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Original poster

post birth bowel nightmare please help TMI

27 replies

thislittlesisterlola · 16/07/2010 21:36

8 days on from birth my bowels are hellish- tear inducing. I had an epidural apparently this slows things down. Im on 6 5ml latculose twice a day. Fibreigel twice a day had 2 glycerine supportory's. Its still hellish have stitches so that is not helping. Im drinking lots of water eating fruit and veg. Anyone got any ideas im pretty desperate tbh. Would Coffee help? This is really upsetting me tia

OP posts:
RuthieCohen · 16/07/2010 21:43

oooooh I remember this well

If a strong coffee usually gets you moving then give it a go.

Your stitches will not tear, however much it feels like they will.

also, try sitting on the toilet with your legs raised, this opens things up a bit. I kept a couple of boxes by the loo for this very purpose.

Happily it resolved itself before DP could carry out his kind offer of "getting in there with a teaspoon"

congrats, btw

Northernlurker · 16/07/2010 21:45

If you can bear to go for a walk that might help. Also sit and eat your way through a lot of grapes.

moggiek · 16/07/2010 22:23

It may sound daft, but try standing up at the loo. The only difference is a slightly louder splash!

bosch · 16/07/2010 22:28

I'd also recommend trying to find some boxes that you can put your feet on - you need your knees higher than your hips for the best position - a bit like squatting in the woods I guess. I think it gets everything into the right alignment so you need to do the minimum of pushing. I got some from B & Q and store spare loo roll/tampons and towels in them so nobody knows what they are really for... And put a jug of water in the fridge so that you know that when you say you're 'drinking lots of water' how much that really is.

Bonsoir · 16/07/2010 22:30

Drink three litres of very cold (refrigerated) sparkling water as fast as you can.

Original poster
thislittlesisterlola · 16/07/2010 22:32

thank you, hopefully it will be scared out at the very mention of teaspoons! Strong coffee for me in the morning. Will get dp to buy grapes in the morning. I cant believe how hurrendous it is making me feel. Im not worried about my stitches its just the pressure on them how long will this last? Im even going for prunes for breakfast. I just want a painless poo

OP posts:
HeywoodJablome · 16/07/2010 22:33

Poor you.

Try sitting on the toilet with your arms straight up over your head.

Don't know why this works but it does....well, hopefully.

Original poster
thislittlesisterlola · 16/07/2010 22:36

will try the sparkling water trick too- can see how much im drinking too. Im drinking hot water with lemon first thing too. I really didnt realise how awful this is

OP posts:
Original poster
thislittlesisterlola · 16/07/2010 22:38

will try the sparkling water trick too- can see how much im drinking too. Im drinking hot water with lemon first thing too. I really didnt realise how awful this is

OP posts:
Original poster
thislittlesisterlola · 16/07/2010 22:39

sorry double post on phone

OP posts:
stleger · 16/07/2010 22:40

Try blowing - as if you have a bubble blowing wand - to help relax. And coleslaw helps me! I had 'interesting experiences' after my first baby, no problems with the other two.

seeker · 16/07/2010 22:40

I had my dd on 21 December, I had my first poo with the Queen's speech. I feel most odd every time I hear her voice now!

I went to the loo armed with huge determination and wearing a latex glove. I don't really like to think about what I did next, but it worked - and once the first one happened it was OK from then. Your stitches will not split - although they will feel as if they are.

It will be fine, I promise.

gingerkirsty · 16/07/2010 22:45

I was on lactulose which was vile and ineffective, went back to docs and got prescribed Movicol - it's the business and I recommend it. Good luck, i feel your pain.

DinahRod · 16/07/2010 22:45

Vaseline

gingerkirsty · 16/07/2010 22:47

Hi Lola, only just realised it was you - how is the feeding going? Hope all is well apart from the poo related issues, there is nowt worse I had v v similar myself. Keep your chin up X

TheBreastmilksOnMe · 16/07/2010 22:50

We call All Bran 'shit sticks' in my house. Have a large bowlful, and a drink of prune juice, that should do the trick. I wouldn't recommend drinking 3 litres of water in one go though, that sounds dangerous to me you can dilute the salts in your body by doing that and become quite ill.

Mimile · 16/07/2010 22:53

I remember crying for 6 days.
All bran + prunes, loads of water and movicol + lactulose finally did the trick.

gingerkirsty · 17/07/2010 13:35

PS i forgot to say CONGRATULATIONS!

neverenoughMEtime · 17/07/2010 16:50

Oh my gosh i remember posting here after i had DD2, i went about 9 days i think. Ouch. I was in total agony after having a section and dosing up on codeine.

I drank a pint of prune juice (bleughhh!) and an hour later i was pacing my bedroom sweating and doubled over at times with the cramps. Then it came. And tore me ouch..I went 4 times that night then a couple of times a day for the next 3 days. I reckon i was only hours from being admitted to hosp and having it manually removed It bloody hurt so so much.

Hope you have managed to go by now? Prune juice - but maybe not as much as i downed in absolute desperation on day 9........

cybilliberty · 17/07/2010 17:01

Hold a flannel over the bits you think are going to pop openwhile you are on the loo. they really wont but it makes you feel better

Igglybuff · 17/07/2010 17:08

Ooo I remember this. I did a lot of walking and drank water. I also ended up doing it in a bucket filled with warm water

Deux · 17/07/2010 17:18

You are bringing back memories. I had a tear and the hospital wouldn't let me leave until I had had a bowel movement. Nothing was happening what with the purging before the birth, inability to eat after and the codeine. Hosp gave me Fybogel and something else. Got DH to bring me in a tin of prunes (decanted) and chopped fresh pinapple. It worked.

The other thing is if you can get hold of a whole papaya, take a tspn of the seeds and crush them a little and swallow them with lots of water. Eat the flesh too. But go canny as it can cause urgency. Used to live in Africa and it was the standard treatment for constipation.

Original poster
thislittlesisterlola · 20/07/2010 21:26

hi all thought i would update- i finally went today. It was horrible tbh am moving on to dulcoease- the latest problem. Any ideas how to soften everything up. When i get the chance to pop to town i'll also be getting an aloe vera colon cleanse. I never knew bowel trouble was so hurrendous. P.s sending dp to get a papaya when he does the shop

OP posts:
Meglet · 20/07/2010 21:31

Movicol will soften it. I think your GP needs to prescribe it though.

And don't beleive them if they say you can't have it while BF. The midwife didn't let me have it after my first baby and I ended up with a bad tear which still causes problems 3 yrs on. Second time around I saw my GP before I had the baby and said I wanted some and would not BF I couldn't have any. He said there was no reason I couldn't have it as babies poo is soft anyway and didn't think it would cause a problem .

MyCatIsABiggerBastardThanYours · 20/07/2010 21:36

Give linseed a try. Just buy the actual linseeds then have 5 or 6 spoonfuls twice a day for a couple of days in yoghurt (or something similar), then drink a pint or so of water. I suffer quite badly with constipation and particularly when I was pregnant and after the birth and this really really helped.

You can get it from most supermarkets or your local health food stores.