable Dalia Khichdi
Day 4	BM/FM	Instant Rice and Nuts Porridge	BM/FM	Beetroot Chickpea Puree	Tomato Ginger Beetroot Soup	Chickpea Rice
Day 5	BM/FM	Mango Oats Porridge	BM/FM	Spinach Khichdi	Orange Slices	Black Lentil Khichdi

11 Months Constipation Diet Plan

	Early Morning	Breakfast	Mid Morning	Lunch	Afternoon Snack	Dinner
Day 1	BM/FM	Chickpea Spinach Pancake	Broken Wheat Apple Halwa	Broccoli Khichdi	Tomato Ginger Beetroot Soup	Black Lentil Khichdi
Day 2	BM/FM	Mango Oats Porridge	Dates Puree	Cabbage Rice	Broccoli Soup	Rajma Khichdi
Day 3	BM/FM	Multigrain Millet Porridge	Beetroot Halwa	Vegetable Dalia Khichdi	Fig Puree	Chickpea Rice
Day 4	BM/FM	Chickpea Spinach Pancake	Broken Wheat Apple Halwa	Spinach Khichdi	Tomato Ginger Beetroot Soup	Cabbage Rice
Day 5	BM/FM	Spinach Oat Pancakes	Dates Puree	Chickpea Rice	Beetroot Halwa	Broccoli Khichdi

1 Year Constipation Diet Plan

	Early Morning	Breakfast	Mid Morning	Lunch	Afternoon Snack	Dinner
Day 1	BM/FM	Banana Oats Pancake	Constipation Juice	Cabbage Rice	Dates Chia Seeds Apricot Laddu	Black Lentil Khichdi
Day 2	BM/FM	Quinoa Kheer	Apple Oats Dates Smoothie	Rajma Khichdi	Beetroot Halwa	Spinach Khichdi
Day 3	BM/FM	Oats Pear Porridge	Apple Slices with Skin	Broccoli Khichdi	Constipation Juice	Boiled Wheat Pasta
Day 4	BM/FM	Banana Oats Pancake	Beetroot Halwa	Black Lentil Khichdi	Apple Slices with Skin	Cabbage Rice
Day 5	BM/FM	Oats Raisin Walnuts Porridge	Apple Oats Dates Smoothie	Chickpea Rice	Tomato Ginger Beetroot Soup	Vegetable Dalia Khichdi

Tips for Feeding Your Child During Constipation

1. Breastfeed your baby as much as they desire, since breastmilk is considered a natural laxative

2. If your baby is formula-fed, think about changing to a different formula

3. Make sure your child has enough fluids to help the fiber move through his body

4. Skip sodas and soft drinks and opt for clear soups or fruit juices – please note that the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend fruit juice for children younger than 1 year

5. Avoid all kinds of junk food and processed food

6. Cut down on meat till the constipation clears

7. If you think the constipation may be because of a particular food, keep a food diary to identify the trigger

8. Ensure a regular feeding schedule for your child for more regular bowel movements

At the end of the day, the two most important things to remember are the two ‘F’s – Fiber and Fluids. Fiber is important for relieving constipation, overall intestinal health, and maintaining a healthy weight. To know how much fiber your child needs, follow the AAP’s recommendation of adding five to your child’s age – that’s how many grams  of fiber they need per day. Along with fiber, make sure that they consume enough fluids so that the fiber can move along the intestinal tract smoothly.