poo during labor, inevitable?

[amjon]

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.

 

[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!

 

[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’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

 

[goddess25]

I did both times.

 

[flubdub]

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.

 

[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.

 

[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’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.

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 xx

 

[Mica]

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

 

[staralfur]

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

 

[linzylou]

I did but didn't care at that point.

 

[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.

 

[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

 

[flubdub]

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

 

[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!

 

[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.

Say it like it is why don't you

lol sorry

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[mrscitysmith]

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

 

[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!

 

[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