One of the things no one told me about when I became a mom was the amount of time that I would spend thinking about my kid's gut. I want to encourage them to “go with their gut” during their life and to do that – I've got to make sure that they're well taken care of. And, after a particularly scary ER visit for an out-of-whack gut issue when Melanie was little, you bet your sweet buns that I'm vocal about making sure everyone is aware it. So, allow me to pass along my knowledge to you. Here's my top five tips for toddler wellness with SmartyPants Kids Probiotic Complete.
Basically, here's everything you need to know about keeping that gut healthy:
1. Pooping is important. Your kid should be going every day. I keep a few small toys and books next to the toilet to encourage Melanie to spend a bit of time in there and get it all out.
2. Stay hydrated. Drinking water all day every day is a must. Milk and juice are cool, too, but water is IT when it comes to keeping everything moving along. Every morning, I fill 2-3 water bottles with fresh water and leave them around the house. If it's there – they will drink it.
3. Get a probiotic. A good probiotic taken every day will keep those insides happy. I have been giving Melanie these SmartyPants Kids Probiotic Complete ones and she LOVES them. The grape taste is great (and smells awesome) and she loves that they are gummy (“like tandy!”). As a mom, I really appreciate that there's no junk in them and that the quality of probiotic delivers seven times CFU than any other probiotic gummy product!
4. Fiber is the best. I know, I know. It's hard to get those little one's to eat fiber-filled vegetables. But, fiber is SO important to your health. So, in addition to trying to offer Melanie vegetables multiple times a day, I also keep a stash of fruit/veggie pouches (we call them “fruit squeezies”) on hand to give her on those days when she just flat out refuses vegetables.
5. Massage. I kid you not, but this works. I don't do a full-on Swedish or anything but at night, when we sing songs at bedtime, I try to gently rub my girl's belly. For some reason, this seems to help… move things along.
Wellness is just so important when it comes to your kids. Just think of all the courage it takes to be a kid – learning the ABC's, scaling the jungle gym, braving the deep end of the pool. Your kid has guts so let's take good care of them. Share the guts that your kid has over on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook using the hashtag: #YourKidHasGuts.
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