Constipation after birth

[crazymuseummumtobe]

Hi ladies - I gave birth to my beautiful DS on Sunday night. It was an assisted delivery with forceps, and I was given an episiotomy in theatre.

We're now just home this evening (finally) and I'm severely constipated. I did two good bowel movements yesterday and hadn't really thought about it today, so didn't discuss with the team at the hospital before we left.

I'm supposed to be taking iron supplements, which I know are making this worse. Do I have to take them?

Does anyone have any advice on clearing the problem? I can tell there's a lot backed up, the little I have passed is very solid, and of course my stitches are right next to my back passage and I'm scared of doing further damage.

Help, please?

Don't stress about it. And please please take your iron tablets.
It may hurt when you go but your stitches should be fine and long as you don't strain.
I had stitches and piles after having my child, pooping was horrendous. But it was so temporary once you were done going but would stop hurting.
Are they dissolvable stitches? Could you have a warm bath after?

I had the exact same delivery as you. And was also on Iron tablets. I kept a bag of dried apricots beside my bed and snacked on then for nights feeds. Eat lots of fibre and things we’ll get moving eventually don’t try and force it!

I used a glycerine pessary after DS1. Recommended by the HV as I was miserable.

Glycerine suppository to help the blockage.

Then Movicol (a stool softener) to help the rest along. Both can be bought OTC. Laxido is another brand. Keep it up for a few weeks until you’ve stopped the iron tabs and/or things are more healed.

You should have been sent home with something tbh.

Get yourself a bottle of Lactulose and have a good swig morning and night, honestly it made things so much easier.

Lactulose worked well for me, I was also on iron tablets for 6 weeks after birth. I was discharged from hospital with a 500ml bottle and I just swigged it twice a day

Ha! Welcome to the club. My tailbone is sore and I'm not sure if it's from the birth or from the rugby size ball dump that won't budge from my colon! I second lactulose but it takes a couple of days to work. It has certainly got things moving - it's a gentle laxative.

I swear I will never laugh at 'old people's' problems again, piles, constipation, you name it, they are all painful and depressing.

Following!

Very similar delivery to you... going for a poo is bloody scary!!

I am a month on from delivery and still constipated! Along with breastfeeding and the amount of water I need to keep hydrated I am struggling, could probably do with increasing my fibre. I have lactulose but find it didn't really work for me. Worth a try though

Nobody talks about how horrendous the recovery of birth is and what havoc it wreaks on your body!! Good luck

I didn't for 2 weeks. The dr came out and stuck a pessary in. It worked. Then lactulose

Very similar birth plus third degree tear

Lactuose and prunes. Daily

I used the suppositories when pregnant but id be scared to now with the tear and stitches

Please dont stress bit i understand how awful it feels xx

I was in the same boat and movicol was my best friend! You are better off taking something, and keeping ahead of the game. I made the mistake of letting things get out of hand and I really wish I just avoided it by taking something from the word go!!!

I think it is common and incredibly painful. Good luck, I found glycerine suppositories amazing.

Try Dulcoease, drink gallons of water & fluids to help soften everything up, try to make time to go to the toilet without rushing, blow out slowly like you are blowing bubbles when you are on the toilet, this relaxes your muscles to allow things to move gently. Try to make a routine to go to the toilet to get your insides back in sync. Ditch the iron tablets you have been prescribed & buy some gentle iron like floradix instead, the prescription tablets are awful & don't help with constipation. Drinking hot coffee often gets things moving.

I didn't shit for 10 days after DD1. God the misery. Loads of water is my best tip. Suppositories, lactulose and don't let it build up for long.

Chocolate raisins will sort you out

Movical