No bowel movements 9 days after birth

[Element4056]

Posting here for traffic, sorry.
I gave birth 9 days ago and have been constipated since. I spoke to my GP on Friday regarding any laxatives I can take and stated clearly that I am exclusively breastfeeding and need this to be safe as baby is less than a week old.
GP prescribed some laxatives and I send my husband to pharmacy to collect. He double checked with pharmacist if this is OK to take whilst breastfeeding and turns out it is not. The laxatives specifically should not be taken if baby is less than a month old.
In the meantime I have instead been taking fybogel and this hasn't helped me pass any stool.
Waiting on GP to get back to me today with another laxative.
Please can anyone help with any suggestions. It has been 9 days and I am miserable. I have been keeping fluids up, eating prunes etc.
Any laxative suggestions that have worked for anyone?
Thank you.

Lots of pure orange juice!

Have you spoken to your midwife at all?,id be a little concerned that you haven't opened your bowels yet.When I was in labour with my youngest I had loads of pressure in my very lower back like I was going to erm void my bowels.Took several days to poop afterwards,the midwife said I could have had some bruising to my bowels with the baby pressing on them during labour.

@LucyAutumn;I second that!

apparently drinking hot water can help, I really feel for you OP - I struggled when DD was first born, was terrified of straining too hard and damaging my nether regions....

just keep up with fluids and maybe try a suppository if they're allowed when breastfeeding

What cured my chronic constipation during pregnancy was baked beans on wholemeal toast. DS2 had to be induced, and the midwife joked that it was the massive shit blocking his way!

Speak to your midwife - from what I remember you can take lactulose (was given it after my CS) but it’s worth checking. I find midwives are more helpful with this sort of thing.

Ask your DH to go back to the pharmacy and buy glycerine suppositories and KY jelly. Insert 2 into your rectum as high as you can manage and lie on the bed for 20-30 minutes. You should get going then as it softens the stool from the end causing the blockage.

If you have stitches press a mat pad against them as you go.

You can also buy an enema but start with the suppositories..

Suppository from the pharmacist - they will tell you whats safe along with a coffee and then sipping hot water.

Yes, tell your midwife pronto. In the meantime home remedies I've tried and found success with (used them all at once, no idea which worked) have been raisins, lemon juice, lots of water and coffee. Black strap molasses are also apparently good- you can get it from Amazon.

My midwife recommended prune juice to me after my 3rd degree tear meant I was too scared to poo! Worked amazingly is all I can say!

I second glycerin suppositories. They work very well indeed.
You can order a job lot from Amazon .

You can take lactulose whilst breastfeeding. We give it to mums whilst they are still on the postnatal ward.

But to try and keep it at bay, drink lots of water and try and up your fibre intake in your diet.

Congratulations on your new addition!

Excuse the unintended pun

Midwife will send you to your GP and you’ve already done that but that was a few days ago so go back

I took fybogel AND lactulose.

I had one then waited a few hours and took the other one. Then my bowels moved.

I was given fybogel and lactulose after the birth of DC1. Had to take both. They certainly work.

Some suppositories would be okay they would get you started.

I finally went on day 10. It was as great an achievement as giving birth to my son! 😂

I sit in a massage chair, or rock backwards & forwards whilst rubbing just above the pubes.

The reason that nearly all medicines are not stated as safe when breastfeeding is that they haven't been tested on breastfeeding mothers. I was on laxatives from the day after my baby was born, I was also on Tramadol codeine and antibiotics as I had such severe post birth injuries. I'd take the laxatives.

I still remember my first bowel movements after labour it felt like labour again.

Thank you all so much for your suggestions. I did speak with midwife and they just said to go back to GP.
Going to send DH back to pharmacy to get lactulose to take alongside fybogel.
In the meantime I'm going to try lots of coffee! I really am fed up and need something to work.

@turnthebiglightoff

The reason that nearly all medicines are not stated as safe when breastfeeding is that they haven't been tested on breastfeeding mothers. I was on laxatives from the day after my baby was born, I was also on Tramadol codeine and antibiotics as I had such severe post birth injuries. I'd take the laxatives.

Indeed. There's an online resource that states which medications are actually safe for breastfeeding. It gets linked to a lot on a breastfeeding Facebook group I'm on.

www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/drugs-factsheets/?fbclid=IwAR1KpWAuk6hPiVqaMKaYYrMUwIa8-tdLWmogeYfnFKei3cxLe1MyF0Ciufk

Yes to the suppositories
Pop one in, go lay down for as long as you can stand it and the relief you'll feel after will be immense.
I suffer with rubbish digestion and these are my saviours when I need them.
Constipation is awful.
Congrats on your baby x

Ask the pharmacist/midwife. Most laxatives are OTC.