does everyone poo during natural childbirth?

[pcnot]

well did you????

No, but my waters broke early and when I went to hosp for them to check me over I asked for some lactulose and had a good clear-out 12 hours or so before DS was born. Definitely my tip if you're worried about it (although you really won't care - I know everyone says that, and I know you don't believe them, but seriously - I would have happily pooed in the middle of the hospital corridor if it would have helped get DS out any quicker...)

On the other hand, I didn't poo but I did push so hard I had huge piles (like grapes, I swear!) following labour...they did go away eventually but the first few days post-birth weren't much fun. The joys...

Yep. Midwife described it as a 'little rabbit poo'...

Oh and I'm with lurcherlover on the grape piles - only starting to disappear now, 4.5 months after birth.

1st - no
2nd - no
3rd - yes - didn't give s shit at the time though

I really have no idea!

Unfortunately yes, while I was waiting what seemed like an eternity for the birthing pool to be filled up and was about 8cm dilated I had the urge to push and I didn't really care where I was. I was lying on my side facing OH and the midwife got rid of it, don't know if OH realised what I'd actually done as I've never had that conversation!

Although I think I was more bothered by the tiny bit floating about in the birthing pool when I was in there, did give me something to concentrate on!!

With DD, I was quite mortified to notice a few 'rabbit-type' poos floating in the birth pool (tmi !). I think the MW whipped them out quick-smart though!!!

Don't think so with DS, although it was all a bit quick and messy, so who knows. Not enough time to worry about it tbh.

Glad to say I am blissfully ignorant
Didn't ask and they didn't tell!

I was more terrified of pooing and piles than I was of actually giving birth!

I didn't poo with DS1 but did end up with huge piles, not sure what happened tbh, bit of a balls up with anti-nausea medication.

With DS2 it was massively humiliating as DP tried to make light of it by asking if anyone wanted to play "Boats"

I took this in very bad humour and screamed
"Will you shut it! I'm having a rectal prolapse here!!!"

Still feel a bit now!

Think about this- when the baby descends, it is the biggest thing in the pelvis. Anything else is going to get pushed out with the baby. It happens more often than it doesn't, and most of the time we don't tell you. Every woman worries about it- sometimes it is the biggest worry. I think it is the fear of truly losing control, along with the fact that we are told from childhood that bottoms are 'dirty' The British sense of humour is all toilet related too, so it all adds up to a deeply ingrained worry.
It is easy for me to say (I'm a bloke who will never, ever experience birth), but try not to worry. We don't care- we have seen it before, and if it happens we deal with it, and nobody needs to know....

I was constipated for days before DS was born.

The midwife asked the cleaner to empty the bin in the labour room because 'it's full of shit'. I think she thought I wouldn't hear because I had the registrar trying to yank out my placenta at the time, but I did.

I didn't need a poo for a couple of days after labour, a sure fire sign I had had a good clearout.

Midwifeandy what a nice post. You sound really lovely.

DS1 - no
DS2 - no, I thought I had and DH later informed me that actually I'd prolapsed, what I felt as wiping was actually the mw sticking my bum back in

I had a huge clearout in early labour but still did.

Apparently it was horrendous, I was pushing in stirrups and had no idea but DH says it was the trots rather than anything solid and it was just constantly dripping out of me all over the floor and mixing in with the blood.

He is greatly traumatised by the whole event and doesn't want to see anything at all this time round.

Apparently I did - just a little and quite contained. DH said I had a towel under me - MW just slides it off the bed, folds it up and puts a new towel down after giving you a little wet wipe.

I was oblivious ...

DH didn't mind at all.

thank god no! been too much before actual birth that there wasnt anything left!!

I pooed constantly including in my pants in the ambulance. In fact the mw spent most of her time changing the towel under me. I don't know where it all came from! I couldn't go for a long time afterwards and was really sore.

Not in any of my three labours. Expecting #4 in July so can update then

I have a v efficient waste system , always have the trots in early labour (which is nice) so there's generally nothing left to produce!

I always think though that there's a lot more to be worrying about than a little bit of poo, no?

I think I might have, I remember the midwife kind of doing something down there then walking over to the bin...but I don't care

She actually said to me just before I started pushing "Now, don't worry about having a poo, I can assure you you won't"

And I just thought...thanks, but I don't give a monkey's You don't have to lie to make me feel better!

Twice! Once on loo when I managed to dash in there between contractions, then a tiny one in birthing pool just as my waters broke and baby's head emerged a few minute later! Glad i went properly first!!!

Of course I didn't even know about the 2nd one till afterwards - was too busy feeling baby's head coming down birth canal. Doesn't matter, it was still the best day of my life!