It's the pressure of the baby's head that pushes the poo out...believe it or not, it's a good sign that bub is very close!

I never got the runs prior to labour and I was really hoping I wouldn't poo during labour. However, I pooed both times and the midwives got rid of it very briskly and with no fuss at all. The first time I was embarrassed (I'd had an epidural and had no feeling or control down there, so was also more aware of what was going on around me) but the midwife was lovely, very understanding without making any comment at all, very hard to explain! Second time I was in full blown active labour with no pain relief and did not care one tiny jot.

I certainly couldn't help it and they have seen it all before. I suppose I would prefer that I hadn't but it was far from embarrassing or humiliating and doesn't bother me at all that I did.