The Huffington Post

Labour Poos Are Normal. In Fact, They're 'Reassuring' For Midwives

A mammoth three-quarters (75%) of women fear doing an involuntary poo while giving birth, according to a new survey. Yet it’s actually a really positive sign – it means you’re engaging all the muscles and reflexes needed to push your baby through the exit. I’ve been there and I didn’t even know it had happened. My partner kindly filled me in on all the details after (it was a water birth, so a fishing net was needed). According to new research from Andrex , almost one in six women (16%) say they would never talk about the labour poo with anyone, and just 8% openly discuss it. Almost three-quarters (74%) are embarrassed to poo in front of medical staff. The loo roll brand has joined forces with comedian (and fellow birth-pooer) Katherine Ryan to break the stigma of the labour poo. Katherine said it’s “so important” to talk about it because “if any fear holds you back from pushing, you could have a longer and more complicated labour”. How common is it to poo during labour/birth? Marie Louise , also known as The Modern Midwife, told HuffPost UK in her experience attending births, passing stool(s) during labour and birth is “extremely common”. “While it’s difficult to put an exact percentage on it because it often happens discreetly, in my experience I would estimate that it occurs in more than 50% of vaginal births,” she said. She adds that from a midwife’s perspective, “it’s one of the most normal and least remarkable parts of labour”. Why do we poo during birth? It all comes down to physiology. “As your baby moves down through the pelvis, their head places significant pressure on the rectum, which sits directly behind the vagina,” said the author of The Modern Midwife’s Guide to Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond. “At the same time, the powerful downward contractions and involuntary bearing down reflexes that help birth your baby also put pressure on your rectum and can push poo out.” The midwife said a labour poo can “often be a reassuring sign for midwives”. “It tells us that the baby is descending well through the pelvis as if should be. Many midwives will tell you that when a woman starts saying, ‘I feel like I need a poo,’ it can usually be a good sign that birth is approaching and we will soon meet a baby,” she added. Health professionals see this every day For those three-quarters of women who fear the labour poo, Marie Louise said she gets it, but wants people to remember that midwives, obstetricians and maternity staff “see this every day and it barely registers as something noteworthy”. “If you asked me to remember the faces of women that had and had not pooed, I couldn’t,” she added. “I couldn’t put a face to a poo. Not one! “Our focus is entirely on supporting you and your baby safely through the birth process.” And if you do happen to evacuate your bowels during the birth process, it’s usually cleaned away quickly and discreetly, sometimes without you even realising. Related... Medical Expert Reveals What Happens During A C-Section Birth The Length Of Time Poop Stays In Your Body May Affect Your Health Popcorn, Gum, And Three Other Unexpected Foods To Help You Poop