Pooping During Labor: What You Should Know

When it comes to delivery, there is a lot to expect. But nothing ever prepares anyone for this, especially without a prior heads-up: Pooping during labor.

Every mom-to-be has her hopes high up, singing soothing lullabies to get her newborn to sleep, the first word, and many other adorable moments of sharing life with her baby. But pooping in the middle of labor? That’s certainly off the radar in those moments when the happy possibilities of motherhood flood your imagination.

The truth remains that repeatedly thinking through the labor process does not help much. Amidst all the fretting and worrying about what could go wrong, pooping during delivery is not something many people like to talk about.

For obvious reasons, this is a much-avoided topic and no expectant mom wants it to happen. However, it is a reality that is more common than many women will readily acknowledge.

It is often said that the biggest fear for most moms is not that they have to push a baby out of her vagina. Rather, it is pooping at the very same time, more so in the presence of many other people.

But then, is pushing and pooping at the same time in any way normal?

Ironically, yes! Pooping during labor happens because the same muscles required for bowel movement are used when pushing out your baby. The act of pushing and the weight of the baby, when combined, exert extra pressure on the colon and rectum (the final parts of the human digestive system). In other words, it is a sign that you’re pushing right. When this is the case, you are probably going to let something slip.

The secretion of hormones called prostaglandins, which indicate early signs of labor may also cause diarrhea or loose bowel movement, making you susceptible to pooping during delivery.

Is pooping during labor preventable?

Because there is no way to predict what direction deliveries could go, there is no guarantee that you won’t poop during labor when the time comes. Using your mom’s or sister’s birth experience to estimate what yours would look like is a tall bet.

Pregnancies are such that each experience – even for an individual woman – is different. If your first two births are different from the third, what guarantee is there that it’ll bear any semblance with a family member?

At best, you can prepare yourself for the possibility, and if it does not eventually happen, you’re good all the same.

You might be thinking, ‘I’m going to have an epidural; so that rules out the possibility of pooping. Well, because epidurals involve numbing the lower part of the body, you won’t be feeling the sensation that you need to go. However, the chances are that your body may release any residual poop in your body if need be.

While it may occur multiple times during delivery, pooping during labor most commonly happens in active labor before crowning (that is, when the baby’s head becomes visible).

Resisting potential bowel movement is counter-productive as it may fight what your body is trying to do, and may even increase the pushing time. Needless to say, prolonged labor is neither in you or your baby’s interest.

Therefore, it is advised to allow your body to let go even if it involves taking a dump right there. And if you do hold out, remember that you can only do so for so long. Nature will prevail eventually and follow its course. So, it pays to get it over with, in good time, right?

Tips to help you handle pooping during labor…if it happens

Don’t feel bad about it. Acknowledge it as a part of the process to bring your baby into the world.
Concerned about the health workers attending to you? Never mind, this is most likely a daily occurrence for them. Their priority is getting your baby our safe and sound, and it should be yours, too.
It is good for your baby in the long run. Pooping during labor is beneficial for babies as it helps them develop their microbiome, the bacteria that live on and in people, aiding everything from digestion to immunity. Importantly, we must state here that newborn babies do not have microbiomes.

Scared your partner will be grossed out?

Not to worry, there are more things that are more strange, like how exposed the about-to-be mom is among so many people (because some women deliver stark naked). In some cases, it may be more difficult for partners or spouses to observe the cutting of the umbilical cord, amniotic fluid, splattering blood, and vaginal tearing than poop.

On the flip side, some dads are too stunned to be piqued. They are surprised by the depth of their emotions, and many believe that their baby’s birth was the most moving experience of life.

While it is normal to find that you’re afraid of pooping during labor, don’t beat yourself up about it. Do talk to an informed professional – your ob-gyn, a counselor or therapist, a childbirth educator, or a doula, all of whom can offer you the needed support. Ultimately, your birth experience is what you make you of it.