Nervous about first BM after birth

[Shy0717]

Ok this is a little TMI but I figure I'm probably not the only person a little nervous about this. I only had a small 1st degree tear and have a few stitches down there but I am quite nervous about having my first post partum BM. Mind you I gave birth on Sunday morning and I still have yet to go. I've been eating pretty healthy and drinking tons of water so I'm hoping things will go well and there's no constipation. Anyone else nervous?? Anyone who's already BTDT and have any words of encouragement lol.

[beebalmmama]

I'm not in your ddc but I thought I'd respond anyway. And Congratulations on your new little one!!
I was so worried about this too the first time, but it really wasn't a big deal. I did the same as you eating well, a good amount of fiber. And drinking plenty of water which you should be doing if your bfing. I just waited until I didn't really have to push and just take your time.

[stanleymama]

fiber, stool softeners and lots of water and you will be fine. just take it easy and slow when you do first go.

[milkmamamerina]

I tore like the dickens with my firstborn. I took philips stool softener and waited until it was ready to go. with my second i just drank 6 oz of prune juice every couple of hours until I could go. I actually had less of a problem with the BM than with sex a few months later...but that's a whole other thread.

[mouthcave]

I tore a good bit and had a hemorrhoid (or two?) with my first and was terrified of pooping! BUT it wasn't bad at all! Keep up what you're doing and, like someone else said, just take your time, heh.

[Erinz]

first bm? Heck I was scared both times with the first pee! Had to do the first pee in the sitz bath! I did take colace stool softener both times. I'm not sure it did anything special physically but it certainly was a mental boost!

It's not as bad as you think it will be. I had a 2nd degree with my first.

eta: For the first week or so it felt so much better to provide some counter-pressure on my perenium! try that!

[Ianthe]

I was nervous too (my first time, have yet to be with this one).. I drank a cup of coffee one morning to help me get things going.. and brought a magazine in with me to help me relax enough to let go.

[boscopup]

My body has always softened things appropriately for me, so it wasn't bad at all.

[ihugtrees]

I was also terrified. I drank prune juice and the first one wasn't too terrible...peeing hurt worse on my small tear for the first 10 days or so then BMs. But I don't recommend the prune juice...when it finally went through my system, it wasn't processed at all, let's just put it that way!! I did get constipated after that though, and so I'm now doing white grape juice and a stool softener at the suggestion of my midwife. If you have hemorrhoids, she recommends shredded potatoes against the area!

[Alohamelly]

It always scares me. I just take my Colace and hope for the best!

[jessielove]

I'm getting kind of nervous about that now. Normally I would take stool softeners for the first few days and eat a higher fiber diet until things happened. The first time I gave birth I had a fourth degree tear and did none of those things... that first BM was worse than giving birth. I was stuck in the bathroom for a long time, in pain and listening to my baby cry because I wasn't physically able to stand to get him. That was a bad enough experience to scare me into taking the stool softeners and increasing the fiber with each of the others. I haven't been able to do that this time because I've been at the NICU with Ben, eating whatever travels well enough for family and friends to bring up to me - mostly sandwiches, salads, fruit and crackers. Great for energy, not so much for bowels. Ben is four days old today and I'm starting to get a bit nervous.

[ktmama]

I've always been a bit nervous too, but found that providing some perineum support helped so much - just like in birth. Good luck!

[WeasleyMum]

I was scared, too. Actually I was scared the second, third, and fourth time, too... I had 3rd-degree lacerations and was prescribed a heavy-duty stool softener. Gave birth on a Wednesday and didn't 'go' until Saturday with the "help" of the medicine, which seemed to me more like a laxative. It was OK. You will be OK too. Just take the stool softener, drink lots of water, and relax.

[Chronic Chrissy]

I tore and had a bm on day two. Was easy, easier than peeing at least. My advice, don't rush it, especially just to get it over with. If anything try to go as long as you can comfortably with the bm urges, that way you know everything is right there, packed and ready to go so to speak. And just relax, don't focus on getting evry last bit. Listen to your body and let it do it's work without your brain.