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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

ok feel free to name change but who did a poo during labour

173 replies

starshaker · 14/06/2009 10:29

and if you pooed with your first did you do it with any others. Is there anything you can do to stop it. Im due in Jan (so ages away) and im paranoid about it lol

OP posts:

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Zazacat · 18/06/2009 17:18

What a horrible Dr for saying that. I was my sister's birth partner for her third child and have no idea whether she pooed or not. I was far too busy holding her hand and attempting to say the right thing whilst she tried not to push. I know I pooed like a good'un whilst in the birthing pool for my second dd. Midwife continually seemed to be swishing about with her little net, but by that point I really didn't care!

BeehiveBaby · 18/06/2009 19:41

We were shown side on inside drawings of baby coming out at antenatal classes which really helped me. It was quite obvious that you weren't pooing as such, just that the head compressed the rectum so much on its way past that any contents would be pushed out. One I realised that it wasn't a lack of control it held no fear for me

With DD1 it was quickly wiped away, with DD2, the midwife used it as encouragement ... ie 'You're doing really well, loads of poo coming' which was a bit but fine.

jambutty · 18/06/2009 19:44

I did (well I was eating cripsy duck in a Chinese restaurant when I went into labour and, like Starshaker's experience, the Doctor was visibly disgusted by me too. I had no idea that could happen and was really upset by that and even more so by her reaction: "oh for God's sake!" and backed away with a look of horror.

bethylou · 18/06/2009 21:10

I'm the kind of person who doesn't even like to poo while her huaband is on the same floor of the house so I was more worried about pooing in labour than anything else (well, that and throwing up in front of him, which I also like to do in private!) I threw up 3 times and then pooed more often than I had in my whole pregnancy!! I knew because of the smell. The mws were great, clearing up each time most discretely. The surgeon who came in to do the assisted delivery looked a little uneasy, was clearly about to ask a mw to deal with it, collected himself and got on with it!! Didn't bother me really as knew it was a good sign. Now I think it's funny!

audreyraines · 18/06/2009 21:29

I don't think I pooed, but then again I'm not sure I would have noticed if I did

katiestar · 18/06/2009 22:13

My DD2 came out with my poo and her meconium all over her. And better yet we have photos to prove it !

coxiegirl · 18/06/2009 23:23

Can't help wondering, like previous posters, were these people really doctors.....? Or passing by selling newspapers,toiletries,humbugs etc and wondered in by mistake?
I'm only a humble nurse meself gov'nor, but pooing during labour or for that matter at any other time is categorically an ok thing to do while you're living in a physical body.
(ps I found visualisation in the weeks leading up to birth helped me stay calmer and feeling in control esp with my 3rd - I used that book by someone who's name escapes me - Mowtha? Guthra Mowthra? it was trendy a couple of years ago. Good luck anyway, hope it goes swimmingly! )

MrsMerryHenry · 18/06/2009 23:46

Here's the MMH guaranteed way to avoid pooing in labour:

use a TENS machine
important: ensure you attach it to the nerves serving your gastric bits (v scientific here)
throw up throughout labour (preferably over a 30 hour period)
when mw informs you you've attached TENS incorrectly, rip it off and manage the rest of labour with natural endorphins and gas and air (throwing up will cease once TENS is removed)
your stomach and bowels will be emptied by all the vomiting, so there will be nothing left to poo.

SOLOisMeredithGrey · 18/06/2009 23:49

Not me, but I was sucking on the gas and air and the second MW told me 'you'll feel like you need a huge poo', which must've placed something in my brain because all I kept saying from then on was 'I need a poo!!!' was very embarrassing, but I couldn't stop!

LovingtheSilverFox · 19/06/2009 00:01

I didn't poo, but was sick on DH's hand. He insisted on pointing this out to everyone in delivery room. MW pointed out bluntly that there was a sink, and that anything can happen during labour.

I wasn't sure what "anything" entailed.....

IDidntRaiseAThief · 19/06/2009 07:34

my midwife was a cow, she actually sighed, and looked well pissed off when I 'asked' if she could clean me up a bit.

but, she was a cow, for the whole thing.

FanjolinaJolie · 19/06/2009 10:59

IDidn'traise - she does sound like a bloody cow.

SCH · 19/06/2009 11:29

I was really worried about the poo issue during birth.

My friend told me that she would have pooed on the the midwifes head if it would have made the baby come out quicker!!

Great advice - wish it worked....

lowenergylightbulb · 19/06/2009 12:48

I don't know if I did or not TBH!! However with one labour shortly before delivery I went to the loo and had the most satisfying shit of my life. I couldn't understand why DH and the midwife didn't want to look at it

In another labour my bladder was full and was slowing things up but I couldn't wee, so a midwife popped a catheter in and sort of massaged this giant wee out. God it was blissful. The relief was fantastic.

I think I must be odd!!

turtle23 · 19/06/2009 12:54

I did. Not just once. After a few days of trying for a natural birth at home I transferred to hospital and had an epidural. The MW kept telling me to push as though I was having a poo and I couldn't feel much, but apparently I did exactly as I was told. Baby was way too high to have been pushing, it turns out, but at least I didn't have to poo for a few days after!

treedelivery · 19/06/2009 12:57

My poo was biblical. I could hear it hitting the bed. lordy.

carmenelectra · 19/06/2009 13:18

i work in maternity and see a fair amount of poo during birth, i would say more than half of women do. However, that is not to say i wouldnt care if i did it! I would be mortified. It was my big fear with ds1, but i didnt. I quizzed dp and read maternity notes- no mention. No smell. . Did have enema though cos constipated just before. Same second time( no enema) and i think i escaped again. No sign of a poo, unless was a tiny, non smelly one. No mention in notes either.wHEN pushing though i didnt care, although occasionally i kept remembering and was conscious of it. I was probably less worried second time.

I wasnt worried what midwife would think, she wouldnt care, just my dp.Its just not something you normally do in front of anyone else is it?1

Im pregnant again and im sure i will have big fears again close to the day!

MayorNaze · 19/06/2009 13:43

i def had a couple of poos, could feel and see them. i was also weeing like a hosepipe, it was a bit like a fountain every timei pushed.

did it bother me? not a jot.

HOWEVER, when i knew i was going to fart THAT made me clench a lot of things that didn't need to be clenched and try to distract everyones attention away from me while i let it squeak out...

i don't know what i was thinking...

SOLOisMeredithGrey · 19/06/2009 14:13

LOL@ MayorNaze! that's made me chuckle!

therealpf · 19/06/2009 16:51

Yes I poohed all three times - just before baby was born all three times at least I knew it was a sign the agony was coming to an end....

mws never fussed about it so nor was I. Can't say I liked my dh seeing that though!

pigsinmud · 19/06/2009 16:55

Starshaker I understand. I was also obsessed with this happening. I had 4 children and never did. Always got a day of constant toilet running the day before I went into labour and during early labour.

I really don't think anyone would bat an eyelid if you did poo

Original poster

starshaker · 19/06/2009 17:05

I also blame my mum lol and told her as much today.

i said btw remember how you told me not to be stupid about pooing while in labour. well i did with dd. and still being paranoid that i was weird i did a thead on mumsnet and you are very wrong. people do poo

she looked at me like i was mad

OP posts:

DebInAustria · 19/06/2009 19:23

I did with ds1, and then with ds3 (who was born here in Austria) I was given an enema in the early stages of labour so that sorted that out - not nice though, I don't know what's worse really.

tisa · 19/06/2009 19:32

I did with my first but not with the second.

roojen77 · 19/06/2009 20:32

I had just been electricuted by my tens machine and ended up in a heap on the floor. This was where I pooed myself crouching on the floor whilst my hair was painfully tangled up in the metal railings of the hospital bed while I had a mega contraction. In amongst the pain from the ripped out hair and the contractions I was mortified and remember thinking this is really really degrading but now I think it is hillarious! I am due again in 5 weeks time and not bothered in the slightest, how bad could it be?

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