# poo during labor, inevitable?



## Mica

Well, that's basically my question. Have been reading labor stories and it sounds like lots of ladies do inadvertently poo when they are in labor. I'm mortified by the idea!
For any of you who have already had kids, did this happen to you? Is it inevitable? I've been pretty regular during my pregnancy, so I don't think I have a lot of it, well... backed up, or anything. Will I be able to use the toilet during labor, to clear the pathway?
I guess whatever happens, happens, but not thrilled at the idea of pooing in front of other people!:nope:


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## Eleanor ace

I didn't poop last time. Apparently 1 in 4 ladies do so its not inevitable :). I had a clear out at the start of my labour, there was nothing left to come out when I pushed :haha. For me sitting on the toilet was the worst pain during labour- worse than contractions at 10cm or pushing, but I'm sure its different for everyone. If you want to go to the toilet and don't have an epidural I bet they'd let you try. 
Most of the times when ladies poo during labour its when they're pushing and you wouldn't be able to sit on the toilet then, but you honestly don't care what comes out at the point :haha:


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## Mazzy17

When you are in labour you really dont care :flower:

I was concious of pooing as my pregnancy came to the end of it and when it came down to labour i just wanted my baby out. I had a clear out 2 hours before i went to hospital and no one told me if i pooed or not anyway.


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## Tiger22

I've always been terrified of this too. But after having a lot of complications during my pregnancy, I honestly don't care anymore.. I just want my baby out safely! If it happens, it happens..oh well! Doctors/nurses see it ALL anyway.


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## cupcakekate

I sort of just accepted that I would but I didn't. I had a long labour and barely ate for 24hours so I doubt I had anything to come out! I wouldn't worry about it hun you really won't care it'll be the last thing you'll be thinking of x x


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## LegoHouse

Nope I've discreetly asked the midwife both times and I didn't either time!


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## flashy09

I didn't and I pushed for two hours!


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## Noelle610

I thought for sure I was going to... But nope!


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## Tbell31

I've had 3 children and its never happened to me my body cleared out beforehand but I must say I'm going in Wednesday to have baby and this time been very constipated the whole pregnancy so I'm a bit concerned myself but you will prob clear out naturally good luck x


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## mrscitysmith

I don't think I did lol! But it really is the last thing on your mind so please don't worry. Usually first labours start slowly and are long so you will have plenty of time for a clear out!


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## Pixxie

If you go into labour naturally you usually have a 'clearout', I had one and didn't poo but I only know because I was in the pool! Like the others said though you really will not care at the time!


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## XJessicaX

1st baby during the pushing stage I did indeed poo! 2nd baby I had a wonderful clear out during labour and then nothing after that.


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## flubdub

I never have and I've had three babies. With my third, I was scared when my labour first started, which gave me the shits and I spent a while on the toilet before going to hosp :haha:


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## xx~Lor~xx

I've had two children so far, I have pooed in labour both times. It's just something that happens, and while its all going on, you don't even care. I wasn't even aware I had when I was inlabour with my first, my partner told me afterwards. The midwives are very discreet with it, they've seen it so many times they don't care. So don't fret, if you do, you do. Labour and delivery isn't exactly dignified!! I'm expecting to poo when I deliver this child, it hardly bothers me now..


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## MindUtopia

I was a bit concerned about this as well, but I didn't poo. I did have a bit of a clear out in early labour, so that probably helped (though I also ate and drank all through labour). But trust me, you really don't care at the time. You're very focused on what you are doing and not on your bowels. But yes, you can use the toilet during labour (assuming you don't have an epidural). I walked up and down my hall between the bathroom and bedroom between pushes, though I didn't really get any urge to pee or poo at that point.


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## smileyfaces

I have had two babies and didnt poo with either.

But honestly, you will NOT care! :flower:


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## Mica

Have missed seeing your posts on here MindUtopia. How's your little girl? Are you all finding a rhythm?


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## NaturalMomma

If you're not medicated then yes you can use the toilet. If you have an epidural they normally do not let you get up to go to the bathroom (and you may not feel it anyways). Most women will poop in labor because of everything moving down. It's really no big deal, no one will care. I did with my first two and not my last.


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## Guppy051708

Some women do not poo during labor. Some do. You really can't predict which boat you'll be in. With that said, my experience is that i have pooed in both of my labors. (never had that clear out everyone talks about despite unmedicated births :shrug:) Plus they were both water births, so i actually KNEW there was poop floating around and had to watch them fish it out BUT they acted like everything was fine and dandy. Never made a fuss about it and if i wouldn't have seen it, i wouldn't have even known thats what they were doing . (as opposed to a "land birth" where you probably wouldn't see much). However, when it comes to pushing a watermellon out your foof, pooping will not be so much a concern :lol: you will just want that little one out as fast as possible. Most girls dont even know they pooped. The care provider will simply clean it up. They usually dont even mention it. They see it every day, probably multiple times per day. It is a normal, natural part of the process just like all of the other gross bodily fluids that come along with L&D. I know you may be embarrassed by this or worry about it, but try not to. Once you give birth i am positive you will look back on it and realize it wasn't a big deal :hugs:


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## amjon

I didn't, but was pushing only briefly. I wasn't 100% sure if I did, so I asked DH and he said no. He would have told me if I did and asked.


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## amjon

Pixxie said:


> If you go into labour naturally you usually have a 'clearout', I had one and didn't poo but I only know because I was in the pool! Like the others said though you really will not care at the time!

I was induced and had a clear out as well, but it took 4 days to get things started.


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## Beccaboop

Im pretty sure i didnt poo during labour i had really soft poos and was going everyday so etimes twice a day for 3 weeks before labour!


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## tinkerbelle93

It's not quite inevitable but very common.. definitely not 1 in 4 as someone else said. However, you probably won't even know or care at the time! 

I remember someone posting a link to a labour and delivery nurses blog entry on this worry and this quote from her pretty much sums it up "As a labor & delivery nurse, I do not keep records of exactly how many women poop during birth (can you imagine pooping statistics! haha! J) but you can rest assured that it is the VAST MAJORITY of women. If someone you know tells you they didn&#8217;t poop during childbirth they either are: #1) part of the very small minority of women who actually don&#8217;t, or #2) just didn&#8217;t realize they did. And to be honest, #2 is way more likely!"

xx


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## goddess25

I did both times.


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## flubdub

tinkerbelle93 said:


> It's not quite inevitable but very common.. definitely not 1 in 4 as someone else said. However, you probably won't even know or care at the time!
> 
> I remember someone posting a link to a labour and delivery nurses blog entry on this worry and this quote from her pretty much sums it up "As a labor & delivery nurse, I do not keep records of exactly how many women poop during birth (can you imagine pooping statistics! haha! J) but you can rest assured that it is the VAST MAJORITY of women. If someone you know tells you they didnt poop during childbirth they either are: #1) part of the very small minority of women who actually dont, or #2) just didnt realize they did. And to be honest, #2 is way more likely!"
> 
> xx

I'm not sure about that. I KNOW I didn't poo with any of my three births - it can't be such a small minority if it has happened to me three times. 
I think a lot of it has to do with how long you push for. 
I pushed for 6 minutes, 5 minutes and less than 2 minutes with my children. If I had been pushing for an hour +, things may have been different.


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## we can't wait

I did... I was doing it all natural, so I could definitely feel it happening. Eh. By the time I got to pushing I really didn't care anymore, TBH. :lol:


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## tinkerbelle93

flubdub said:


> tinkerbelle93 said:
> 
> 
> It's not quite inevitable but very common.. definitely not 1 in 4 as someone else said. However, you probably won't even know or care at the time!
> 
> I remember someone posting a link to a labour and delivery nurses blog entry on this worry and this quote from her pretty much sums it up "As a labor & delivery nurse, I do not keep records of exactly how many women poop during birth (can you imagine pooping statistics! haha! J) but you can rest assured that it is the VAST MAJORITY of women. If someone you know tells you they didnt poop during childbirth they either are: #1) part of the very small minority of women who actually dont, or #2) just didnt realize they did. And to be honest, #2 is way more likely!"
> 
> xx
> 
> I'm not sure about that. I KNOW I didn't poo with any of my three births - it can't be such a small minority if it has happened to me three times.
> I think a lot of it has to do with how long you push for.
> I pushed for 6 minutes, 5 minutes and less than 2 minutes with my children. If I had been pushing for an hour +, things may have been different.Click to expand...


Haha I really don't know tbh! I pushed for under a minute (forceps birth) and both my OH and midwife said I didn't (although I always assumed they were lying after reading articles like the above) so maybe it is? But since the majority of women push for much longer then it makes sense, I don't know why a labour and delivery nurse would say otherwise? 

But anyway, to the OP just don't stress about this! You won't care or probably even realise at the time and it's all worth it once you get your bundle :cloud9: xx


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## Mica

Alright... well, it's nice to know there is a *chance* that I won't! Thanks for sharing your experiences!


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## staralfur

I didn't poo and I was actually trying to. :haha:


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## linzylou

I did but didn't care at that point.


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## alicecooper

I pooed during my second labour, but I don't think I did during my 1st and 3rd. Certainly I didn't smell anything (gross sorry, but that's how I knew I pooed during my 2nd), and DH said he didn't see me poo (and he'd quite merrily tell me if I had!).

So yes it's normal to do so, but it's not absolutely inevitable.

I mean think about it - you could try pushing now as hard as you can and it doesn't mean a poo is going to shoot out. If there's no poo there to come out, there's no poo there lol.


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## GypsyDancer

Im pretty sure i did!
First time im not sure, my OH teases me saying i did, but i have no idea..
with my second, im almost certain i did, but i was pushing him out at the time, it was all mixed in with blood, and my waters and goo so you couldnt really tell and i definitely did not care one bit!!
I think they say if you do, your pushing right..but i really wouldnt be worried, the amount of things they see, you wouldnt be the first or last x


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## flubdub

alicecooper said:


> I pooed during my second labour, but I don't think I did during my 1st and 3rd. Certainly I didn't smell anything (gross sorry, but that's how I knew I pooed during my 2nd), and DH said he didn't see me poo (and he'd quite merrily tell me if I had!).
> 
> So yes it's normal to do so, but it's not absolutely inevitable.
> 
> I mean think about it - *you could try pushing now as hard as you can and it doesn't mean a poo is going to shoot out. If there's no poo there to come out, there's no poo there* lol.

Say it like it is why don't you :rofl:


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## Amy_T

I've had two births and did it both times... However i was induced and they happened quickly so my body never got chance for the clear out!


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## alicecooper

flubdub said:


> alicecooper said:
> 
> 
> I pooed during my second labour, but I don't think I did during my 1st and 3rd. Certainly I didn't smell anything (gross sorry, but that's how I knew I pooed during my 2nd), and DH said he didn't see me poo (and he'd quite merrily tell me if I had!).
> 
> So yes it's normal to do so, but it's not absolutely inevitable.
> 
> I mean think about it - *you could try pushing now as hard as you can and it doesn't mean a poo is going to shoot out. If there's no poo there to come out, there's no poo there* lol.
> 
> Say it like it is why don't you :rofl:Click to expand...

lol sorry :blush::haha:


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## Larkspur

Seriously, there's so much going on at the time that when it's all on, you really won't give a shit whether you do or don't, pun intended.


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## Monalissa

During pushing that was the last thing on my mind but a few minutes after my LO was out I asked if I pooped! LOL I didn't! I was pushing about 25 minutes. It would have been really embarrassing after the fact considering my Mom and MIL ended up watching my daughter being delivered.


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## mrscitysmith

This is one of the reasons I'd like hubby at the top end of the bed hehe x


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## bubbles123

I didn't during either but that's because (TMI) I had really bad diarrhea the day before with both of mine. There was nothing left to come out during labour!


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## LilyValley

I spent my entire pregnancy worrying about this! Then on the day I didn't give it a second thought, I don't know if I did or not. Honestly, like the pp hav said, you won't care even if you think you will and you won't even realise if you do x


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## Butterfly89

I didn't, thankfully. I did end up peeing (on the toilet lol) with a nurse in the room though. xD I was just chatting casually to her like it was no big deal because she was filling the tub for me and it just hit me suddenly. I used to be so shy and the idea of this would've horrified me before. I never believed it, but you really don't care that much when in labour.

And I mean shy to the point of anxiety, not just slightly.


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## cupcaker

I had my son on friday...im suspicious that maybe i did a little....im not sure. I too was horrified by the idea but as many had said (and i didnt believe!) you dont care. You want the baby out and they do, it must just be insignificant in the grand scheme, plus i will never see those people again probably and im just another days work, forgotten the next, to them. X


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## purplespecs

My sister is a midwife and she told me that most women do poo (though often very small ones) and that it is a good sign as it shows that they are pushing in the right place. I know I poo'd as I could feel it, and I think in my drugged up haze I announced it to the room!! Feel a little bit mortified about that now (the announcing it at the top of my voice, rather than actually doing it) as I had 2 midwives, a doctor and my DH in there with me at the time and I'm sure the woman in the next room heard as well!


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## skyesmom

purplespecs said:


> My sister is a midwife and she told me that most women do poo (though often very small ones) and that it is a good sign as it shows that they are pushing in the right place. I know I poo'd as I could feel it, and I think in my drugged up haze I announced it to the room!! Feel a little bit mortified about that now (the announcing it at the top of my voice, rather than actually doing it) as I had 2 midwives, a doctor and my DH in there with me at the time and I'm sure the woman in the next room heard as well!

lol that's hilarious!


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## queenbee83

i luckily had a dodgy stomach when i went in to labour, ate a little bit while in the hospital and the gas and air made me sick so i had nothing in my stomach to come out. i did pee though and was mortified but you just cant help it and the midwives have seen it a million times over


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## Amy_T

I posted before saying I did with my first two as I was induced... Well I had my third last week and I never, definitely experienced the ear out before going in to the pushing stage, must've gone to the toilet 4 times during early labour. I was pleased I never but as said previously you couldn't give two hoots when you're in the throws of labour what comes out apart from the baby!


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## Sarah1987

I had a 'clear out' at 6am on the Tues morning, went into labour at 6am on the Wed morning, had Charlie at 14.36 on the Wednesday afternoon and i didnt. Was so sure i would but thankfully didnt. Between being in pain and high on gas and air i dont think i would have noticed or cared, i'm sure they've seen everything possible anyway :blush:


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## mandaxx

I never have but I wouldn't be in the least worried if I did. It's so normal, everyone poops and midwives see it every day.


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## J04NN4

I had the most horrendous diarrhea in early labour. Seriously, that and contractions whilst sitting on the toilet was the worst part for me - but I didn't poop during labour so swings and roundabouts eh? :haha:


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## petite ping

I think I did, but no one would tell me for sure. I did throw up though.


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## meow951

J04NN4 said:


> I had the most horrendous diarrhea in early labour. Seriously, that and contractions whilst sitting on the toilet was the worst part for me - but I didn't poop during labour so swings and roundabouts eh? :haha:

I had this too, diarrhea but barely being able to sit on the toilet because of contractions is not fun! But as you said it meant no poo in labour :haha:


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## Vyka

I had a clear out as well so didn't poo during labour, although I had a period after I was induced when I had to go to the bathroom after every contraction to pass wind because it was so loud that I was mortified by it!


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## heaveneats

one of my signs that labor was coming was constant diarrhea i literally had all my bowels emptied before i got to hospital so i didn't end up losing it in labor... very gross but awesome since i could do it in private and not have 5 doctors and my OH see it, so no not inevitable!


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## d_b

I didn't. For a few days before labour i went to the bathroom a lot and wasn't very hungry. I felt like I would throw up in labour but didn't do that either!


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## berniegroves

I didn't and I pushed for 2 hours. 
But when labour started my body had a 'clear out' so I think that helped. 
And this was something that really worried me beforehand but I can honestly say when I was pushing it was the last thing on my mind!!! 
Trust me, you just focus on being as comfortable as possible and getting the baby out! 
Good luck with it all
Xx


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## HopefulPony

By 37 weeks I was pooping about 5-6 times a day, constantly until labour (40wks) when I stopped pooping for about 24 hours - and I didn't poo while pushing. I vomited constantly in labour though!


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## Guppy051708

Vomiting is the worst! It ALWAYS happens to me around 5CMs. Its terrible when you are in the middle of double peaking contractions and throwing up! The paiiiinnnn


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