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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Did you poop on the bed? And a few straightforward practical Qs

93 replies

iamwhaticallpregnant · 23/01/2013 18:01

My main fear as a first time at labour person, other than the pain, is doing a poop on the bed?
So can I ask a few practical Qs
1/ Did you do a poo?
2/ If yes, how did the MW react?
3/ If your partner was by your head did he see and was it mortifying?
4/ is there a plastic sheet underneath you? or normal bed sheets?

May sound very very trivial - but these sort of indignities really do get to me...

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TwitchyTail · 23/01/2013 18:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

iamwhaticallpregnant · 23/01/2013 18:58

And people keep saying "oh you wont care about your dignity" but I really really really really will.

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Original poster

iamwhaticallpregnant · 23/01/2013 19:00

I don't want to relax Twitchy - that's exactly the sort of thing that will make me poop. Only joking. Good to have a good laugh after the last few days.

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wigglesrock · 23/01/2013 19:05

iamwhaticallpregnant Hello I did with 2 and not with 1. I realised really quickly and the midwife whipped the sheet away in about 2 seconds. I was lying on the perforated paper type sheets at this point (sort of like the ones you see in a Doctors room on the bed) so it was all dealt with discreetly and my husband never mentioned it.

I was obsessed by this before I went into labour, it was one of my biggest fears and to be honest it happened so quickly that it never really registered.

MayimBialik · 23/01/2013 19:07

iam you WON'T care about your dignity guaranteed. I've never met a woman who, on the later stages of labour, felt embarrassed by something. You literally think 'whatever, just get it out!!'

Flisspaps · 23/01/2013 19:11

iam I thought I'd feel the same. I was petrified of having a MW help me wash post-birth when I was pg with DD.

When it came to it, they could have hosed me down in the street, on live telly, and I wouldn't have cared. Same as the poo. Even now I'd be mortified if I pooed and someone saw. Even DH.

After I'd had DS, I had a reaction to the drugs they gave me in theatre. I had a spinal and felt nothing. The MW in recovery was alerted to me having shat the bed by the smell. I hadn't felt it, or smelt it.

I shat myself a further two times on the PN ward, once during visiting hours when the cubicle next to me had about 15 people in. I smelt that. The HCP was trying to clean me up whilst I couldn't feel my legs and the curtain separating the bays was flapping about from the game of pass the baby next door. Everyone was very matter of fact about it, honestly, it IS different in the labour/birth/postnatal ward bubble.

In labour, your primal brain takes over. There's no room in your head to worry about piss or shit or farting or being naked - hormones take over, the pain kicks in and it's all about getting that baby from in there to out here. Afterwards, meh, who cares - you had a baby, forget about the poo!

FoofFighter · 23/01/2013 19:16

iam - honestly you will look back and realise you really really really didn't care at that point! i know you probably think we are all just saying that, but it is true :)

I pooed with dc1 (whisked away almost before I even realised, everything is stretched and weird feeling down there I didn't really realise), not with dc2, let you know with dc3 in August!

wigglesrock · 23/01/2013 19:22

The thing is that pooing during labour is something you can't do anything about - its just nine times out of ten what happens. The midwife will have seen it happen several times through each birth she has attended.

But if you have specific things that may make you feel more comfortable then you can do them. Its not about preserving your dignity its about helping you feel part of something not that something is happening to you.

For example I didn't give birth naked, I kept a cheapie nightdress/ vest on for each of my births. I can't explain why but its what I wanted to do and it worked for me.

Original poster

iamwhaticallpregnant · 23/01/2013 19:22

Thanks all - we will see I suppose. Meanwhile partner is dancing around singing poo pun based songs. I try not to think of people seeing my VJJ too. Hate the thought of that. But am at the stage now where i am desperate to have the baby.

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Original poster

iamwhaticallpregnant · 23/01/2013 19:24

oh god no i dont want to be naked! I thought you wore a nighty??

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Stepawayfromthesweeties · 23/01/2013 19:27

So glad you posted this, I have been stressing so much about pooping everywhere & dh thinks its hysterical. I usually have to make him go downstairs if I go to the loo for a poo in case he hears anything!!! He calls me mrs prim & proper altho not so much anymore as this baby has turned me into a wind farm, the flatulence is awful & could easily kill a human if they inhale

CheeseStrawWars · 23/01/2013 19:30

1 - No, I had diarrhoea (sp?) for about an hour in first stage of labour, which was fine, just waddled to toilet til everything was cleared out.
2 - n/a
3 - DH said he had other things to worry about and wouldn't have noticed if I did
4 - think it was normal sheets, but they get stained with blood, amniotic fluid and allsorts so they get taken away anyway.

You can wear what you like - I had a baggy t-shirt on. Some people find wearing anything unbearable, get hypersensitive to anything touching them. Do what's comfortable for you. The midwives will have seen it all, don't worry.

wigglesrock · 23/01/2013 19:31

You can wear whatever you want within reason I wore a £4 Primark thing for dd1 and dd2 and I ended up giving birth to dd3 wearing a maternity vest - which I hated as it felt like it was the only thing I had worn in about 4 months - so tbh I would have willingly pooed on it.

CaseyShraeger · 23/01/2013 19:32

You wear what you want, iam. You may find when you get to it that you want to shed clothes, or you may not. FWIW I've ended up in (first and second times) PJ vest tops and (third time) my regular ordinary-clothes top (and, actually, my knickers for the first push, because she turned up a bit faster than anticipated).

1/ Did you do a poo?
I don't think so first time (although that's because I'd spent the previous 24 hours vomiting constantly and I don't think there was anything left in my digestive tract, which is probably not what you want to hear as a first-timer). Yes second and third times.

2/ If yes, how did the MW react?
Just cleared it away discreetly and matter-of-factly

3/ If your partner was by your head did he see and was it mortifying?
He didn't arrive until #2 was crowning, so wouldn't have seen anything. I have no idea what he saw with #3 but it didn't seem mortifying.

4/ is there a plastic sheet underneath you? or normal bed sheets?
There's a sort of absorbant pad with waterproof backing.

VivaLeBeaver · 23/01/2013 19:33

I'm a midwife. I get a bit excited if someone poos on the bed as it means the baby's nearly here. Unless its the dad I suppose, then I'd be a bit cross.

I'm very discreet clearing it up and wouldn't mention it.

Flisspaps · 23/01/2013 19:34

I wore a t-shirt for both of mine - the same one. Some women do prefer to be naked though and that's fine. You won't know until it happens though, the urge to strip is oxytocin driven

CheeseStrawWars · 23/01/2013 19:35

I've 2DC btw, and had the diarrhoea both times. Also shivering, which I'm told isn't that unusual.

rednellie · 23/01/2013 19:39

Viva

With my second labour (twins) I ended up butt naked with 16 (I counted them) people in the room. I could not have given a shit. But I did.

CaseyShraeger · 23/01/2013 19:39

(I did have the diarrhoea every time as well as the vomiting, so there wasn't a huge amount even with the latter two)

Original poster

iamwhaticallpregnant · 23/01/2013 19:41

stepawayfromsweeties - that is EXACTLY what I am like - miss prim and proper. I have never ever ever broken wind infront of my other half - even through this 9 months - and by God i needed to!

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TheTiger · 23/01/2013 19:47

I did not poo I was in the pool so it would have been fairly obvious!

I had a lovely maternity tankini top to wear in the pool for my modesty. When they said I could get in the pool I stripped off faster than lightning and did not care one bit. I didn't get dressed for ages after DS was born, had lots of lovely naked skin to skin. DS did poo on me, but funnily enough he didn't care if anyone saw!

Oh and when I got home a few hours later I went to the toilet. I shouted DH into the bathroom because I felt like I needed to poo and I was scared. I made him hold my hand

wigglesrock · 23/01/2013 19:48

CheeseStrawWars God, I was freezing too, someone had told me to bring socks in my bag and I was "really?" but I had them on me. I'm sure I looked delightful.

stargirl1701 · 23/01/2013 19:50

I pooped in the pool. I didn't notice. The MW sieved it out apparently. DH saw me poop and saw the sieving. He didn't mention it till I asked him directly 4 months later. I really don't care tbh. My labour and birth were really lovely and my dd is gorgeous.

AuntPepita · 23/01/2013 19:53

1/ Did you do a poo?
Yes both times

2/ If yes, how did the MW react?
Don't know, can't imagine she was bothered!

3/ If your partner was by your head did he see and was it mortifying?
He Sieved it out the pool. It was not mortifying because we are grown ups, not about 12 and I was pushing a baby out.

4/ is there a plastic sheet underneath you? or normal bed sheets?
N/a in pool.

With ds I managed to poo on my notes. Beat that ;)

MimsyBorogroves · 23/01/2013 19:55

No, I didn't. Either time.

I asked DH in the end, because, as mortified as I would have been, I couldn't stand the not knowing.

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