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2nd Trimester
TMI/TABOO- Natural labor question
During natural labor, is it inevitable to 'poop' while pushing?
I am slightly mortified at the idea of this. I can barely fart in front of people, even my SO. How am I supposed to poop AND push a 6-9 pounder out of something origionally the size of a grape in front of people?!?!
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Re: TMI/TABOO- Natural labor question
I've talked to a lot of women who did poop while pushing. They all say in the moment it's no big deal, the nurse, etc. clean it all away quickly. You hardly notice. I suppose it's the rule, not the exception that you poop.
In my case, I didn't poop while pushing because I had horrible diarrhea and vomiting during early labor. I was empty by the time I was pushing 5 hours later.
I don't think it's totally inevitable. My mom is an RN who has been at so many deliveries and she said it can happen, but it's not like all the time.
I figure, even if it does happen it's not like it would be something the doctor has never seen before and I highly doubt I'd even know I was doing it anyway.
I have no idea if I did or not while in labor with DS. I didn't ask. I did make sure DH knew it was a possiblity ahead of time and told him not to say anything.
At that point, I just wanted to meet my baby so I really didn't care. And I am extremely modest.
This! Its not a big deal at all if you do, and I promise you won't know unless you ask. You are practically naked the whole time between being in an open front gown, people checking you all the time, its pretty much all out there.
DD #1 passed away in January 2011 at 14 days old due to congenital heart disease
DD#2 lost in January 2012 at 23 weeks due to anhydramnios caused by a placental abruption
I think I would just rather poop while pushing. I really don't think I will give a flying fvck by that point anyway
I can believe that I won't care in the moment, but H will totally die if he sees me poop. The vag ripping open - no biggie, but the poop.... lol
I know it's hard not to worry and feel mortified, but the thing is: it happens. It happens A LOT. And in the moment, good chance you won't know it happens and I'm about 99% positive you won't care. Those medical people assisting in your birth will take care of keeping you clean.
Here's a different worry for you: while in labor, blood/goo/mucous/fluid all comes leaking out. It's everywhere. While I was in labor I moved back and forth from the bathroom several times. I dripped from my bed to the toilet, and pretty much disgustified the toilet each time I sat down. All during labor it was just everywhere. I have never been so grateful for someone as the nurse who took the time to stop and clean up my toilet for me. I recently talked to another friend who said the same thing. Just know this: it's messy, no way around it! (but obviously worth it!!)
Diarrhea is pretty common in the 24 hours before active labor begins, so a lot of women have empty intestines/colons by the time they start to push. Of my three friends who gave birth recently, all had had diarrhea beforehand, so none of them pooped during delivery.
LMAO, ok....good point.
Rude.
After my water broke, I had a lot of diarrhea so I think I pretty much cleared out my system. I don't think I would have cared if I had pooped after going through labor though. They see everything and would quickly take care of it before you even knew it happened.
I did pee all over my midwife though while pushing! She said she usually has you pee before you push, but it all started happening so fast that there wasn't time.
When you're pushing out a baby it feels like you're trying to poop out a soccer ball. There's an incredible amount of pressure on your tail bone. I felt more pressure in my butt than the other exit door honestly. The nurse would tell me to "push like you're having a bowel movement" So yes, it's totally possible to poop on the table.
There's no way to hold in a poop while pushing out a baby, you can't clench your cheeks at the same time, if you've got a poop that close to coming out...it's gonna come out with all the pushing.
I will say that by the time you're pushing...all modestly has flown out the window. I'm a very modest person, the kind of gal that changes in the toilet stalls at the gym instead of getting naked in front of people. When I gave birth, I had my MIL, younger brother and parents in the delivery room and I didn't care. Now it creeps me out knowing they saw my legs spread eagle and up in the air...at that time I didn't.
Your husband will be so wrapped up in the moment that something like pooping won't phase him.
You can poop with or without an epidural, that makes no difference.
I didn't. I refused to and cleaned myself out the day before induction with a natural laxative.
I hope so. He's open about most things but is uncharacteristically weird about poop.
Well this is an interesting thread, to say the least.
Hello visuals....
why would you need a cath if you get an epi? i never heard of that.
I have. I think if you get the kind where you can't walk to the bathroom, they cath you. It kind of freaks me out too, but I don't think you can feel it at that point b/c of the epi, so I guess it wouldn't be so bad.
catheters are standard with an epi because you cant get up to pee.
maybe if you have a really long labor??? i'm just confused because i never had a cath and i had an epi.
I didn't eat. Checked in that afternoon, gave birth that night. I was famished a few hours after giving birth but I didn't feel hungry at all and I didn't poop myself. If I could do it again that way, I will.
Malakai - 8.3.09
Ezra - 12.1.11 ASD
This. Plus DH said he couldn't really see because they had a drape covering that hole, so even if I did he couldn't tell.
But I didn't really care, I just wanted DS out after being in labor for 36 1/2 hours.
No they aren't. The nurses told me I wouldn't get one with DS after my epi. I requested that they straight cath me because I really had to pee and they wouldn't let me go to the bathroom after my water broke. And there was no way I was going to pee the bed like they told me too. After they put the epi in, they straight cathed me and got almost 800 cc out of my bladder. Then they took the cath out and I went pee about 1 1/2 hours after having DS.
One-- I am super modest as well... That is why the only people in the room will be DH and the needed medical doctors and nurses.
Two -- after saying this... I was in the room with my best friend during deliver.. her DH was deployed. They actually set up a webcam so he could be there and see it all. I was the one holding the webcam... so I saw it ALL... she did poop... but I was shocked and impressed in weird sort of way.... how it didn't really bother me... In any other situation it would have!
Honestly though... it was gone before I even realized it happened... They just dispose of it with all the other blood and fluids that are coming out... Gross... But True...
Im don't think you actually KNOW that you are doing it! I mean a baby is coming out of you... you are not feeling a little poo!! LOL
No, I had to stay put because I had pre-e, so no moving around for me. But I was only in labor for 2 more hours after getting the epi. I could be totally wrong and not remembering, but I swear I didn't have a cath.