The Post-Partum Poop (Read: I Think I'm Going to Die)

This might be the most underdiscussed aspect of post-partum survival. Sure. You get no sleep, your boobs hurt, and you bleed for awhile. We all know that. But what about painful pooping and bleeding buttholes? Do they even mention this in "What to Expect?"

The unfortunate part of all of this is that my poop, at least according to Dr. Oz, is good. Great, healthy poop. But my poor little butthole that suffered greatly while I pushed my son out in a matter of minutes cannot handle even the healthiest of poop.

You know it's bad when you pray for constipation.

Please don't let me have to poop today.

And oh God. The dreaded double poop? It's almost enough to send me right over the edge.

I know I'm not alone. Well. At least I know of one other person going through the same stuff I've written about before. And while that's fairly reassuring, it would be really nice to know that I'm not the only one with stock in Preparation H, prunes, and Metamucil.

I've really tried it all. I've even resorted to sticking a towel in my mouth and biting down. But all that does is make my mouth all cottony and gross, which distracts from my sore butthole for all of 15 seconds.

With my daughter, I had to get a prescription for that steriod spray. Is it possible to be addicted to that?

"Post-partum woman checks into rehab for a steriod butt spray addiction."

Yeah. That will be me.

So. Anyone else out there in the same boat that is brave enough to come forward and share in my pain? And what do you do? How do you manage? (Granted, mine were okay for awhile, but the trauma of childbirth... PHEW).

Comments

[mamatulip]

I got so constipated after I had Julia that when I did finally manage to have a bowel movement, it was PAINFUL. And bloody. And about the size of a hairspray bottle.

I seriously thought I might die for a few seconds there on the can, or that my ass might just fucking explode. It was like that for a while. A long while.

So. Yeah, I feel for you, girl.

[Damselfly]

OK ... (wait -- still laughing/choking/crying here ) that headline made me laugh so hard, it will fill my humor quota for the whole week!

[Janet a.k.a Wonder Mom]

I became addicted to 'senacot' after SF was born...I truly needed an intervention...I feel you honey.

[Dawn]

I know your pain! I had a fourth degree tear after my daughter was born and pooping was my worst fear for weeks. The best thing I found to make it easier shredded wheat cereal, eat it dry or with milk what ever it makes the pooping easier.
Also you might want to talk to your doctor about how bad the hemroids are, my sister actually had to have surgery on hers after her second child.

[Amy H]

Ok, I hate to admit this...but I read Jenny McCarthy's book "Baby Laughs" and she goes into detail about this topic in her book. Anyway, she waited so long to "go" that she had to go to the hospital. (she went 15 days without "going" before she ended up in the doc's office) Stool softeners ended up helping her out...
Personally I can't bring myself to share my experience. I am too prudish.

[KEG]

I bawled the first time I pooped after my first. that was after 8 or 9 days or crying b/c I couldn't poop! I vowed to never have an episiotomy again. I found that spraying that anethestizing stuff they gave me for my epis. helped my bum. That and Target brand tucks pads. Ahhh, tucks pads. I had to press on my perineum for months after my son (second kid) was born, even with just a minor tear. Good luck and hope everything comes out ok - pun intended.

[Wendy]

I dont have a butthole problem, but a pushing problem. After my 2nd c-section, I thought I would bust a gut, literally. I dreaded having to poop, because I knew I would have to push and I just didnt want to explode into a bloody mess on the floor. It really did feel like my stomach would explode and the paramedics would have to come and get me off the toilet. It didnt help that I was a little constipated, too.

I was taking the stool softeners. They worked okay, but it was a month or a little longer before I could pooh in peace. Now, I just have an audience. Talk about stage fright.

Here is hoping that everything comes out smoothly.

[agavi]

I took double doses of the stool softeners for a solid month after Jordan was born, then weaned myself off over two weeks. And even so? He's two months old now and it's still a bit ouchy to poo.

[Jennifer]

I feel your pain. Stool softeners and suppositories are still (15 months later) a way of life. I really hope they shrink up soon. Probably doesn't help that I'm having another baby in May, my who ass will totally be ripped out.

[Allie]

Ok, you want specifics? All the above are good, stool softeners, bran muffins worked for me, boatloads of water and dont strain. only makes it worse. With all the above you should go, but then what? Immediately after the tucks are good but better is warm, no make that HOT water. lots of it to the affected area. I have 3 kids, vaginal deliveries, and BIG heads (you don't even want to hear what happened to me) Now I know stopping to get in a shower or tub with babies is difficult but do it. You will feel much better. The hand held shower head works well too because when you get good at this you only have to get undressed from the waist down. hot water to the area for atleast 5 min. It keeps the area spotlessly clean (which if not makes things much worse), it increases the blood supply to those reagions to help your body to heal. Do that and take some tyelnol. You will feel better. Really.

[tracey]

Sounds like a hell I never hope to visit.

[Awesome Mom]

Since I have c-sections I thought ahead for my second kiddo. My last meal before going in to have him was a huge ass bowl of frosted miniwheats. That worked like a charm and I did not have the dreaded poo pain the second time around. Peeing on the otherhand was a bitch since I got a UTI from the catheter.

[Kara]

This sucks, doesn't it. Poor moms what we have to go through. After my daughter I was petrified to go that I barely ate, especially things that I knew wouldn't be pleasant . . . well, you know. Then once out of the hospital I sent my husband sheepishly to the store to buy stool softeners. He saw our neighbor their and was utterly embarrassed. Hey, but it did help and I used them for awhile. In fact, with my son, I think I bought some before I even had him to be prepared. In fact, the little bottle is still in the medicine cabinet.

[Kara]

This sucks, doesn't it. Poor moms what we have to go through. After my daughter I was petrified to go that I barely ate, especially things that I knew wouldn't be pleasant . . . well, you know. Then once out of the hospital I sent my husband sheepishly to the store to buy stool softeners. He saw our neighbor there and was utterly embarrassed. Hey, but it did help and I used them for awhile. In fact, with my son, I think I bought some before I even had him to be prepared. In fact, the little bottle is still in the medicine cabinet and I just checked the expiration date - good til 2008.

[Sarah]

My first child was 8lbs 12ounces, I pushed him out of my small framed body and ended up with very bad hemmorids. I used stool softener (still do) and tucks medicated pads. Eventually they did go down. Though, I can't stress stool softener enough and when you finally stop bleeding warm baths worked as well.

My second child was 8lbs 10ounces I thought I would get hemorrhoids again but she came out in two pushes, not my proudest moment!

Thanks for your candor so often as woman we think of certain subjects as taboo, but in-reality all moms have gone through what you described and it is a very real part of childbirth/motherhood.

[I am SO not reveling my name...]

ummm. i thought i was the only one with poop problems. my babe is 4 months old... and, um.... still having um... nice big - ok... huge poop. and omg!! it's like pushing out my baby all over again.

i can't even count how many times i have called my husband because "someone clogged the toilet...again" so, ya. he's 4 months old... don't you think this has been going on a long time? but i'm to embarrassed to go to the doctor.

[Diane]

It's been 18 months since I had my second child (neither were c-section), but I relied on the anesthetic spray, Tucks pads (even store brand work great), and stool softeners. I also stayed on my pain pills longer than with my first child; it seemed to take the edge off.

[mammaloves]

Oh! But it doesn't seem to go away. All that tissue down there seems to get weak. My youngest is three and NOW I'm dealing with hemmorhoids!! How old am I??!!

The post-birth issue was nothing compared to this. Anyone else? It sucks!!!!!

[crunchy carpets]

I hate to tell you this...but it doesn't get much better.

2.5 years after the birth of my second one and nothing seems to work right down there.

I still dread pooping.

Everything feels like it all got pushed out of place by their entrance to the world and my butt has suffered for it.

Oh and peeing now too.
My scars get chafed during my period and so when I pee I feel the need to scream.

Yep. Being a woman is fucking great.

[Amy]

I almost bled to death after the birth of my son; had lost so much blood that my blood pressure would bottom out and I'd faint if I stood up. So I ended up on stool softeners to combat not only birthing a baby, but having to take iron pills for about 4-5 months. The hardest part about pooping is not straining. And go AS SOON AS YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO. Again, as someone said, not so easy with a baby, but your body is priority number one, or you will be unable to take care of your babies. Drink lots of water, eat fibre, and relax on the toilet.

[crazymommylady]

Soooooo True! My doctor wouldn't let me leave the hospital without a poop after my first because the hemorrhoids were so bad. They were far worse to recover from than the actual delivery of an entire baby out of my va jay jay. My doctor prescribed two wonder creams - Analpram and Rectagel (I kid you not - that's what they are called). I already have my prescription ready to go now that I am due with #2 any day. I asked for it in advance. Good luck!

[Sally]

Oh yeah. My first full-fledged poop after my C-Section three years ago was absolutely horrible. I'm having my second via scheduled C-Section on Thursday and I am so dreading the post-partum poop. I actually just did a related post on this today! I'd been planning to write it for a few days now, and reading yours inspired me to go ahead and do it.

[sherry]

I'm late in coming here, but yeah. For some reason after my second it wasn't so bad and I even went by surprise when all I meant to do was pee to make the nurse happy a couple of hours after the birth.

But the first one? After my first, it took a week before I would finally stop fighting it and I'm not too proud to admit that I cried as I walked down the hall to the bathroom. I was more scared of THAT than I was of the entire birth part.

[cwhite]

After the delivery of my first I yelled at the doctor not because of the stitching but because of the pain in my anus. They ended up giving me shots in my anus and with that the pain still would not go away. Like most of you, I was afraid to use the restroom for several days and avoided foods I was certain would make me go to the bathroom. Little did I know that every single poop later on would be dreaded. Five months after having the baby I still have trouble using the restroom. I find myself wanting to cry and even feeling like I am going to die due to excruciating pain and the blood. But the only advice is to just let it out because its the best feeling in the world once your done.

[Monica]

Thanks for posting about pooping!

I have two kids and had no problems with my first...he was a breeze...

Then along came my second and I had to have a C-section because he was so big (10lbs, 5oz!!!)

Now I seriously have not had a normal "bowel pattern" for three years...constipation is a major problem and it feels like they jumbled up my entire intestinal tract and colon while they were in there removing my son...is that even possible???

I don't know, I couldn't see what they were doing.
Whatever.

Last year I talked to a lady who is a Colon Hydrotherapist, and she suggested that I try organic apple juice (it says "from the Mother" on the bottle) with ground flax seeds mixed in it, plus drink at least three BIG glasses of plain bottled water per day.

I have to say that her advise did help... my poop was softer and I went a little more often...I just haven't been faithful enough to the routine to know if it works long term. I am definately going to buy a bottle of whole apple juice after reading about all this!!!

I feel for all of us moms....as if giving birth itself isn't enough, right?