Because let’s face it, it’s a bit scary. You’ve just given birth to a baby (perhaps more than one even!), a placenta and now…you need to poop. That’s like 3 births in just a few days.
If you’ve had a vaginal birth, the pelvic muscles have just undergone a stretch that was 250% MORE than it’s normal length. And not to mention if there was a tear or episiotomy that may have required stitching. It is undoubtedly going to feel vulnerable.
If you’ve had a cesarean, this is major abdominal surgery! Cutting through numerous layers of skin, fat, fascia, and of course, the uterus. Add on top of this swelling and pain and a poop is the LAST thing you want to do.
So after all births, the thought of pushing ANOTHER thing out of your body can feel a bit overwhelming. And hopefully these tips can help!
Get a stool to help pass your stool! A squatty potty or something where your feet can be elevated 6-9”. This allows your pelvic muscles to be on slack!
Water, water, water. It’s easy to get dehydrated those first few days especially, so be proactive here. Not enough water = harder stool.
Stool softeners and/or poop friendly foods! Remember, stool softeners add moisture, which makes things easier to move. Also consider enough fiber (25g is daily recommendation!) but be sure not to add too much too quickly. Add good fats too like avocados, coconut/olive oil which all help keep things moving through the tracks!
Consider a bidet or at the very least a peri-bottle rinse (vs. wiping)
You may want to support your perineum. That’s the tissue right between the anus and vagina and a little upward pressure here can feel supportive.
You may want to support your cesarean incision with a little pressure inward from a pillow
Did you find these tips helpful? Let us know what things you tried and found useful the first few postpartum poops!
All women’s bodies are unique. If you would like to know more about how the above relates to your specific condition, email me here. Please also follow us on Instagram or join our private Facebook Group for a ton of free support on common women’s health concerns.