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Help! I’m a day postpartum (baby is doing great!) and already dreading the first poop. I’m nervous. How badly does it hurt to poop the first time? Is there a way to do it without pain? Please share some tips or advice to talk me down.
—Scared to Poop
First off, congratulations!
It is very common to be afraid of the first post-birth poop. However, it’s often not as bad as people fear. The most important piece of advice is stool softeners (like Senna or Colace). These are commonly prescribed post-birth and, especially if you’re afraid, please ask for them. They can make your poop much softer, which will minimize any need to strain to push it out and make the act easier.
For many people, the main discomfort is in wiping, since you may have vaginal tearing or simply irritation. For this, you can use the peri bottle they give you post-birth. Fill this with warm water and use that to accomplish at least some of the clean-up. This can be easier on you than toilet paper.
Another general piece of advice (which holds regardless of the timing of poop and even regardless of pregnancy) is that using a squatty potty can help improve the experience of pooping and support your pelvic floor. This is a good purchase, regardless.
If you have had serious vaginal tearing — third or fourth degree — you may want to talk with your doctor more about how to be careful with any stitches, and how to clean most effectively. But for the majority of women, even with some vaginal tearing, the first poop is scary but uncomplicated.
I wish I had more to offer here. You will perhaps not be surprised to learn that we do not have a lot of detailed data about post-birth pooping. One small study showed women who had a vaginal birth had their first poop an average of 1.5 days after birth (versus 3.4 for C-section). So this is likely to happen for you sooner rather than later — at least then it will be over.
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