Awkward / embarrassing question !

[Kitz]

hi there,

I've heard so many stories about people that are pushing during labour and end up doing a poo! So I'm wondering if there's any tried and tested way of avoiding this! Is it safe to take laxatives and ensure that you're "cleared out" every day for the last few days before due date?

Sorry if this is a silly question.....and I know the midwifes/docs have seen it all before but it would be nicer to avoid it if possible!

[*Efjay*]

You will find that as labour nears your body will naturally empty out. No need to take anything to make it happen believe me LOL.
You should be ok.

[Alan]

I agree. I don't think taking anything is really going to help. Many years ago they used to give you an enema and even that did not do much to help

[*Efjay*]

Its funny actually I remember my MIL kept asking if they had given me an enema yet when I was in labour with my first. I was thinking NO ONE SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THAT!! But I just said I don't need one, trust me!

[~Raven~]

I emptied out in early labor with the first two but the third came along so quick it didn't happen.
A bit of poo came out when Caleb was crowning (I heard it hit the bed) but in all honesty I didn't care and I get a bit of a chuckle when I think that my very well paid OB wiped up my poo

[LuluHB]

I didn't have the "emptying" process and yep, gave my OB a lovely pressie. I had been offered an enema when I first went to hospital and had actually said I wanted one when the time came (I was having an induction so it wasn't the right time there and then) because I thought I would be mortified otherwise, but then labour took so long that it was never raised again. I had a very vague realisation at the time of what was happening but nobody said a thing and it really wasn't embarrassing at all - I figured by that time my OB and the midwife had seen absolutely everything I would normally keep to myself anyway so what the hell!

[Epacris]

Kitz, yes it happens and it happened to me big time. But like the others have said, it's all part of it and I honestly didn't find it embarrassing at all at the time. There are just so many other more important things going on. I do remember that my dear ob very gently and tactfully suggested that I might like to put my socks in with the bag of stuff that was going to be chucked out. They weren't my favourite socks so it sounded like a good idea to me

[stillhoping]

My midwife was really happy when I did a 'poo' on the bed as it was a sign that things were close. You are so over it by then you just don't care. It is normal so don't worry about it.

[blackduckies]

I think you most definately will have other things on your mind. If it happens like you say they have seen it all before, they won't be kicking you out or anything... You may clean out complely beforehand, each time I have gone into labour I have gone to the toilet for number 2's many, many, many times. It will all be okay.

[Trillian]

I have done it with 3 out of 4 births, and the one birth I didn't do it on the 'table' the midwife made me go to the toilet, as apparently my very full bowel was stopping her from descending. I asked for an enema, but I was told not to be silly and get on the toilet. And OMG - you have no idea how hard it is to do a poo between contractions LMAO. But it worked - I pooed and she was nearly born on the toilet she came down that quick. even if your body gives you a good clean out beforehand, there is still always a little bit left behind LOL and the pressure of the baby bearing down just pushes it out sometimes.

Honestly, as gross as it sounds, no one is going to start making comments, although after Alisters birth my midwife said to me when we had a bit of a debrief about it, that she wishes they still gave enema's as routine, and I said back to her, if I asked for one, would you have given it to me, and she laughed and said no, probably not LOL.

[StrawberryMumma]

I know that the thought of that happening to you makes you cringe now, but like everyone else has said when you are in labour and delivering ..that will be the absolute LAST thing on your mind and you're not going to care what the m/w and ob are thinking!..all you'll be thinking about is getting through the contractions trust me!

Try not to worry

[Mumma2three]

Totally honestly, I do not know if it happened with either of my births. I wasn't looking and by the time I'd had the baby's, they'd cleaned up everything!! So basically, it wasn't important and no one brought my attention to anything if it did happen!!But I do know where you're coming from, I had thought about it beforehand!! xoxo

[2CheekyMonkeys]

i had an enema but i asked for one and i still pooed during the pushing stage. but to be honest i didnt even realise until it was all over and my partner told me about it. plus he said it was pretty smelly down that end of me (labour juices and poo etc) and i didnt smell a thing. i was oblivious.

plus the midwife said to me before i started pushing that you push as if you are doing a poo and if poo comes out they take it as a good sign because it means you are pushing correctly.

still pretty gross! :-)

[Vixstar]

Put it this way - all those rich and famous mums have most likely done it! LOL

[myboysmumma]

To be honest I was worried about this too, but I don't even know if I did or not. If I did they were very discreet. I was in too much pain to tell LOL.

[mrsmac]

I was so paranoid about it during my second DDs birth that I actually held up the process LOL The Obs (a woman) whispered to me "are you scared you are going to poo?" and I said yes, she then reassured me that it was very normal and not to worry!! Everything went really quickly after that!!

[alioops]

I did the Tiniest bit of poo when Sarah was born, but it was so thin from being compressed by her head that i was not worried. as I was in the water, the MW just scooped it up with a sick bowl and flushed it down the toilet, no mess. it really is not that bad unless your MIL is there. That is why i refuse to have my MIL present for one of my births.

[Taurusa]

my friends have told me they did during their births. One didn't even know she did till she was recounting her birth story and proudly told us she didn't and her husband corrected her (she was horrified) and the other knew she had done it, and said it was cleaned up so quickly. So i am just taking it as inevitable and if it doesn't happen then i will be pleasantly surprised