Post-Surgery Diet for Children With IBD: Marco's Recovery Story

When Marco was discharged after bowel surgery, he and his mum left hospital with no guidance on what he should eat. They instinctively knew they needed some kind of post-surgery diet for children with IBD, but didn't know what that should look like. His digestion was sensitive, his appetite low, and he was frightened that eating the wrong thing might cause a blockage or delay his recovery.

His surgical site was also slow to heal and very sore, adding to the uncertainty. This is something I often see - families are told the surgery was successful, but not how to support day-to-day recovery once they’re home.

Why Post-Surgery Diet Matters for Children With IBD

Marco was experiencing:

• discomfort after eating

• fear of blockages

• slow wound healing at his surgical site

• low appetite and low energy

• understandable anxiety around meals

His mum simply wanted to help him heal well but didn’t know which foods were safe or supportive during this stage.

Starting With Safety: Gentle Foods and Gut Healing

The first goal was to reduce digestive stress while giving his body what it needed to recover.

1. Gentle, low-residue meals

We began with soft, low-fibre foods. These are a key part of many post-surgery diet plans for children with IBD, as they minimise irritation and are easier for the gut to handle after bowel surgery. This eased discomfort and gave Marco confidence that food wouldn’t trigger pain.

2. Herbs to soothe and support the gut lining

We used gentle, age-appropriate herbs to calm inflammation and help the digestive tract feel more settled.

3. Nutrients to support wound healing and reduce scar tissue strain

We included nutrients known to support gut lining repair and collagen formation - such as zinc, omega-3s, amino acids like glutamine and vitamin C - all adapted to what Marco could comfortably tolerate.

These helped keep his bowel soft, mobile and supported his healing tissue.

Weekly Progress and Careful Food Expansion

Each week, we gently widened the foods Marco could eat, adding a small number of items at a time. This slow, structured approach helped him:

• understand which foods worked for him

• avoid overwhelming his gut

• build confidence as tolerance improved

His mum said the weekly structure made everything feel more manageable.

Supporting the Whole Body After Surgery

Bowel surgery is a major stress on the body. We therefore included gentle support for:

• the nervous system

• detoxification pathways

• sleep and recovery

• overall resilience

These steps helped Marco feel calmer and more settled, which in turn supported digestion.

Marco’s Progress in the Following Weeks and Months

This was Marco's second surgery - and his mum later shared that his recovery was “night and day” compared to the first.

Over the following weeks and months, Marco:

• ate with more confidence

• tolerated a wider range of foods

• experienced less discomfort

• regained energy

• made steady progress with wound healing

• returned back to school and to his usual routines

Most importantly, both he and his mum felt guided rather than guessing, which made a significant difference to his recovery.

I supported Marco and his mum through the Revive (Foundational) programme, with additional weekly check-ins, offering clear, step-by-step support during this early post-surgery phase.

Case studies are shared with parent consent and represent what has helped these families. Each child’s situation is unique, so results will vary. This work supports - and does not replace - medical advice. A replacement image has been used to protect privacy.