Pooping After C-Section: Tips to Make Bowel Movements Less Scary After Birth
Pooping after a C-section birth can feel scary and/or difficult for multiple reasons but is actually very common. Bowel troubles are often a combination of “sleepy” intestines as a short-term side effect of surgery or medications, as well as stress, fear, and hormonal changes. Simple options for improvement include splinting, proper positioning, hydration, well-balanced nutrition, and/or stool softeners can go a long way. If you are planning a Cesarean or have recently had one and want more support get set you up for success, seeking pelvic floor therapy can help you get individualized answers and support.
Nobody Prepares You For the First Poop
You might be sitting in a hospital bed right now after just undergoing an incredible, life-changing event: the birth of your child. First, congratulations.
But really, C-O-N-G-R-A-T-U-L-A-T-I-O-N-S! You did that!
You grew and birthed that baby and you can be proud. For some, a Cesarean birth (C-section) was the plan all along and for others it may not have been. Despite the birth plan and all the other preparations you went through prior to holding that baby in your arms, it’s likely you didn’t plan for that first poop.
While everyone around you right now is directing so much care, love, and attention to your new beautiful baby, you might be lying there worried if and when that first urge is going to come and how it is going to go. There are so many new things to be thinking about now that you have birthed your child, so why is there so much thinking and concern about pooping? Afterall, you’ve been doing it since forever, right?!
Why Pooping After a Cesarean Can Feel Scary
There are very legitimate and well known reasons why emptying your bowels now feels difficult, scary, or maybe just different. Most women that we see or talk to after a C-section (or really any major abdominal surgery) have this concern. Let us be the first to tell you: Your stitches are safe.While you do need to be mindful about certain movements and not straining, they are incredibly sturdy.
Beyond that, being pregnant for many months ahead of the birth has put increased stress on your pelvic floor, and depending on whether you labored ahead of your Cesarean, your pelvic region may feel even more sensitive or vulnerable or you may be experiencing issues such as hemorrhoids or pelvic organ prolapse.These things may make you dread the first bowel movement after birth even more.
Why Are Bowel Movements More Difficult After a C-Section?
The Intestinal “Nap”: Normally, your entire digestive tract is gently working and squeezing things along like moving toothpaste through the tube. These gentle motions help with food breakdown as well as nutrition absorption. Anesthesia (including epidural and general anesthesia) are well known to sloooooow these wave-like movements down meaning your waste moves through the system slower. Second, most pain medications provided after c-section will also cause a major slowing.
The Great ReORGANization: Growing that cute, squishy little human changed your body A LOT - did you notice? Well, now that baby is outside vs inside there is A LOT more changing left to do. During these early weeks and even months postpartum, your organs are shifting and moving within your body. During this shift, their function may not be optimal. Additionally, hormone fluctuations are affecting the muscle activity of most of the organs which further impacts their function.
The Fear Factor: While we, the nurses, the doctor, and all your loved ones could tell you that the stitches are safe and will hold it is NORMAL to have some concern - especially if this is your first time! When we are nervous or scared, the body has a harder time relaxing and letting the pelvic floor “open” to pass stool. Let’s talk about easy strategies and tools to ease your path and hopefully ease your mind.
Tips to Improve Bowel Health After a C-Section
Optimize Positioning: How you set your body up can significantly change the ease of passing stool for better or worse.
If possible, use a small stool, a Squatty Potty, or just tip over a garbage can to get your knees above your hips. This position naturally decreases tension around the colon.
Lean forward - elbows on knees/thighs. Having this angle of your torso also helps with decreasing pelvic floor muscle tension.
2. Splint/Support for Comfort: While not necessary, it can feel comforting to apply gentle pressure into the abdomen near the c-section incision. Take a pillow or rolled up towel, hug it low to your belly, and apply gentle inward pressure while passing stool. This counterpressure should feel comfortable and protective.
3: Craft a Good Stool: The basics are basic, but they work. So, when you are trying to poop after a c-section do your best (and have your support team help you):
Stay hydrated - Your body is needing substantial fluid for recovery of sweating and blood loss from the birth process, milk production if lactating, AND for your normal body functions. Drink lots so your body will be able to leave some in the stool before you have to pass it.
Eat/Drink fiber - Getting balanced meals and snacks that focus on fiber-rich foods will help to ensure your waste is moving efficiently and able to hold on to water.
Move - All this hydrating will mean you need to pee more often, but that’s GREAT - more excuses to get up and move. Body movement upright and against gravity helps move things along. Gentle rotational movements can help with forming/shaping stools as well.
Stool Softeners - Sometimes we need a bit of extra help for those first few bowel movements. Many providers would be happy to prescribe these to you proactively to minimize issues in the first place. And if that hasn’t happened and you are noticing difficulty, don’t be afraid to ask for stool softeners while in the hospital or in preparation to go home.
Final Thoughts On Pooping After a Cesarean
In the end - we all have to get rid of waste, and for many, pooping after a c-section can feel tricky and/or scary. We’d encourage you to keep in mind that your body is safe and you will be able to have a bowel movement. At the same time, we encourage utilizing these strategies because making it as comfortable and easy for your body will reduce unnecessary strain on your healing tissues. If it has been 5 or more days since a bowel movement, please, call your OB/GYN or midwife and let them know. If you have had chronic bowel issues even prior to birth, or just can’t seem to get back on track after, seeking care from a pelvic floor physical therapist who can perform an individualized assessment and give you more specific direction can make a huge difference. We know you take care of so many others around you; please don’t forget to take care of yourself too!
Where to Get Help For Bowel Health or Postpartum Care
If you are local to Richland WA, Tri Cities Pelvic Health provides pelvic floor physical therapy including postpartum care. We specialize in pelvic floor therapy to assist with bowel movements, birth recovery, pain, bladder/urinary issues, and many other common concerns. We would be happy to help you get clarity as to what is going on and then make sure you have the tools to fix it so that you can take your life back.
