You might think that after you have given birth to your baby, passing anything out of your body must be an easy task. However, this is not true. For some women, passing the first bowel movement after the labour is extremely difficult.
The difficulties in carrying out bowel movements after birth can be the body’s physical and mental reactions to the labour. Your body has just passed a very large object from a very tiny hole. The muscles involved in this are the same one involved during bowel movements. After the labour, these muscles are weakened and they need some time to recover.
Another reason for this difficulty might be the light meals a woman eats during labour. For different women, the duration of labour is different. For some, it is over in a couple of hours while some others take more than 24 hours. During this time, the only food they are allowed is popsicles and Jell-O and these foods do not lead to a hearty bowel movement.
Also, for some women, passing a bowel movement when they are sharing a room with another patient can be difficult.
READ: Bladder & Bowel Issues During Pregnancy
Bowel movements are important for maintaining optimal health. But, you can’t just rush it. You need to give your body some time to work naturally and eliminate waste. The first couple of bowel movements will be difficult but they will get easier with time.
The only way to treat difficult bowel movements after pregnancy is through good eating and drinking habits. To ensure healthy bowel after pregnancy, you need to pair up your high-fibre food with a lot of water. Eating whole grains and green leafy vegetables will help you pass the stool easily out of the body. For making your first bowel movement less uncomfortable, you can use some mild laxatives and stool relaxers.
