Does your child have difficulty having a bowel movement, such as pushing really hard (known as constipation)? Does your child frequently go to the bathroom and notice that their urine is dark yellow or smelly? Does your child have three or less bowel movements in 1 week? If this sounds like your child, read on to learn more about what to do to help make their bladder happier with the food they eat and drink!  

Most bladders are happiest when a child can drink water and eat a healthy diet. Drinking water and eating a healthy diet helps your child have normal bowel movements and a normal voiding schedule. A healthy diet includes at least five servings of fruit or vegetables per day and between 4-6 cups of water per day depending on the weight of the child.  

Generally, the amount a child drinks is dependent on their body weight. Fluid intake should be 1 ounce per kilogram. One kilogram is 2.2 pounds.  

Here is a small example of fluid intake based on body weights:  

• 30 lbs. 13 ounces or about 2 cups of fluid per day 

• 40 lbs. 18 ounces or about 2 ¼ cups of fluid per day 

• 50 lbs. 23 ounces or about 3 cups of fluid per day 

• 60 lbs. 27 ounces or about 3 ½ cups of fluid per day 

Calculation:   age * 2.2 = amount of fluid (oz.) to drink per day 

Sometimes certain foods can also make your child’s bladder unhappy and irritable. Here’s a list of foods that your child should eat or drink in moderation, or perhaps take away from their diet, to see if it makes their bladder happier!  

Foods the bladder might not like: 

• Artificial sweeteners found in sugarless gum and diet beverages 

• Caffeinated beverages such as colas and tea 

• Carbonated beverages 

• Milk  

• Chocolate 

• Citrus fruits and juices such as oranges and grapefruits 

• Spicy foods such as Mexican food 

• Tomato based products such as spaghetti sauce 

• Any foods or drinks with red or blue dye in them 

Food and drink that are good for the bladder:  

• Low acid fruits: pears, apricots, papaya, watermelon 

• Although water is always the best beverage of choice, grape and apple juice are thirst quenchers and less irritating to the bladder 

• Rice or almond milk 

Constipation can also be a cause of bladder problems! A bowel that is full of stool may irritate the bladder by putting pressure on it. This can cause urinary leakage, urgency, and/or frequency. Your child should have between 3-7 bowel movements per week. However, if your child is experiencing bladder problems such as urinary incontinence, urinary frequency, or bed-wetting, it is important for your child to have daily bowel movement. If your child doesn’t have regular bowel movements, it may be because of many different dietary factors including:  

• Not drinking enough water – Jell-O and popsicles are a great way to increase fluid intake 

• Eating too much high fat and high sugar content foods 

• Not eating enough fruit or vegetables (5-7 servings needed per day) 

• Not getting enough exercise 

• Not enough fiber intake required to bulk up the stool or pass it through the intestines 

If you have any questions regarding this very important part of your child’s quality of life with bowel and bladder health, please feel free to reach out to our therapy staff!