After watching hundreds of people come out of people, what I know to be true about pooping in labor is this:
Nurses are ninjas and I RARELY see it--but 99% of you do it. TRUTH.
Almost all of the families I support evacuate their bowels at some point in labor. Picture the rectum, the cervix and the bladder as three super closer friends-- who always want to be up in each other’s business. They decide to throw a party, but that party is in a broom closet. Now picture a baby who has serious FOMO and is pressing in on all of those friends because they want to join the party too… ya’ll the party is big and the room is small. There is nowhere for anyone to go but out. So just as satisfying as it is to squeeze that last little bit of toothpaste out of the tube-- so it is similarly satisfying for your baby to squeeze every little bit of liquid and matter out of the way in order to make space for their arrival. It’s normal, it’s physiologically necessary and an outward sign that shows your care team you’re progressing farther toward delivery. We get pumped, your baby gets closer to the exit and you get to feel just a little bit lighter ;).
Curious what others on the Brave Birth Team have to say about pooping in labor?
Nicolette Wessling of @bravebirthdoulacare says, “My favorite resource on pushing is from the book Mindful Birthing, by Nancy Bardacke. She has a section on “mindful pooping” that helps families connect to the muscles they’ll use in their pelvic floors.”
Rachael Wilson of @milkandthistledoula says, “I had a birthing person tell me that she will be really good at birthing because she is really good at pooping. And what do you know, she leaned against her counter and pushed her giant baby out with no direction from us and no tearing. Badass. So that’s my affirmation on pooping! Also very encouraging knowing we are establishing baby’s microbiome and initial immunity! I did not know til the other day that although babies receive prebiotics gestationally, they don’t actually have any bacterial flora until it’s established through birth. I just finished a book that encouraged me called Brain Health From Birth and the last chapter is all about the microbiome.”
Tanya Hladick of @tanyadoulaphotographer says, “I like to reassure them that none of their practitioners will even bat an eye when poop happens. Pooping is a sign that they’re pushing effectively.”
Jennifer Lunceford says, “I explain ahead of time what the sensations might be and remind them what a great symptom of delivery it is, that their care team is very adept at disposing of it quickly-- either by changing the disposable pad underneath or using a cloth to whisk it away so that you can focus. Sh*t happens in birth. Practice pushing when you poo, it’s all about release.”
Barb Buckner-Suarez of @bbucknersuarez says, “I make sure they know that pretty much 100% of folks are gonna poop at least a little bit when they're pushing their baby out because the there's just not much real estate when it comes time. Also, I encourage them prenatally to start thinking every time they poop, "This is what it's going to feel like when I'm pushing out my babe" because the brain will do this weird thing of like, "Wrong hole! Wrong hole!" and inadvertently, they will hold back and that makes the pushing stage WAY longer than it has to be. Lastly, folks need really good guidance when pushing so they know they're making progress. I think the brain is expecting to be able to feel different body parts moving through - but it's a solid wall of pressure until the head is delivered. So they need to know that and then have someone tell them they are making good progress throughout (shortens 2nd stage for sure!)”
