pooing after birth with stitches

[LoobyLou33]

It's 5 days since I gave birth with ventouse, and I had an episiotimy with stitches. I'm dreading going for a number 2 in case I'm constipated and have to strain.
Been trying to eat fruit, fibre etc but also had quite a few carbs.
Any tips? Is it worth taking lactulose?
Sorry about tmi but hey this is childbirth!

I made a pad out of some toilet paper and held it against my stitches while I went. I'm not sure if that helped or not but it certainly made me feel more confident about going!

Good luck

I had dreadful constipation after my ventouse & episiotomy. In the end, the MW told me to use a glycerin suppository, which made everything slip out easy and got me over the first poo hurdle. Was pretty horrible though.

Good luck.

You are already constipated if you haven't been.

I used a flannel and made it into quite a tight wad IYSWIM and held it against the stitches and then just, well, pushed.

The first one is the hardest, no pun intended, but in the meantime eat lots of fruit, drink juice etc etc.

Having tried both fybogel and lactulose - I preferred fybogel as lactulose effects lasted too long iyswim. Prune juice and bran also effective.
Don't strain and don't worry as it won't be as bad as you imagine.
I went the next day and the scariest feeling was that I wouldnt reach the toilet in time due to lack of muscle control the day after pushing out a 9.3lb baby!! So get doing those pelvic floor exercises :)

Lift your legs up if possible (I have a convenient towel rail)

I used lactulose, lifted my legs up ( rested on the bin) and tried to let it come naturally and not strain! I was terrified but it was ok. Drink loads of fluid, and you really shouldn't be going 5 days without a poo!!

Actually.sometimes.the digestive system slows.down after..birth, natures way of letting you heal. Hold a pad against yoir stitches/peeinium.when you go.

Eat lots.of fruit and drink loads!

Loads of great advice already. That first one is terrifying, but reverse pressure on the stitches should see you right. Also, the cut does cause a little numbness down there so its a lot less painful than you expect

Drink lots of water, eat dried fruit and I took senokot (not sure if this is medically right, but it worked for me). The first one is very scary, but I found it wasn't actually that bad. It was the thought of doing it that was worse! Make sure you have lots of time and privacy too. Don't have your other 2 children/partner wondering in asking what you're doing and why it's taking so long!

I had loads of stitches, couldn't sit down properly for nearly a month - but going to toilet (both no1s and no2s) was fine, strangely enough!

My midwife suggested Senokot (I think?) to soften stools rather than go too far the other way. I used one of those massive maternity pads over my stitches and knees raised. Was fine - better than I thought. Was v. glad to get it over with!

Thank you everyone, I really appreciate these comments. Yes I realise I am constipated already which is what was especially worrying. Got lactulose and eating roughage, drinking fluid etc, will try a pad as well and use birthing breathing techniques... Didn't expect to need them again so soon!

Poor you, I really remember that first poo dread. I was in hospital for 10 days and the constant "have you opened your bowels yet" questioning didn't help my fear. I promise you it wont be as bad as you think it will be! The relief you feel at surving first poo nearly equals the relief you feel at surving childbirth! Good luck

I had stitches last month and was really worried about the first poo too, I took stool softener for a day and it honestly, genuinely didn't hurt a bit.
Only difference is it's harder to wipe clean, it's a little bit sunken in now.

As this is a TMI thread - be prepared with a latex glove just in case you need to "help it out". I had to do this during the Queen's Speech. Never felt quite the same about the monarchy after that........

Prune juice and kiwi fruits are your friend. Also triple the amount of water you're drinking, especially if you're breastfeeding. Fybogel is great and fine when you're bf. the thought is definitely worse than the reality!

I found that sort of squatting over the toilet helped ie don't sit down, you will probably need to shower straight after, lovely

Poor you, I was obsessed with doing a poo after giving birth cause the thought of it was so traumatic so I sympathise.
You've been given great advice already but I was told by my HV to leave a jug of water lying out to remind me to keep hydrated. You're so busy rushing around it's very easy to forget about a simple thing as drinking fluids.

Also, I had a wee step to keep my feet elevated.
Deffo take some mild laxitives too.

Good luck!

Thanks everyone, I feel I should report back that the deed is done and was fine! Your tips were great especially using a pad, raising knees and upping my fluids...I am bf and wasn't drinking quite enough. Think lactulose helped too, I sent my dad on an emergency chemist trip!
Xxx

Glad it went ok! Keep on with the lactulose to keep everything soft while your stitches are still healing, especially if you're taking iron tablets too.

Yes keep it up til you're fully healed and regular again!

I was on loads of iron throughout pregnancy so think I was massively bunged up and didn't even know what a good poo was anymore (we're being honest here right). Was quite pleased with myself for producing a few peas in the hospital so cleared all the midwife's constant questions regarding my bowel habits. Carried on producing these peas for another 8 weeks til I thought I would check what things were like down below following the trauma of birth only to find a large bulge in my vaginal wall from my rectum. I'd like to say I shit myself but I didn't :/ so off I went running to the doctors sobbing over my rectal prolapse only to be sent out with a prescription of movicol :D

Seriously nothing has made me do my pelvic floor exercises more since that fear of a prolapse though!