Bowels after c section

[fatfingeredfran]

Hello, does anyone have any tried and tested tips for relieving constipation after a c section?

Today I have started taking some syrup of figs that I bought from Boots over the counter, and also started taking 2 x fybrogel (spelling?) drinks per day. This is my first day of doing this. I'm 2 days post section and haven't pooed since the day before my section. I have been trying to eat lots of fruit and yogurt to try to keep things soft, as well as high fibre food like brown seaded bread. I've been passing a bit of gas but not a significant amount.

Any tips very appreciated - thanks.

I think I took 3/4 days as this was 'normal' after the op - my god it hurt

Took me four days. And like Greentulips says- it bloody hurt. I can remember thinking that if I pushed too hard, all of my insides were going to come out and only somebody who has had a c section will know what I mean. As to advice, carry on doing as you are and make sure you drink plenty of water, tea etc. Don't stress about it, you will poo. Just remember that everything has been ' messed about with' as they often have to move your bowel so it takes a few days to get your insides back to normal. With what you are doing I'm sure you will poo tomorrow. Good luck and remember, you do go back to normal eventually. Well, nearly back to normal. I'm still a bit numb where my scar is and this is ten years down the line!!

LOl I had one hand on the sink and the other on the loo roll holder and couldn't move!! Couldn't breath.

Good luck

Peppermint tea for the trapped gas. Stool softener and raise your feet rather than straining when pooing - I used the toilet training step. You could drink warm water. Avoid caffeine. It's good to get haemorrhoid cream too. It's inevitable you will suffer haemorrhoids if you have bad constipation voice of experience

I got some stool loosing medicine from hospital, don't remember the name but it was pink and very sweet. I took it regularly as soon as I got home. I was going regularly until the bowls got too soft. I read the label again and my pharmacist recommended dose was much higher than what was written on packaging. I reduced the intake until I did not need it completely.
I'll check the label to see what it was called but I think it is just pure glucose.

The midwife gave me something like syrup of figs, but it was 4 days before I managed to go. It was like passing the baby's twin through my backside . I remember gripping my rolled up dressing gown into my wound because I thought everything was going to burst out.

Yy to using the toddler toilet step to raise your knees. Gravity helps if you can relax a bit and let everything head southwards of its own accord.

Lactulose really works. GP needs to prescribe it.

Ditto to lactulose, did the trick. Think I went 4 or 5 days after the c section. I was flipping terrified but it wasn't as bad as I expected.

I was still in hospital they gave lactlose and fybogel.

Ps I didn't need a prescription. Told my DM was having issues and she went and bought some from the chemist (the biggest bottle ever - my DF said something along the lines of "just how constipated are you??") 😳

Yep, lactulose was the only thing that worked.

They really should have discharged you along with macrgol (or laxido - same thing) to ensure that your bowels are moved along and also are soft at the time of departure. You shouldn't have any cramping or misery with it.

Ask for it at the chemist, you won't need a prescription (tell them that you've had a section.

I remember this. It hurt a lot
Lots of laxatives plus prunes and fruit.

Having a stool to put your legs up on when your on the loo made things easier.

TMI alert!!!

Sent DH to chemist this morning, he explained my issue to the lovely ladies in there and they sent him off with a massive bottle of lactulose. That combined with fybrogel and lots of water got things starting to move but I still needed a bit more help. Sounds gross but I hope this helps at least one other person who is suffering the same issue - I noticed noises and rumblings when I am chewing, so I sat on the loo and ate an apple and it seemed to help spur on the muscles of my intestines into action and I eventually managed to do a tiny poo! I wouldn't normally eat on the toilet - but desperate times call for desperate measures!! Hoping I can go a bit more later.

For anyone else going for a c section please ask at the hospital as it appears they aren't proactive in prescribing laxatives at some hospitals.

LOL
My son often comes to the dinner table has a few mouthfuls and then needs a visit - there's definitely something in the eating

I was warned. I took fibrogel with me! Took it with oj immediately after!

It took me about four days to go and I had a VB with forceps and a third degree tear. I was on lactulose from 12 hours after he was born.

Raising my feet (using a packet of nappies no less) helped but the first 2-3 times was like birthing babies of slightly decreasing size. Haemorrhoids the size of a small fist didn't help of course. Couldn't really tell when I had started/stopped for a few days.

Oh please excuse me but I'm sniggering madly here! I love peters comment regarding her dressing gown. It's always puzzled me and I have often thought about writing a book called " the life of a woman- what you need to know but they don't tell you". I really really thought my insides were going to burst out for about a week. And fir the first 48 hrs after my csection I didn't think I would ever be able to walk properly again! Fatfingeredfran I'm wishing you a soft successful poo today. The advice about stools/ raising feet etc is spot on. Use a pile of books if you need to, but they help a lot. It's all about getting into the correct pooing position. Good luck!!!

After my first section, I took 6 days!! I was still in hospital so they gave me lactulose, I did a lot wriggling about on the loo. It was like a brick landing in the toilet.
After my second, I raided pretty much all of DD's junior movicol stash! Good job she had a repeat prescription....

I would get some glycerin suppositories. Lactulose is OK, but I found my problem was more to do with weak muscles and pain pushing, rather than actual digestive constipation. So (TMI) when the poo came out it was quite normal, I just hated the sensation of sitting on the loo. The suppositories make the whole process much smoother...

Major tmi ...
my first boy was delivered by section and I had a real big back up of poo like it was too big/ wide to come out naturally ... I won't go into how I managed to get it out (wasn't natural ) but ended up causing a fissure so now i have to take laxido every day .. second pregnancy im prepared I have lots of laxido ready when baby comes out lol

I had also c-section. I didn't face constipation nor even little one. As I was aware of my c-section, so before c-section my sister told me about constipation. She gave me some advices about it. After my c-section, for 4 days I only ate light food like soup. I didn't take wheat or such thinks for 4 days. For the 2 weeks after my c-section, I drunk a lot of water. I used to drink 3-4 bottles of 1.5 litres of water every day. I think I don't face constipation due to this huge amount of water. Unfortunately, I suffered with cough due to that I need to drink a lot of water. You can take some light food until you body recover. I know the problem of constipation in c-section. It's hurting. Precautions helps you not to face such things. If you want to take fruit then took like grapes, mangoes. Don't eat apples too much.

I had to manually evacuate myself about 5/6 days post. It was hideous. Im nearly 20 weeks with DC2 - im on 2 Fybogel a day and will have Lactulose and glycerin suppositories on hand for the days immediately after the birth. Worse thing I've ever been through.