Bonkers bowels - is this in any way normal after childbirth?

[hobnob57]

Hmmm. There's no delicate way to do this.

Since giving birth 4 months ago (ventouse & forceps, episio which healed well), my guts have not settled at all. Once the initial constipation resolved after birth, I went through a stage of quite loose BM, followed by more normal ones. But which are immediately followed by loose, pasty-type stuff. By immediately, I mean a few minutes later. This is usually every day, so no problems there, but this combination of BM really fills the bowl...

I'm on a pretty restricted diet due to BF a particularly sensitive child, so no dairy, soy, gluten or egg for me. Despite this, I am producing foul gas at an alarming rate - sometimes every 5 mins or so - never less than hourly. If I slip up on the egg, they are particularly sulfurous. I can't eat nuts or oats either because they set me off big time, so I'm struggling to find calorific things to eat. I'm surviving on GF bread, fruit, rice cakes and as much veg as I can cram into an evening meal, usually chicken or mince.

This flatulence is aggrieving me most. I'm so glad I'm not working ATM because I have little control over it and there is so much of it that even if I did, I'd explode!

ummmm, is this in any way normal after childbirth (i.e. bowels taking time to readjust, so to speak) or is my diet wrecking them, or am I headed for IBS or something equally delightful?

I don't think this is normal, even after abdominal surgery it takes days (normally) for the bowel to start to work properly, it goes into a type of shock. I think you should pop and see your GP and take a poop sample with you, it could be an infection??

Hmm interesting idea, but I have been feeling well otherwise, no temps or anything like that.

I do get dehydration-type headaches if I'm up to more than usual in a day, but other than that fairly fine. Just bloated!

You are likely to be dehydrated if you have diarrhoea though, it's best to get it checked. It does sound like IBS but inflammatory bowel disease (crohnes and ulcerative colitis) have pretty much the same symptoms so they need to be looked for as the treatment is different. Your GP really should check you for malabsorption, this is where the intestines/digestive organs are not breaking down the food properly, it can result in all sorts of difficiencies. Try not to panic though, just make an appointment, it's best to get things checked out even if they do turn out to be nothing.

It does sound as if this might be something like IBS or colitis and I would definitely get it checked out. But it's worth also noting that eating 'as much veg as you can cram into' your evening meal' will up your flatulence levels. Do consider cutting this down a bit to see if it helps, even a little.

Have you ever had any episodes like this before, earlier in life?

I wouldn't say I'm dehydrated or have diarrhoea, just a looser phase 2 to a normal BM if you like. Perhaps one end of my colon is not absorbing water properly or something.

My mum has crohns (no previous history of it in the family) but I don't think it is that - I'm putting on weight if anything because I'm craving calories for BF. I was thinking more along the lines of a sluggish bowel due to weak pelvic floor and pockets of poo fermenting? I can't believe I'm discussing this really

I don't feel I can cut down on the veg really for nutritional reasons.

Anyway I probably will see a GP (just as soon as my life insurance application has been sent off), since it doesn't seem normal. I remember a flatulent stage after DD1 but that was due to the number of oats I was eating to compensate for being dairy free. Going GF sorted it last time, but sadly not this time.

I like you had a dificult birth and it took almost 3 months for my bowel movements to return to normal.

Its now 6.5mths and I have a lot more gas, and more smelly.

After something so traumatic I think the body just needs time to repair its self.

good to hear I'm not the only one, Lac!