How do I get 3 yo to eat properly so she stops getting constipated?

Question

My bf's daughter is a PICKY PICKY eater. We have her with us for a month, and her eating habits have gone awry since she stayed with her mom for a year.

She wont touch anything except yogurt, cheese, rice, cereal, chips, peanut butter sandwiches, milk, and cold hot dogs.

You try to give her anything else and she screams, "I dont like it!!" even if she has never tried it before. And then it ends up on the floor or on the table. If you dont give her what she wants, she'll just starve and not care.

Obviously this diet is POOR, and she hasnt gone poo in 3 days due to it. She was crying holding her bum saying, "Owee owee!"

I tried giving her fruit, veggies, healthier meats, she wont even open her mouth. How do we get her to eat better so she wont have this problem again?

Answer 1

From your list, I see two foods that constipate: cheese and rice (if it is white; brown rice has fiber and doesn't constipate). So if she won't eat anything else, at least don't give her any more of those foods.

It looks like you are getting some good advice from others; the only other thing that I would add is not to give her bananas as others have suggested as bananas are also quite constipating.

Encourage her to exercise, drink water (and apple juice can help) to get her movements back on track.

I think that you're probably also going to have to deal with her adjustment to her new home. You say she's been with you a month after having lived with her mom for a year. She may be upset about this change and her unhappiness may be coming through in this behavior.

You can't make her eat and you can't make her poop. She may be trying to get a little control in her life. Perhaps give her some control over what she eats--let her choose between 2 healthy cereals; apples or melon--whatever. Or let her have more control in other areas: clothing choices, toy or story choices. This may also help her become more open to other foods.

Answer 2

You say she'll starve herself. quite frankly, I sincerely doubt this is the case. Withold crap foods like hot dogs and provide ONLY nutritious, healthy foods. At some point in time or another, she will have to eat, even if entirely begrudgingly. So be it. There is nothing wrong with foods like yogurt, as long as you get a reduced-fat version and let her eat it as part of an overall healthy, balanced diet. Cereal, ditto, as long as it's a HIGH FIBER, low-sugar cereal...I think that the fiber issue is the problem with her not pooing though. There are some cereals out there that are sweet enough that kids like them, but are high in fiber & are fortified with vitamins & minerals (which obviously she's not getting in her other foods!!!), so try for some of those. Change from whole milk to skim or 2% milk, or even better soy milk, etc...put your foot down & make some changes. A giant overhaul of every single thing she eats probably will not go over well & might jack up her system, to boot. Try making smaller changes but DO NOT back down on this. She is learning that by throwing away what she doesn't want, she gets her way. If she's like this at the age of 3, you will have a total nightmare on your hands when she's a teenager.

Answer 3

To fix her immediate problem I think they make a laxative for children. Ask her pediatrician about it, and do what they say. As for getting her to eat better, don't give her a choice in the matter. Keep only healthy foods in the house. If she wants a snack, say, ok you can have an apple, or you can have a banana. When she starts to pitch a fit say, "it's nature's candy. You should try it...." Then take a few bites yourself. If she sees you eating the same things, she'll be more inclined to follow suit. Her mom obviously doesn't eat very healthy either, so her daughter has picked up her eating habits. It's gonna take a long time, but stick with it, she'll start to change. Good luck. =)

Answer 4

She wont eat cheese on some veggies like brocolli? What kid doesn't do that? If she eats PB Sandwiches make them with whole grain bread. Give her Cheerios instead of sugar cereals. Offer rice cakes and soy chips instead of potato chips. (Rice cakes with peanut butter might flip her switch)

The smoothies idea is great. The oatmeal idea is great. And the teenager from hell fact is very true. So I would do whatever to become creative.

What kid doesn't like candy? I heard of this sour candy in a tube like toothpaste that you can buy in a candy isle at any store. My friend used it for her stubborn child to get him to just try fruits and veggies. Gross to us but it turned it into a challenge to him. Make eating healthy into a dare. Right now you're giving her the power. If you turn it around and say "I bet you wont try this." You might get a different response from her.

Definitly listen to what everyone here is saying though.

Answer 5

Put some yogurt or cheese on a little bit of oatmeal cereal in the mornings & see if she'll eat that. The oatmeal is fiber. Maybe she'll eat some honey on it instead.

Peanut butter is good for her. Put it on whole wheat bread or whole grain crackers & see if she'll eat it that way. Peanut butter is fiber.

Rice is also good. Use brown rice instead of white, she'll probably never know the difference as it really isn't brown in color.

If she likes cold hot dogs, see if you can substitute veggie sticks wrapped in cheese or meatless hotdogs like boca brand. They have a lot of fiber & protein added to them but are in the shape of hotdogs.'

Answer 6

I am sure you have heard this all before: More fiber (fruits and veggies with skin, oat bran like Cheerios, oatmeal, Fiber One bars/cereal/yogurt). FLUIDS, FLUIDS, FLUIDS (water, apple juice, prune juice, etc.) Avoid constipating foods (bananas, rice, applesauce, etc.) Exercise daily (take a brisk walk) Training/movement avoidance: sit on the toilet for five minutes about 20 minutes after a meal to help get your body to eliminate bowels; DO NOT IGNORE ANY SIGN YOU MAY NEED TO HAVE A BOWEL MOVEMENT! Holding back will cause constipation)

Answer 7

I used to take care of a little girl that had this problem. She WOULD NOT poop. She would hold it in, you could see her doing it, pinching her butt cheeks together, and when she couldn't hold it anymore it would come out hard as a rock and huge in size. I felt so bad for her.
I got her to start eating 1-2 prunes per day. This helped keep her regular and she had to let it out.
If this was my child I would give her exactly what we ate, and if she didn't eat it, oh well. She will not starve herself to death. Just remember that! She will eventually try what you have given her, she may not like it, but at least she will get so hungry that she will atempt it, and that's a start.
You could try making her foods into funny things.

Answer 8

Don't laugh at these - they worked with mine - put prune juice in her juice or koolaid; bake chopped spinach in brownies, put any veggie you can think of in a stew or stirfry. Cut up fruits and veggies and offer dips - even if it's chocolate or dressing. Don't give her so much dairy, that's adding to the const. - and she better eat some fruits or veggies! Poor baby! Make sure she's drinking lots of water, too.

Answer 9

At least get her to have more fluids. Milk, water, juice. Don't let her become a brat. It sounds like she is in charge, because someone has LET HER. Be persistent and don't give in to her tantrums. Be the parent. Say, you can have this (what ever it is she likes) if you also try this (something like a piece of fruit). Don't give her only dairy and meat. It sounds like you have a battle of the wills.

Answer 10

Try apple slices, entice with caramel dip.
Increase amounts of liquids she drinks.
Introduce berries or bananas in her cereal.

Try inviting her young friends over who enjoy a broader array of food. She may be more interested if she sees her peers enjoy these other foods. Or take her to a Chucky Cheeses type of place that has lots of kids eating different choices. She MAY become more interested.