MOMS, I Feel So Bad, So Horrible

i seriously think that 1 banana a day is NOT "too much". that said, i do always half the banana between the 2 boys: 1 banana for an adult bowl of cereal, so i just thought 1/2 a banana for a kid size bowl. smoothies are good. try fruit salad (NOT canned, lol) and he can "help" make it. and don't forget the banana. i used to sing that to my oldest (the wiggles' fruit salad song) as we made it and ate it.

One banana a day is not bad!, calm down momma. there are other reasons he is constipated. Add some fiber to his diet.

mashed up bananas in oatmeal... oatmeal keeps you pooping while the banana stops you up... you get perfect poops...

One banana a day will not hurt your child...my daughter LOVES bananas and all other fruit, but especially bananas...rarely a day goes by when she doesn't eat one and occasionally will have two bananas and she is just fine.

I agree with the sneaking fruit into bananas. Has he tried blueberries? My kid LOVES them.

If he won't eat fruit then don't worry about it. Try to give him some extra veggies instead.

Don't worry about the banana thing...it is a phase. Now by daughter doesn't even like bananas :)...but she LOVES berries!

My daughter often eats a banana a day and she's never had constipation issues, so don't beat yourself up!

Have you tried other sources of fiber? Pumpkin is great, baked into bread or muffins. Also, squash. Whole grain products (bread, pasta, etc.). I know you said he does not like other fruits, but have you tried blueberries or raspberries? They are LOADED with fiber! Maybe try mashing up the berries in the oatmeal? Also, a little prune juice or apple juice to get things moving?

Good luck to you! He'll be fine!

I'm thinking you'd have to give him a heck of a lot of bananas to cause more than constipation.
As for the different fruits--DIPPING! Kids that age love to dip! Let him dip peaches, pears, etc in Cool Whip, strawberry dip, whatever he likes.
AND you can make him fruit smoothies in a blender. Add peaches, pears, strawberries, etc to yogurt with a little milk in the blender. He'll love it.

I agree with the others. One banana a day isn't too much. Sometimes children just become constipated. Maybe your son doesn't like juicy fruit. Have you tried avocado? That has a similar texture to a banana. Hmmm....other non-juicy fruits.....squash, pawpaw...I guess there aren't too many non-juicy fruits (at least that I can think of). Have you tried dried fruits? Or maybe take him to the grocery/market with you and let him pick out a fruit that appeals to him visually and then try it when you get home. This works for my daughter....if she gets to pick it then she thinks she likes it better.

i'm aggravated that you've been scared off the benign, healthy banana. your little guy would have to consume a LOT more than one a day to lead to a potassium imbalance.
good for you for his varied, healthy diet!
smoothies are your friend. a frozen banana so he gets his nice banana sweetness, an apple (or apple sauce, very good for constipation), a little prune juice, a handful of frozen berries and voila! a delicious treat that will get everything moving again. play around with it until you get the ingredient mix that makes him love it (maybe add dates, a little honey, some unsweetened cocoa powder, ground flax seed, you get the idea.)
khairete
S.

My daughter has had a temperamental poop situation since she was little. ARGH! She also loves bananas more than anything. Have you tried making the little guy smoothies? My daughter thinks she's getting a treat, so she'll basically inhale them, but I can sneak all sorts of fruits and veggies in them, (it's kind of become my new thing, since she's all of the sudden a picky eater). I just use frozen fruit (insert sneaky ingredients here), yogurt and a little milk and blend them up together (a little honey can sweeten it if you like). She loves them and it always "loosens" her up a bit. Start with small amounts though, sometimes it'll clear them out a bit too much.
Our pediatrician also suggested just a small amount of miralax daily if nothing else seems to be working. We tried it but never really seemed to get the amount right. It seemed to either not help or be too helpful.
I've been throught the "helping" them poop thing. Horrible!!!! I'm so sorry you've had to endure that, and your little guy too! Happy blending! LOL

Try warming up the other fruits. Warm chunks of peaches, or pears might intice him to eat them and help. Make some muffins with applesauce instead of the sugar..I've seen recipes for them. Or add finely chopped prunes or dates to them. But mostly just give it time and he will outgrow his preference for just bananas. I bet in 6 months he won't even want a banana and you'll wonder what happend! (o:

maybe give him a little banana mixed with something or get him banana flavored things. I think Earths Best makes banana cookies. Also Miralax is wonderful and non-habit forming.

Mango is really popular in this house, as are fresh apricots. Have you tried those?

Don't feel bad. And truly, calling bananas dangerous is a stretch. They are more correctly called "the perfect food". He can have banana every day if he wants it. Instead of removing bananas -- ADD fiber. Google good sources of fiber.

Try giving him a few ounces of prune juice. That will help him out. My lo will ask to drink it. I think the organic brands in the glass jars taste better than some of the other brands, just an observation since my lo likes those better than the 'conventional' brands. Add some whole wheat pastas to his diet, flavor it up with some butter and parmesan cheese & that will help.

http://www.ivillage.com/kids-constipation-diet-tips-every...

My kids love all berries and kiwi!

Actually, your friend is right. Some kids do have trouble with too much potassium. I was surprised when my husband's nephew went to a regular checkup. He was having trouble going to the bathroom and had an odd color. The doctor tested him and he had too much potassium. I thought it was odd and asked my own doctor when i went and she told me usually it happens with small children and maybe elderly people. My nepew loved applesauce and cooked pears so they were able to get him to eat those and later would cut up bananas to add to them.

I wouldn't completely give up on bananas. Yes, too many can be bad, so can too many of most other foods. You need a variety.

As far as other fruits, keep offering different kinds. Their tastes change so much at this age. He may not like something this month, but 3 months from now, it may be his favorite. Also, keep in mind that although fruit is very good for him, he doesn't need it.

Sometimes it's not about taking something out of his diet (like bananas) but offsetting them with something else. My now-17yo had similar difficulties when she was little. We did limit certain foods (bananas, cheese) but never eliminated them. In addition, we added more high-fiber foods and encouraged drinking water. We added miller's bran to cereal, oatmeal, mashed potatoes, etc. I made bran muffins (yummy and easy!) and she loved those. Also, on occasion, I'd give her pericolace (sp?) which you can find in the drugstore aisle with constipation remedies. It's not a laxative, but a stool softener which just made it easier for her to pass her poop.

No worries, mama! A little balance and a little time and you and your little guy will be feeling much better.

Hi Krys. First of all, please know you are an awesome mom. You care. You do your best.
Now, tachlis...one banana a day is fine. We do it as well. If you see your LO is constipated, then try 1/2... As for other fruits...can you get gerber's apple/prune sauce and use it over chicken or in the oatmeal (that is what I do)...My LO loves apple sauce and here and there we add the prune one.

Hope this helps.
Jilly

Have you tried clementines? From recent experience with my 3 year old it has the exact opposite effect if you eat too many...
She is a banana lover too but man, once she tried clementines it's like all other fruit ceased to exist! I've had to start pushing the bananas & apples & other fruit on her more & just not buying the clems. Hope it all gets "worked out."

don't hate on bananas! we love them at our house, especially now when all other fruit is SOOO expensive due to being off season. (i saw a bag of plain-jane apples for almost $6 yesterday. UGH!) one a day, i don't know - my son is 4 and does fine with one per day. you really should just ask his pediatrician if you're concerned. don't ever go just by someone's opinion, and the internet lol. but babies get constipated, it happens. i'm sorry that it happened to you.

but as far as spitting out other fruits - i would cut back on bananas and keep offering them, just based on that. keep offering it, don't give in and give him somerthing else (until next meal at least). if you get him used to "this is what we're having" he will fight it less. babies have to get used to different textures and flavors. if you assume that "he tried it once and it ended up on the floor" means he won't eat it, and never offer it again, you'll just ensure he never gets to like that item. keep giving them to him! good luck!