There are plenty of books to read, podcasts to listen to and documentaries to watch to help prepare you for giving birth. But, despite all that preparation, there still seems to be so much that new mums find themselves surprised by once they've left the labour suite. And one of those things is using the loo – yep, who knew going for a number two could be so daunting? Thankfully, one expert is hoping to change all that, and she's just gone viral on TikTok for sharing her postpartum poop tips.
Speaking to her 113.7K followers, birth educator Amanda Gorman (who goes by the username @findingyourvillage on the platform) revealed the one thing she wishes she knew about going to the toilet after giving birth. "This is something I wish someone would have told me about before I had a baby postpartum," she started. "This is the stuff that they don't talk about enough, so I'm going to talk about it."
Gorman continued: "After you have a baby, take a stool softener, as directed. Ask your midwife or obstetrician, and of course, drink lots of water. Then, the moment that you feel like your body is saying, 'It's time to go', go!"
The birthing expert went on, "It's intimidating. It's scary, but holding in your poop is only going to make it more compact and worse when it comes out. There, I said it." In the comments section, other new mums thanked the expert for her advice, with one revealing that her first postpartum poop was "worse than labour."
According to the NHS website, "You probably won't have a poo for a few days after the birth, but it's important not to let yourself get constipated." To ensure this doesn't happen, the NHS recommends eating plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, salad, wholegrain cereals and wholemeal bread, as well as drinking plenty of water.
As for new mums who are concerned about tearing postpartum, the NHS advises this isn't something you need to worry about. "If you've had stitches, it's very unlikely you'll break them, or open up the cut or tear again," the NHS says. "It might feel better if you hold a pad of clean tissue over the stitches when pooing. Try not to strain."
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It's worth noting though, that if you have constipation that won't go away, or if you're pooing when you don't mean to, you should talk to your midwife or GP.
This article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
