i know sh*t happens...

LynsiBHM · March 2011

So we all know that pooping in the delivery room can happen. I've gotten over the initial fear and disgust but now i'm wondering about the logistics of it all...

Lots of women say they don't even know if they pooped while pushing. How can this be? I know the nurses will "dispose of it" quickly and tactfully, but does it stink? Do they clean you off at all? What if it's not solid? Sorry, tmi, but mine have not been over the last day or 2... (I'm hoping i'm one of those women who is "cleaning out" before labor starts!)

This probably seems like a petty worry, but i'm just wondering what your experiences were...

EmandChris08 · March 2011

I definitely pooped while I was pushing. I was really aware of it when it was happening... and I didn't have an epidural, so maybe I felt it more? Honestly, pushing out a baby is exactly like pushing while pooping, so if there's poop there... it's going to come out. There's no controlling it.

When I pooped, I felt one of the nurses quickly and discreetly wipe it away. No one said anything. And thankfully, when I asked DH about it later, he said he didn't even notice.

CutieBean79 · March 2011

I knew it was happening only because I saw it in the mirror. The nurse covered it and wiped it with a pad I was laying on and then threw it away. No biggie. I'd imagine the same thing would happen with loose stools. It would just ooze out like the blood. Childbirth is a beautiful thing, ain't it? lol

MarchABC · March 2011

LOL! I remember being really worried about this. When I was pushing, I asked them if I could just quickly get up and go to the bathroom (silly me!). I didn't have an epidural so I could feel that urge to push/poop. Honestly, it almost felt like when I pushed, someone had a towel between my vag and my #2 hole (or covering it or something??). Weird sensation but who know what was actually happening.

I will never know if I pooped but Em's story cracks me up! I'm so glad it was handled so discretely. In the end, it's small potatoes when you're giving birth so don't worry and push HARD!

MarchABC · March 2011

PS. I have a friend who is a L&D nurse and apparently it happens about 50% of the time if not more so that means at least half of us will/did!

amy259 · March 2011

I did not get "cleaned out" before labor and I definitely pooped, I kept saying to the nurse did I just poop? I also said I feel like I have to fart and she said "Well, let me get my face away first." She was awesome. My poop did smell a little but the nurse wiped it away and there is so many other things going on in the end it didn't really matter. I literally had eaten like 6 crackers in 2 days (I had a long early labor) and still pooped!!!!

StellarStina26 · March 2011

I know that I pooped. I could feel it at the end of every three pushes a little bit came out. And I could feel the doctor put a paper towel there to cover it up from when the baby would finally arrive. Although, I went through 3 contractions of her crowning... so I think a nurse cleared it out during that time. I don't see any poop or rags covering anything in the pictures my mom took of her when she was just out and cord still attached.

I had an epidural, not a real strong one. My legs were never really numb. I felt it all!

sweetpea2718 · March 2011

ditto to all previous posts...you feel like you have to because you get the same sensation to push as you do when you have to poop. I feel like my body cleaned itself out in early labor though. I went # 2 3 times that morning and then when I got to triage, I threw up the only food in my system (a bagel from breakfast) I'm still really not sure if I did or not since I had an epidural, and I think i'll keep it that way

ncbelle · March 2011

I only know that I pooped with kiddo because my midwife mentioned it - I wouldn't have otherwised noticed because I was so focused on pushing. And they wiped it quickly so it doesn't have time to stink.

Really, don't worry about it ;-)

smiles0121 · March 2011

I pooped and passed gas while pushing. I was embarrassed by it, but knew that it was a possibility with delivery. The nurse changed the pad beneath me and wiped me up. I could smell it, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I made it in my mind before delivery.

I had an epidural and ended up passing gas quite a bit. I never pass gas in front of anyone and it was hard not having any control with a room full of people. I kept apologizing all day.

BunintheOven311 · March 2011

reading all of these posts kinda makes me glad I am going to have a c-section Wink

Just kidding ladies!

Maggee206 · March 2011

Still waiting for LO but when I had DS I remember wishing I could poop....I think it was so hard to push because I was trying to hold in number 2 while trying to push out the baby. I am tempted to ask for a little early labor assistance this time around.

MrsChelseaP09 · March 2011

I definitely felt like I was going to poop (thats part of pushing) but honestly, I have NO IDEA if I did or not. There are so many fluids coming out of you, you will NEVER know (or care) if you did or not. I was like you and was worried about it, but trust me... when the time comes, its going to be the last thing you will think about.

bre87 · March 2011

ditto to mrschelsea. i have no clue whatsoever if i pooped or not. my epidural worked like a champ. i couldn't even really feel my thighs. and when i pushed the nurse actually told me to push like i was having a bowel movement so whatever came out came out. they didn't say anything and i didn't know what was going on down there unless someone told me. there was no point in trying to hold it in because it would stop the baby's progress.

stahlop · March 2011

My MW would just take a piece of gauze and discreetly catch it or wipe it away when I was pushing. It was usually happening during a contraction, so I was too distracted by the labor pains to really notice it happening.

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