Post partum bowel movements

[Jenna234]

Hello!
I've been so nervous about this and I have no idea why lol.
What is your experiences with the first bowel movement after birth? Any tips on how to make it less scary?
Thank you

I've just had my second baby and second episiotomy and instrumental birth, and it's honestly been fine.

Agree completely with good diet prior to labour and then plenty of water and fruit afterwards. My top tip to new dads is to be in charge of bringing your partner some chopped fruit each day to make it super easy for her to remember to eat it.

I remember sitting on the loo bloody terrified, needing to poop but every slight push felt like my entire undercarriage would drop out (2nd degree tear and stitches) - it just wasn't something that had crossed my mind pre-birth!

As a pp poster said, what worked for me was relaxing - raised feet, deep breaths, trying to 'breathe it out' rather than push, and just let it happen. And lots of prune juice / fybogel in the coming days.

The first few were a traumatic prospect, but it all went back to normal soon enough.

I was terrified, felt like if I made any pushing movement my stitches would burst and I would rip front to back again. Also couldn't relax for fear baby would need me. In the end it was far more psychological, no pain... totally agree with other posters about keeping hydrated, being constipated isn't what you want on that day!

I was on iron post partum so asked for lactalose and there was no problem. Get yourself some dried prunes for home incase you get home quickly, 3-5 every morning should be more than enough!

mine was absolutely fine, and i had an episiotomy.

i didn't eat any of the rubbish the hospital gave me, sent bf straight to sainsbury's for fruit, water and ALL FIBRE and basically just ate quite light and vegetable based and tons of water for about 2 days and there it was. painless. i didn't have much of an appetite for quite a while though.

also, a jug of warm water which you pour over yourself as you pee to stop the urine from making any stitches etc sting 👌🏼

I echo a lot of comments already made.
Raise your feet on a step, try and relax, use some of your birthing coping techniques! And allow your body to do its thing.
I had terrible stitches after my first, huge son, I was also terrified to go. And didn't manage to for several days Post partum.
It wasn't nearly as bad as I imagined, honest! So try not to worry.

I didn't need to go until 3 days after I'd given birth. I had stitches which made it feel worse.
I just took my time and it did hurt a bit, but not much. I had to pour warm water over my stitches to keep them clean and stop the stinging, so I poured a bit over the back as well.

I had horrific piles after DC1, so the first poo was uncomfortable (although not impossible). After DC2 I had no issues at all, but she shot out with two pushes once I was fully dilated so that might be why.