Gave birth 4 days ago...constipated

[llareggub]

Oh, and how I really need to go!

It is getting quite painful sitting down and I have tried eating lots of veg, drinking water and lactulose.

I really, really need to get these bowels open. What can I do?

I suspect part of this is psychological as I have stitches and am quite scared of what will happen.

Any tips?

Pleeeeeeeeease?

Poop in the bath!

After eating soft fruit and drinking water a lot.

Pop a rim of vaseline around the ahem area.

Use soft loo roll.

Ease and squeeze (quite like childbirth isn't it?)

Oooh, good idea! I might experience a water birth after all. Might there be a risk of infection to my stitches though?

My midwife told me to take a magazine and a cup of tea to the loo and just sit there, try not to think about it too much, and just let it go so to speak. And maybe get some M&S chocolate raisins, they always help

Well obviously don't marinate, plop and go

Have you been stuck in bed or on the sofa? If so then try and move around more. A lot of newly delivered women get constipation from doing too little (but don't over do it either!)

Have you tried relaxation techniques?

And it won't be that bad, honestly

you can press something soft against your stitches while you try to go, if you like
eg a flannel
and vaseline all over (inside as well if you can manage it) v helpful suggestion

Singing also helps. Ensure you will not be disturbed by small people. Some people find rocking backwards and forwards helps (while sitting on the loo) but this can make piles worse by restricting blood flow. If you are worried about your stitches you can hold a clean wad of loo roll to support the perineum.

I do remember being quite constipated after ging birth. I always put it on the fear of anything else comming out of my body.

I also remember that it is a question that the midwife visiting in the first few days was asking on each visit "have you bowel open?" so i suppose it is quite common.

Prunes and figs are suppost to "facilitate" things as well!

I found Movicol quite good, it softens the stools instead of speeding it up.

Midwife wouldn't prescibe it after my first baby but my gp prescribed it before i had my second so I was well prepared.

Double espresso coffee... and run!! Congratulations

I'm going to try everything on this thread, but first I want to wait for DH to come home. I need emotional support for this. I am pretty sure I have never dreaded anything so much.

I am starting to wish I'd gone for an elective c-section instead of a VBAC!

Oh, and I meant to thank everyone for their suggestions. I am very, very grateful.

llareggub - having had two sections, I can confirm you would have been in the same sodding position, as they stuff you full of painkillers which bung you up something chronic!

Good luck. It won't be as bad as you think it will.

Keep away from the chocolate, eggs and bananas too

Glycerine suppositories. Nothing like them IMO/IME.

You can buy them over the counter in the pharmacy. Send DH out for them.

Try and keep them in (use 2 - much better in the long run) for about 10 minutes, then retire to the loo with a magazine.

ps - buy some plastic gloves to, ahem, do the deed....

Prune juice - Sunsweet make it - it's surprisingly okay to drink. When you go, sit on the loo with your feet up on a child's step or a pile of mags or something - a kind of simulated semi-squat. And if you have stitches just press gently against them with a pad if it makes you feel more protected.

This is what I did, and it worked. Good luck.

Oh, meant to say congratulations and do come back and let us know how you get on

LACTULOSE is fantastic! Tastes sweet- like sugary water...add it tio a drink ...and sit back and relax!

Lactulose hasn't worked at all...I've had 4 doses so far!

I feel like I need to go, but when I get there nothing happens. I do think it is all in my head.

At times like this I wish I still smoked. I gave up years ago but a cigarette always did the trick!

Thank you again. DH has gone out foraging for supplies to get rid of problem, and in the meantime I will try a strong black coffee.

Try a bag of Thornton's diabetic toffee.

The sweetener they use is a laxative. Tis very tasty and most effective I ate a whole bag when I was doing the Atkins diet, it was allowed as no sugar, and the effects were rapid.

DS had chronic constipation after his surgery (side effect of medication IIRC)and we were told to use laxative suppositories. They were also very effective.

I prefer the toffee tho

Oh god I remember this - I was terrified about having my first post birth pooh - also had stitches and was worried about them popping or becoming infected. It was absolutely fine though - just felt a bit tender! Wish I had thought of some vaseline though - I'll jot that down for next time!

llareggub I was on the lactulose for about six days before anything happened.

Senekot is amazing too... I found it really helped me. (and after having 2 sections) I know what its like when you need to go though. Good Luck x

Have you got something you could use to raise your feet up when you're on the loo?

Sitting on the loo is actually a really rubbish position for your body when you're trying to go. Ideally you're better off squatting, but raising your feet is a kind of half-way solution.

Thank you mumsnetters, at 4.30am it worked! No pain, no pulling on my stitches, it was fine! Phew...

Thank you all so much.