What is After-Birth Poop?

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What You Need To Know About The After-Birth Poop

There’s a long list of things to do when you’re expecting: packing your hospital bag and practising breathing exercises, setting up the nursery. The thing that no one warns you of is the first poop following birth.

It’s common to laugh or cringe at the thought of pooping in labour. But it happens all the time and is usually overlooked. What about the poop that happens after birth? It’s another story. For many mothers, it is more frightening than labour itself.

Let’s discuss it. Talk about it. It’s not glamorous, but it’s the real thing. It’s normal. And you’re not alone.

Why is Everyone so Obsessed with whether You’ve “Opened your Bowels”?

You may be asked this question by a midwife or nurse who casually drops it into the conversation.
“Have You Opened Your Bowels Yet?”

If you are breastfeeding, bleeding or stitched, naked, emotionally overloaded, or even if your skin is swollen, someone will ask if you have poop.

They don’t ask to embarrass or humiliate you. This is because your first bowel motion is a sign that your digestive system has woken up after all the stress from pregnancy and delivery. You’ve run a marathon. Hormones and medications can slow down your body.

If you’ve had a C-section, this effect may be even stronger. Gas can build up, and your digestive system may be slow after surgery. Constipation is also a common problem.

Yes, pooping is now.

One Mum’s (and hilarious) Story

Introduce Emily. She is a new mum who has just experienced the chaos of childbirth and a postpartum experience that she will never forget.

“Honestly, that first poop was more worrying than giving birth to me. “How can I push another after I have just had trauma and stitches down there?” But no one warned me. Nobody tells you that your first trip to a toilet could be the most stressful thing about early motherhood.

Emily, who had undergone a c section, was suffering from a very unpleasant type of constipation after surgery: she couldn’t fart.

I was desperate to avoid the hospital’s “clear liquids” only rule. This meant no toast or sandwiches, just the strange broth that they give when your digestive system doesn’t work. I can remember rubbing my stomach and praying for a fart. Around 5 am, my body gave me a signal.”

Her celebration was brief. She was awoken by a loud fart that rattled her cheeks. She pressed the nurse’s call button and proudly announced her accomplishment.

The nurse just glanced at me and then said, “Right, I will note that down.” I was expecting applause!”

The Moment it Finally Happens.

Emily was finally allowed to eat solids. However, she had not yet passed a bowel movement. Days passed. She felt pain in her stomach. She took mild laxatives. She took gentle laxatives.

I felt it coming, like a freight train. When I moved the baby, he screamed. I was sweating and pacing while silently begging him to cooperate. “I realised that I had no other choice but to take him with me to the bathroom.”

It was just as you would expect: baby on boob and mum on toilet. There were no signs of dignity in the delivery suite.

“I told myself: ‘This is motherhood. It’s real. This is real.

Why is the First Postpartum Poop so Scary?

Fear is real and valid.

You may be afraid to exert yourself after giving birth. Your abdominal muscles will likely be tender, and your pelvic floor will probably have weakened. If you had stitches, either abdominal or perineal, you might also feel apprehensive about straining. You may not feel ten,se but your body will hold back in fear of injury or pain.

How to Handle Your First Toilet Visit Like a Pro

Here are some tips that will make the first poop a bit more bearable, whether you’re a new mum or an experienced parent.

1. Fibres and Fluids: Start Early

Prevention is key. In the last weeks of pregnancy and right after birth, you should:

Eat plenty of foods high in fibre (think: whole grains, fruits and vegetables, chia seed, etc.).
Water is important. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.
Constipation can be caused by processed foods.

2. Stool Softeners: What do you need to know?

Do not wait until you are in pain. Most midwives suggest starting stool softeners immediately after delivery, and especially after a C-section. They don’t make you go, but they do make it easier.

3. How to Position Yourself

Try this when you sit down to watch the big event:

Sit with your legs higher than your hips on the toilet (use a footstool or stack of books).
Keep your elbows on your knees and lean slightly forward.
Don’t hurry and breathe deeply.

This position aligns the bowels, making it easier to pass stool. It is especially important for people who have had perineal injuries or stitches.

4. Counter-Pressure Is Your Friend

You can apply gentle pressure on the perineum as you push. You can use

Clean maternity pads
The coo,l w thet wipe
If you are sore and swelling, use a frozen pad.

It can also help to reduce tension and anxiety.

5. Use Warm Water for Your First Wee

It’s not poop but urinating after childbirth can be painful. To help:

Pour warm water on your vulva as you urinate (take a peri bottle to the bathroom).
If you can’t sit comfortably, try peeing in your shower.

6. Give Yourself Time

Don’t rush. It’s not the time to feel bad about taking 15 minutes for yourself. You can ask your partner, a doula or a friend to watch your baby so you can go to the toilet at your own pace. Sit down and read a magazine or use your phone. Relax your body.

7. Mind Over Matter

Constipation is a major problem caused by anxiety. When you are tense, the muscles in your pelvic floor don’t work. Remember that it’s normal. Your body is designed to do this. It will become easier over time.

You Are Not Alone

Every mum has their own “first poop story after baby”. It’s not something you hear at brunch. It doesn’t matter if it involves a cheering nursing assistant, breastfeeding on the toilet, or a quiet personal triumph; it is a milestone in motherhood that deserves to be discussed more openly.

Emily laughs when she shares her story, but in the moment, she was anxious, embarrassed and alone. She found solidarity with other mothers and was able to normalise a situation that we all experience.

If you’re a new mother and are worried about your digestion, it’s okay. Your body is going to return to normal. It will happen. You will make it through.