You Will Definitely Poo During Labour and Here’s Why

It is a fact of life that MOST women will poo during the last stages of labour.  Mortifying?  Totally.  Natural?  You got it!

For both of my births, I was TERRIFIED I was going to poop during my labour.  I didn’t want people to see me doing THAT… especially not my husband.  Ewww!

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If you are pregnant and you too are concerned about pooing during labour – it’s totally normal to be worried.  And I promise you, you will have nothing to worry about.  

Giving birth is like taking the biggest dump in your entire life.

In the early stages of labour, most women will open their bowels or have a good spew, this is the body’s way of preparing for labour.  The thing is – labour lasts for a really long time.  And there is always going to be poop in the pipe.

Birth is So Primal – They Don’t Tell You That

When women go into labour, after a few hours of pain, it’s like they turn into an animal.  Your conscious mind goes to the back of your brain and hides, whilst the primal you take over your body.  ‘Primal you’ has a big job to do – it’s got to get this baby out of your body.  You won’t feel like you.  And it’s a damn empowering feeling.

I absolutely promise you, you won’t care if you are naked in front of everyone.  You will not give a single fuck.  

And when you are pushing that great big crotch fruit out of your lady garden, you use exactly the same muscles as taking a dump.  And you are pushing everything out of your body.  The thing is – the most important thing you are excreting is that baby.  MOST women lay cable whilst they are pushing that baby out.  

YOU. WILL. NOT. CARE.

No matter how prudish or posh you are in real life, when it comes down to it – you will shit yourself like the rest of us. The midwives will just clean it up and keep going.  They see it every day – multiple times per day.  They honestly do not care!

Why Do You Poo During Labour?

When your baby has moved down the birth canal, the baby’s head puts pressure on the cervix and vagina. This causes a ‘Reflex’ called ‘The Fetal Ejection Reflex’ – and you can’t fight it. Your whole being is telling you to push. It feels like you urgently need to go to the toilet… You know that feeling when you are ‘Turtling’ where you are just sure you are going to shit yourself and you can’t stop it… that’s the feeling.

That reflex and the baby’s head pressing on any poo in the pipe is the reason there is more of a chance you will shit yourself, than not shitting yourself.

At the end of the day, urinating, pooing or letting fluffy off the chain may not be a spectator sport you’re usually involved in but you will be for a day (or maybe more!), and no one will even remember that part, or care when you do.

Still Worried About Pooing During Labour?

Do’s:

• Do ask other mums – it happens to most mothers during birthing and having the comfort that you won’t be alone might help you relax about it.
• Discuss it with your partner if you are worried…. a supportive and understanding birth partner will ease your worry.

Don’ts:

• Don’t take a laxative!  If your embarrassed about pooing during labour, having explosive diarrhoea during labour and super-shitting in your midwives face isn’t cool.
• Don’t worry – it is normal.  Midwives see it all the time and will just clean it up discretely.

Look you are giving birth to a baby. Shit happens. Enjoy your newborn!