Baby Foods That Help With Constipation (0-24 Months)

The internet is full of guides on the right baby foods that help with constipation. While there is nothing wrong with feeding a baby food to help with constipation, it’s the “on size fits all” approach that’s problematic. Fruits which are suitable for older babies, may not be the right constipation remedy for younger ones.

In this blogpost, I am summarizing what you need to look for when choosing the right baby foods that help with constipation. Moreover, I am providing a list of baby foods that help with constipation for babies from 4 to 24 months of age. Finally, I also link to recipes to give you some inspiration on how to prepare these foods for your baby.

Why Not All Baby Foods That Help With Constipation Are Suitable For All Ages

It is incredible how fast a baby develops in the early stages of her life. One of the most important parts of that development is a baby’s digestive system. After all, it is the very system which provides all other organs with energy, after it has extracted that energy from food.

Since a baby’s digestive system is only just developing, we must go easy on what we feed her. As the baby is getting older, we can then add more foods that are initially not suitable for the baby.

Because of that, many so-called baby foods that help with constipation, which may be suitable for older babies, are totally inappropriate for younger ones.

And to be perfectly clear: some of the foods that are being proposed as “natural remedy for baby constipation” are not even suitable for older babies, for example, an 18 months old toddler.

However, a baby’s digestive system is often unable to absorb all the carbohydrates from such fruits. The problem with that is that non-absorbed carbohydrates present a so-called “osmotic load” to the gastrointestinal tract. As a result, they quickly trigger bowel movements (1).

For the parents, that’s great news! It seems that the fruits have done what they were supposed to do in the first place – relieve constipation.

Unfortunately, in such a scenario, the bowel movements were not triggered because the digestion returned to normal functioning. Instead, it has more the character of an “emergency evacuation”.

This usually means that there will be side effects.

The Side Effects Of Carbohydrate Malabsorption

The problem is that if carbohydrates are malabsorbed in the small intestines, they are subsequently fermented by bacteria in the colon, resulting in gas and bloating (1; 2). So, although no longer constipated, the baby won’t stop complaining about tummy aches.

But that’s not the end of the story! If the burden of that osmotic load is too heavy for the baby (which can be a particular problem in younger ones), it can quickly turn into the other extreme. In other words, it can cause diarrhea (1).

As a result, despite all your good intentions, instead of helping your baby with constipation, you just have replaced one gastrointestinal issue by another.

And to make things worse: in my experience, diarrhea is often followed by constipation. Which makes sense, since diarrhea dehydrates the body. Fluids, however, are an important part of every healthy digestion.

And so, you fall right back to where you started.  

Stay Away From Fruit Juice For Constipation Relief

Another problem that I often observe is that many parents believe that, digestion-wise, it’s an even better idea to feed a baby fruit juices. They often argue that liquids can be digested much easier compared to solid foods.

And who can blame them? They just mean to do what’s best for the baby!

Pear and prune juice are particularly popular. After all, they are often being promoted as natural remedy for baby constipation.

Unfortunately, the truth is that most fruit juices are 100 times worse than the fruits themselves! The amount of sugar in fruit juices is intense. That’s because juice does not only contain the sugar from one fruit, but from several ones.

In fact, the high carbohydrate content of juice is one of the main reasons why the American Academy of Pediatrics does NOT recommend introducing fruit juices into the diet of babies who are younger than 12 months of age (3).

Here is an example:

I had a look at 5 different juices, which are available either in the UK or in the US. On average, they contained 21 grams of sugar per 100ml (3.4 oz).

Indeed, according to a study by “Diet & Fitness Today”, the amount of sugar contained in prune juice can range between 10.58g and 39g per 100g of juice (4). 

Moreover, keep in mind that fruit juice contains almost no fiber. For example: 100g prunes contain about 6 grams of fiber. Now, if you were to juice 300 grams prunes, you would expect to have prune juice with 18 grams of fiber, right?

Nope! Unfortunately, not. Fruit juice contains almost no fiber, compared to the actual fruit.

Stay Away From Fruit Pouches For Constipation Relief!

Another trend which has been emerging recently, are commercially produced food pouches for babies. They are available in all kinds of variations: Lasagne puree, Mac’n Cheese puree and pouches which contain fruits only.

The problem is that intuitively, parents would go for fruit pouches and say, “hey, that’s super healthy for my baby”. Particularly given the alternatives that I mention above. Even more so, since those pouches are mostly being advertised as “organic”, and sometimes even as “healthy”.

Some of these pouches contain popular baby constipation foods: pears, prunes and other fruits. It may seem that such pouches are the most convenient constipation remedy for babies.

Unfortunately, the problem is – once again – sugar.

No parent would feed a baby several cubes of sugar. However, very often, that’s exactly what they do when they feed them commercially produced fruit pouches.

In Brief: This Is What You Need To Consider

To make things clear: it is okay to feed a baby fruits to help with constipation (except from younger babies, who are not yet on solids, of course). However, such fruits should only be fed in moderation in order to avoid gastrointestinal issues due to carbohydrate malabsorption.

Moreover, it is advisable to stay away from fruit juices and commercially produced fruit puree from pouches! Both often contains much more sugar than the actual fruit itself.

So, let’s have a look at what are great baby foods that help with constipation based on a baby’s age. Moreover, I have included links to some great recipes, to give you some inspiration on how to prepare baby foods that help with constipation.

Best Foods To Relieve Constipation In Babies

Below is a list of baby foods that help with constipation. The foods have been selected based on their suitability given a baby’s age, their effectiveness and also their sugar content.

You can jump directly to the relevant section by selecting your baby’s age:

Baby Constipation Foods 4-6 Months

Baby Constipation Foods 7-9 Months

Baby Constipation Foods 10-12 Months

Baby Constipation Foods 13-24 Months

Best Foods To Relieve Constipation In Babies Of 4-6 Months

Vegetables

Sweet potatoes are to be favored over the fruits on the list, since they do not contain as much sugar as the fruits.

Scientists have tested the effect of sweet potatoes on leukemia patients who receive chemotherapy. They found that sweet potatoes significantly improve the rate of constipation and the rate of having first defecation within 24 hours after chemotherapy (5, 6).

They conclude that sweet potatoes have a positive impact on the prevention of constipation.

However, sweet potatoes cannot only prevent constipation. They can also help a baby relieve constipation, because they contain lots of insoluble fiber (5). Insoluble fiber facilitates the movement of stools by adding bulk to them (5).

Moreover, sweet potatoes are a “neutral” food with a “sweet flavor” in the sense of Traditional Chinese Medicine. These kinds of foods are to be preferred over other foods, as they protect and strengthen the baby’s digestive system.

You can read more about which foods are recommended for babies to avoid digestive issues in my blogpst “Best First Baby Foods To Avoid Digestive Issues“.

Fruits

The following two fruits are recommended to relieve baby constipation (4-6 months):

Papaya

Papayas can work really well for baby constipation, because they contain fiber and papain. Papain is known to support the digestive system.

Another advantage of papayas is that they do not contain as much sugar as other popular constipation foods.

Finally, papayas are neutral and sweet in the sense of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Therefore, they do not only support the digestion, but also strengthen the baby’s stomach and spleen.

Pear

Oftentimes, pears work better to relieve constipation than papayas, because they contain more sorbitol (a natural laxatives). However, sorbitol is a sugar and the high sugar content in pears is the very reason why you should be careful with pears when it comes to 4-6 months old babies

If you still want to go ahead and try pears, please feed them in moderation! Alternatively, try my warm pear puree with skin recipe below and stick to the feeding recommendation that I state in the recipe!

Alternative Baby Constipation Remedies For Babies 4-6 Months

Keep in mind that you do not have to feed your baby anything in order to relieve constipation! There are alternative baby constipation remedies which do not have any side effects and can be applied straight away.

If you like, check out my “Alternative Remedy For Baby Constipation” advice at the end of this blogpost!

Best Foods To Relieve Constipation In Babies Of 7-9 Months

Vegetables

The vegetables on the list are to be preferred over the fruits, since they do not contain as much sugar as the fruits.

Moreover, all vegetables on the list above are “neutral” foods with a “sweet flavor” in the sense of Traditional Chinese Medicine. These kinds of foods are to be preferred over other foods, as they protect and strengthen the baby’s digestive system.

You can read more about which foods are recommended for babies to avoid digestive issues in my blogpost “Best First Baby Foods To Avoid Digestive Issues“.

Cabbage

When you try cabbage, try either red or savoy cabbage. Both contain more fiber than green cabbage.

Moreover, cooked cabbage contains even more fiber than the raw version (7). With that said, raw cabbage (and raw vegetables in general) should not be fed to babies anyway.

Sweet Potatoes

Scientists have tested the effect of sweet potatoes on leukemia patients who receive chemotherapy. They found that sweet potatoes significantly improve the rate of constipation and the rate of having first defecation within 24 hours after chemotherapy (5, 6).

They conclude that sweet potatoes have a positive impact on the prevention of constipation.

However, sweet potatoes cannot only prevent constipation. They can also help a baby relieve constipation, because they contain lots of insoluble fiber (5). Insoluble fiber facilitates the movement of stools by adding bulk to them (5).

Fruits

The following two fruits are recommended to relieve baby constipation:

Papaya

Papayas can work really well for baby constipation, because they contain fiber and papain. Papain is known to support the digestive system.

Another advantage of papayas is that they do not contain as much sugar as other popular constipation foods.

Finally, papayas are neutral and sweet in the sense of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Therefore, they do not only support the digestion, but also strengthen the baby’s stomach and spleen.

Pear

Oftentimes, pears work better to relieve constipation, because they contain more sorbitol (a natural laxatives). However, sorbitol is a sugar and the high sugar content in pears is the very reason why you should be careful with pears when it comes to 7-9 months old babies

If you still want to go ahead and try pear, please feed it in moderation! Alternatively, try my warm pear puree with skin recipe below and stick to the feeding recommendation that I state in the recipe!

Alternative Baby Constipation Remedies For Babies 7-9 Months

Keep in mind that you do not have to feed your baby anything in order to relieve constipation! There are alternative baby constipation remedies which do not have any side effects and can be applied straight away.

If you like, check out my “Alternative Remedy For Baby Constipation” advice at the end of this blogpost!

Best Foods To Relieve Constipation In Babies Of 10-12 Months

Vegetables

The vegetables on the list are to be preferred over the fruits, since they do not contain as much sugar as the fruits.

Moreover, all vegetables on the list above are “neutral” foods with a “sweet flavor” in the sense of Traditional Chinese Medicine. These kinds of foods are to be preferred over other foods, as they protect and strengthen the baby’s digestive system.

You can read more about which foods are recommended for babies to avoid digestive issues in my blogpost “Best First Baby Foods To Avoid Digestive Issues“.

Cabbage

When you try cabbage, try either red or savoy cabbage. Both contain more fiber than green cabbage.

Moreover, cooked cabbage contains even more fiber than the raw version (7). With that said, raw cabbage (and raw vegetables in general) should not be fed to babies anyway.

Sweet Potatoes

Scientists have tested the effect of sweet potatoes on leukemia patients who receive chemotherapy. They found that sweet potatoes significantly improve the rate of constipation and the rate of having first defecation within 24 hours after chemotherapy (5, 6).

They conclude that sweet potatoes have a positive impact on the prevention of constipation.

However, sweet potatoes cannot only prevent constipation. They can also help a baby relieve constipation, because they contain lots of insoluble fiber (5). Insoluble fiber facilitates the movement of stools by adding bulk to them (5).

Broccoli

Depending on how you prepare broccoli, it contains about 3g of fiber per 100g broccoli (7).

From a Traditional Chinese Medicine viewpoint, it is a cool food. in other words, it has a cooling effect on your baby’s body. That is why I do not recommend it before the age of 10 months.

However, an advantage of broccoli is that it regulates the circulation of water in the body. It also regulates the circulation of Qi. Both help to get “things moving”.

Beans

Beans are yet another food which is packed with fiber. Therefore, they can work really well when it comes to constipation.

However, most of them contain lots of protein. In my experience, high protein foods like beans can sometimes trigger digestive issues in babies, for example, bloating.

Therefore, I would not feed a baby beans before the age of 10 months.

If you decide to feed your baby beans, please do not use processed beans in cans! Go for dry beans, soak them overnight and cook them at least for one hour, or until they are super-soft!

From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, the following beans are to be favored over others:

• Kidney Beans
• Blackeyed Peas
• Aduki Beans

All of them are neutral and sweet in nature. Moreover, they regulate water and Qi, which is particularly useful to get “things moving” in the baby’s body. 

Fruits

The following fruits are recommended to relieve baby constipation:

Papaya

Papayas can work really well for baby constipation, because they contain fiber and papain. Papain is known to support the digestive system.

Another advantage of papayas is that they do not contain as much sugar as other popular constipation foods.

Finally, papayas are neutral and sweet in the sense of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Therefore, they do not only support the digestion, but also strengthen the baby’s stomach and spleen.

Pear

Oftentimes, pears work better to relieve constipation, because they contain more sorbitol (a natural laxatives). However, sorbitol is a sugar and the high sugar content in pears is the very reason why you should be careful with pears when it comes to 7-9 months old babies

If you still want to go ahead and try pear, please feed it in moderation! Alternatively, try my warm pear puree with skin recipe below and stick to the feeding recommendation that I state in the recipe!

Alternative Baby Constipation Remedies For Babies 10-12 Months

Keep in mind that you do not have to feed your baby anything in order to relieve constipation! There are alternative baby constipation remedies which do not have any side effects and can be applied straight away.

If you like, check out my “Alternative Remedy For Baby Constipation” advice at the end of this blogpost!

Best Foods To Relieve Constipation In Babies Of 13-24 Months

Vegetables

The vegetables on the list are to be preferred over the fruits, since they do not contain as much sugar as the fruits.

Moreover, all vegetables on the list above are “neutral” foods with a “sweet flavor” in the sense of Traditional Chinese Medicine. These kinds of foods are to be preferred over other foods, as they protect and strengthen the baby’s digestive system.

You can read more about which foods are recommended for babies to avoid digestive issues in my blogpost “Best First Baby Foods To Avoid Digestive Issues“.

Cabbage

When you try cabbage, try either red or savoy cabbage. Both contain more fiber than green cabbage.

Moreover, cooked cabbage contains even more fiber than the raw version (7). With that said, raw cabbage (and raw vegetables in general) should not be fed to babies anyway.

Sweet Potatoes

Scientists have tested the effect of sweet potatoes on leukemia patients who receive chemotherapy. They found that sweet potatoes significantly improve the rate of constipation and the rate of having first defecation within 24 hours after chemotherapy (5, 6).

They conclude that sweet potatoes have a positive impact on the prevention of constipation.

However, sweet potatoes cannot only prevent constipation. They can also help a baby relieve constipation, because they contain lots of insoluble fiber (5). Insoluble fiber facilitates the movement of stools by adding bulk to them (5).

Broccoli

Depending on how you prepare broccoli, it contains about 3g of fiber per 100g broccoli (7).

From a Traditional Chinese Medicine viewpoint, it is a cool food. in other words, it has a cooling effect on your baby’s body. That is why I do not recommend it before the age of 10 months.

However, an advantage of broccoli is that it regulates the circulation of water in the body. It also regulates the circulation of Qi. Both help to get “things moving”.

Beans

Beans are yet another food which is packed with fiber. Therefore, they can work really well when it comes to constipation.

However, most of them contain lots of protein. In my experience, high protein foods like beans can sometimes trigger digestive issues in babies, for example, bloating.

Therefore, I would not feed a baby beans before the age of 10 months.

If you decide to feed your baby beans, please do not use processed beans in cans! Go for dry beans, soak them overnight and cook them at least for one hour, or until they are super-soft!

From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, the following beans are to be favored over others:

• Kidney Beans
• Blackeyed Peas
• Aduki Beans

All of them are neutral and sweet in nature. Moreover, they regulate water and Qi, which is particularly useful to get “things moving” in the baby’s body.

Fruits

The following fruits are recommended to relieve baby constipation:

Papaya

Papayas can work really well for baby constipation, because they contain fiber and papain. Papain is known to support the digestive system.

Another advantage of papayas is that they do not contain as much sugar as other popular constipation foods.

Finally, papayas are neutral and sweet in the sense of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Therefore, they do not only support the digestion, but also strengthen the baby’s stomach and spleen.

Pear

Oftentimes, pears work better to relieve constipation, because they contain more sorbitol (a natural laxatives). However, sorbitol is a sugar and the high sugar content in pears is the very reason why you should be careful with pears.

Prunes

The same applies to prunes. They work really well when it comes to constipation. That’s because they contain lots of fiber (7.1g per 100g prunes) and sorbitol. 

However, they contain even more sugar than pears (9.75g – 10.9g in 100g pears vs. 38g in 100g prunes) (7). That is why they should not be introduced before the age of 13 months.

If – despite the high sugar content of pears and prunes – you want to go ahead and feed them your baby, please only do so in moderation.

Alternatively, try my recipes below and stick to the feeding recommendation that I state in each recipe!

Seeds

Chia seeds are one of the most effective constipation remedy out there. The reason is simple: with 39.3g fiber in 100g chia seeds (7), they are one of the most fibre-dense foods that you can get (5).

Chia seeds also work very well in babies, although, in my experience, they can sometimes trigger other digestive issues, like bloating and in rare cases diarrhea. That is why I do not recommend to introduce them before the age of 13 months.

If you decide to feed your baby chia seeds, it is important that you prepare them accordingly. Simply adding chia seeds to other foods, like yoghurt, can be a bad idea. That’s because they are more likely to trigger the very digestive issues which I mention above.

If, on the other hand, chia seeds are soaked in water wirst, they form a gel. This gel can help soften stools which can make it easier for the baby to pass stools (5).

Check out my recipe below if you like!

Alternative Baby Constipation Remedies 13-24 Months

Keep in mind that you do not have to feed your baby anything in order to relieve constipation! There are alternative baby constipation remedies which do not have any side effects and can be applied straight away.

If you like, check out my “Alternative Remedy For Baby Constipation” advice at the end of this blogpost!

Alternative Baby Constipation Remedies

We have seen that most baby foods that help with constipation are fruits. And since the kinds of fruits which work particularly well for baby constipation usually contain lots of sugar, helping a baby with constipation with foods may not be the best idea.

So, what are then alternative remedies for baby constipation?

As a health practitioner, I clearly recommend acupuncture treatments for constipation. That’s because the way acupuncture helps is that it balances your baby’s digestive system. In other words, it helps the digestive system to restore its normal functioning.

However, acupuncture treatments are not a home remedy for constipation, since parents cannot apply them themselves.

That is why I recommend baby massage techniques for baby constipation. The right techniques, if done correctly, can have the exact same effect as acupuncture.

Moreover, a great advantage is that parents can learn such techniques and apply them whenever required.

And finally, another great advantage is that they do not require your baby to swallow anything. No sugar, no laxatives, no nothing and therefore, no side effects.

If you are interested in learning more about baby massage technique, here are two options:

Option 1: Baby Reflexology

The first option is baby reflexology. This baby massage technique involves stimulating acupressure points on the baby’s feet. 

Baby reflexology allows us to balance the baby’s digestive system, which is usually enough to help the baby with constipation. 

If you are interested in learning baby reflexology, you can sign up for my free course!

Actually, my free course is a general baby massage course. However, part 5 of the course (“massaging the baby’s feet”) is dedicated to baby reflexology.

If you want to learn more about this course, click HERE!

Option 2: Shonishin

The other option is Shonishin. Shonishin is the most effective baby massage technique to date, because it is based on the concept of pediatric acupuncture.

Shonishin was developed for babies and children. It includes the stimulation of acupressure points as well as entire meridians, however, unlike acupuncture, it does not make use of needles.

The biggest advantage of Shonishin treatments is that they can be tailored to the needs of a baby. In other words, Shonishin allows us to help the baby with very specific issues, for example, constipation.

The Shonishin baby constipation course which you can find on this website, teaches you how to apply this technique to your own baby.

Click HERE if you want to learn more about this course!

Summary

Baby foods which are often promoted as the right baby foods that help with constipation are often not suitable for babies of certain ages. That’s because the most baby foods that help with constipation are usually fruits which contain lots of sugar.

However, if the baby’s intestines cannot handle the sugar, she will often suffer from the consequences of “carbohydrate malabsorption”. This means that the baby can develop other gastroinestinal issues, like bloating and sometimes diarrhea.

To be clear, there is nothing wrong with feeding a baby fruits. However, the kind of fruits and the amount you feed her have to be appropriate given her age.

That is why in this blogpost, I have not only provided a list of great foods for baby constipation given a baby’s age. I have also included links to some recipes to help you get some inspiration on how to prepare those foods.

Medical Disclaimer: The information on this page is not intended to diagnose, prevent, mitigate, treat or cure any disease! It is not personal medical advice. We recommend that you ask a doctor whenver you are looking for medical advice!