Constipation & birth (Sorry for TMI!)

[Trillian42]

This is a follow on from the enema thread, what happens if you are constipated giving birth?

I know that lots of people recommend additional fibre etc for the last few weeks to avoid this, but due to increased iron supplements intake to up my haemoglobin, not even the fibre supplements & fruit/brown bread etc are helping.

Is this something I should worry about?

One of the early signs of labour niggling is your bowel having a gentle clear out.

So I wouldn't worry too much about your constipation but be aware any medication you take after the birth that has codeine in will cause your bowel to really slow down.

Good luck keep us posted about the happy news.

I had too take a lot of iron tablets and had transfusions I had a clear out in early labor both times so I wouldn't worry.

You poop in early labour and you really know about it.

That's good to know - thanks for the replies.

I'm still eating as much fruit as possible and adding ground linseed to orange juice, but I'm relieved my body will be able to sort it out itself!

Isn't it weird the way pregnancy affects your digestive system from the very beginning?

If you dont poo in early labour, you definitely will do during the main event. And you just wont care!!

Sorry if tmi also, but my dignity went out of the window from the point I had a show which fell out of my pants in our corner shop! Luckily we've moved since then .

How awful! I've been carrying a long cardigan with me everywhere despite the heat in case my waters break, but that happening didn't even occur to me!

I was constipated for dd2 , at first I resisted pooing in the birth pool by sitting firmly on my bum during contractions. I also got out every third or fourth contraction to have a contraction on the commode we'd set up next to the pool, during which I'd try to "let it all out" so to speak! Later on I was letting little bits out each contraction - or it certainly felt like that anyway! I don't think there was any left when she was finally born though.

But I would say midwifes are totally used to it, it's very common, it's not actually that big a deal - don't worry about it! If you are worried about it, just spend a lot of your labour on the toilet - that can be really good for labour, cos you're used to relaxing and letting go on the toilet and it also encourages you into a good upright position.

Drinking loads and loads of water helps relieve constipation also.

I too was constipated for my DS. Fraid to say that I had to poo as I was pushing and the most cringeworthy moment of my life was hearing one midwife say to the other "oh, there's quite a lot"!!!

Shall be asking for a laxative early doors next time. I don't think it bothered the midwife one bit but that one comment haunts me.

My friend was trying to bring labour on so had a really hot curry. Next day, had baby, also violent curry-flavour diarrhoea.....