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[here we are]

I tried to squat and I totally felt like veins in my groin were losing circulation. 1 of my yoga book says to practice with a pillow under your heels because squatting is good for other things. I just feel so big and I feel like squatting makes me feel like I am pushing all the pressure down. I really can't imagine how women in other places squat to cook and everything they do....

[ashleybrook]

i recently got a squatty potty which helps you imitate the squat while going to the bathroom :) and that lets you take the pressure off of having to actually hold the weight as well..

an easy way to do it is not to hold it as an exercise but to use it as a tool, for example instead of bending over. it's helpful if you're not used to it to only do it when you need to bend down near something you can hold onto. :) also you can stay on the balls of your feet, and not put your heels down if that is what you need. if you do it several times a day sporadically, but everyday--it gets easier pretty fast. i can now feel how my right calf is a lot more tight than my left...an odd thing i find, but i did discover it in my squat and noticed how good it feels on that right calf. 

to be honest i'm pretty inspired by my 2 year old who can hold a squat much longer than me--and is in and out of one all day long...without holding onto anything! i hope he doesn't loose it. so i try to squat and i try to sit on the floor with him and get my rear end off the couch! :) 

[here we are]

Ashleybrook, i was thinking of squatty potty too. Did u get the 7 inch or 9 inch? I was thinking 7, but since i am such a perfectionist i wanted to try measuring from the floor. I thought the higher one might be for taller people.

[rainbownurse]

Originally Posted by here we are 

Ashleybrook, i was thinking of squatty potty too. Did u get the 7 inch or 9 inch? I was thinking 7, but since i am such a perfectionist i wanted to try measuring from the floor. I thought the higher one might be for taller people.

It's actually the other way around, here we are. The shorter one is for taller people, the higher one is for shorter people. I guess I should say the shorter one is for people with longer legs, and the higher one is for people with shorter legs. 

[ashleybrook]

there is a great video on their website that describes how to choose size. i did measure to get an idea--i also used a stool we already had for a few days that was 6" to get an idea and i thought i needed a lot more. they have a deal now buy 2 get 1 free. i actually didn't need 3 because we only have 2 toilets but i did this just because i was pretty sure i wanted the 9, but i chose the extra to be a 7 just in case. at first the 9 seemed too high--but after 2 days or so it felt just right. i think they also recommend the 9 if you have higher toilets and if you are very flexible/used to squatting.

i love it :) 

[cynthiamoon]

The totally random direction this thread has taken reminds me of some public service announcements my friend photographed in South Africa in areas only beginning to get plumbing.

In glorious illustration they basically say "Don't stand on the toilet and squat over it to poop. It splatters and makes a nasty mess for all the people who may sit on it. The seat I for sitting."

I suppose squatting may have some benefits, and I suppose the stool takes care of any splatter risk because your bum is still on the seat, but still.

[dayiscoming2006]

When I was in Romania, many of the public bathrooms have holes with a marked out place for your feet - squat toilets I guess. When I first went there and saw them, I was like, what am I supposed to do with that? LOL  I must say, I'm not a fan. I don't have the muscles to hold a squat for those things and it was annoying. Also, such things as splatter... yeah, gross. One good thing is you didn't have to worry about the dirty toilet seat... hehe

Examples

Edited by dayiscoming2006 - 3/5/13 at 1:38pm

[cynthiamoon]

I used some of those squatting toilets in France. It was OK, but not comfy unless in a skirt. I will add though that when camping I am all about pooping outside.

[talldarkeyes]

I have a squatty potty and it does make things easier. The benefit is that it unkinks your colon. There are numerous benefits to squatting for pregnant women not the least of which is that it helps prevent a posterior baby and makes delivery easier. It is the birthing position of choice for most women throughtout the ages.

[talldarkeyes]

Also, if you are having trouble urinating in a squatting position without peeing on your pants/shoes you are simply doing it wrong. Stick your butt out instead.

[here we are]

So excited for more squatty potty encouragement, i gotta get mine ordered soon. Do peoples butts not end up on the toilet also? Like are you hovering? That makes me want the lower one. Okay, i am doing my measurements tomorrow. To those that have one, do you all use 9"?how tall are you? Anyone shortlegged? I better check back to their site. I really need decision making practice. My partner is tall so maybe we're different sizes..
If its so hard to squat now, I cant imagine birthing that way or just being bigger &squatting. How can that be?..wow., its so humbling.

[cynthiamoon]

At the midwifery center, they introduced the idea of how squatting for birth is popular worldwide with the added note of "because these women squat all day." It's an important point to remember! I'm actually trying to do gentle squats against the wall with one of those balance balls against my back. It's supposed to help us chair-sitters get the muscle tone for squatting in labor. Even if you can use a stool, I think it's worth it for the sake of third trimester mobility! How else will I reach anything on the lower half of the world?

[cynthiamoon]

At the midwifery center, they introduced the idea of how squatting for birth is popular worldwide with the added note of "because these women squat all day." It's an important point to remember! I'm actually trying to do gentle squats against the wall with one of those balance balls against my back. It's supposed to help us chair-sitters get the muscle tone for squatting in labor. Even if you can use a stool, I think it's worth it for the sake of third trimester mobility! How else will I reach anything on the lower half of the world?

[harmonious]

I like this article about squatting (and in fact this whole site has lots of good information for mamas, if you're into fitness/nutrition).  http://breakingmuscle.com/womens-fitness/stop-doing-kegels-real-pelvic-floor-advice-women-and-men

[talldarkeyes]

Originally Posted by cynthiamoon 

At the midwifery center, they introduced the idea of how squatting for birth is popular worldwide with the added note of "because these women squat all day." It's an important point to remember! I'm actually trying to do gentle squats against the wall with one of those balance balls against my back. It's supposed to help us chair-sitters get the muscle tone for squatting in labor. Even if you can use a stool, I think it's worth it for the sake of third trimester mobility! How else will I reach anything on the lower half of the world?

Absolutely! You should be squatting numerous times a day already. Also, birthing stools are handy for people who haven't developed extremely strong muscles for squatting.

Here we are, I am 6 ft. tall and I have the 7 inch. I believe they recommend that MOST people use the 7 inch not the 9. You can hover but you don't need to. The optimal position is achieved simply by having your knees higher than your hips.

[heyitskalista]

Man....I need to get on this!  Though somehow, I think my hubby will not approve of a squatty potty.  He's gone along with most of my crazy ideas...but I think he'll draw the line at changing his bathroom routine! ;)

I have crazy, awful hip pain...but I'll try doing some squats anyway!

[HopefullyMama]

Sorry, due date club crashing!

I'm not due until January, but I had a quick question: do you ladies that are familiar with the squatty potty think that it would make a suitable birthing stool / stool to help little ones use a big toilet?  

We have a TINY little bathroom, and I'm loathe to clutter it with more stuff, but I'm already having issues with constipation (TMI, sorry).  We plan to homebirth, and the idea of a birth stool really intrigues me.  If the squatty potty could be reasonably used as that, and then used for the little on in potty training....well it might be worth it to clutter up our bathroom just a bit :-)

Thanks in advance for your help!!!

[ashleybrook]

Originally Posted by HopefullyMama 

Sorry, due date club crashing!

I'm not due until January, but I had a quick question: do you ladies that are familiar with the squatty potty think that it would make a suitable birthing stool / stool to help little ones use a big toilet?  

We have a TINY little bathroom, and I'm loathe to clutter it with more stuff, but I'm already having issues with constipation (TMI, sorry).  We plan to homebirth, and the idea of a birth stool really intrigues me.  If the squatty potty could be reasonably used as that, and then used for the little on in potty training....well it might be worth it to clutter up our bathroom just a bit :-)

Thanks in advance for your help!!!

it definitely seems similar to the birthing stool we used from my midwife with my last birth. i was definitely thinking i could put it to use during the birth. and my 2 year old who is just starting to get into going to the potty puts his feet on it when he goes--he certainly isn't completely sturdy because he doesn't use the little toilet seat-- he wants to use what we use. so it helps, but i definitely still help him sit there. definitely as he gets bigger and with more use i think he'll still get a lot of use out of it too. his little feet already touch it and help him hold.

btw, my magic combination for constipation is magnesium, water and walking. it's always worked :) hope you get some relief!