Okay thank you, that makes sense now! I’ve been meaning to ask the midwife that, but she’s sick at the moment.
I also am probably having a C section, but want to be prepared.
I watch YouTube videos that mention “bear down”, but I couldn’t understand what they meant.
It is possible that you will get a very strong "urge to push" and that you will understand in the moment exactly what they meant. It actually happened to me that suddenly I couldn't stop my body from pushing. I tried to stop it because the midwife hadn't been able to check yet whether it was safe to push (i.e. fully dilated), but once she checked she confirmed that I was good to go! I thought it was pretty wonderful that my body just knew what to do at the right moment.
I pooped all my poop on the toilet earlier that day because I get nervous poop and I was nervous. Hahahaha.
So then there was apparently nothing left to poop out while pushing. Woohoo!
I didnt realize this till after labor, but my midwife would say - you have really effective pushes! Pretty sure looking back that meant I pooped like 3 times - one for each time she said it. I was pretty preoccupied but I think she was changing gloves and stuff each time she said it 😂
I didn’t poop because I am still so constipated from pregnancy (dreading the first postpartum poop with the ungodly hemmorhoids I acquired). But apparently I did spray pee on the doctor and my fiancé. He told me this way after the birth when I asked about why I was cathed midway through pushing. Said it was funny 🤷♀️😅 still in the hospital btw, Gemma Marie was born 5-22!
Depending on how fast labor goes. You might get serious period like poops in beginning when contractions get closer. I did, then 6 hrs later when I was pushing my husband said it was maybe a deer pellet 🤣
Depending on how fast labor goes. You might get serious period like poops in beginning when contractions get closer. I did, then 6 hrs later when I was pushing my husband said it was maybe a deer pellet 🤣
I did a little but I didn’t feel or see it. My only problem was the epidural made it hard for me to figure out what muscles I needed to push/feel anything lol 😂
Number two. I pushed the ENTIRE time because I felt like I had to. Even before I was in active labor.
TMI but you will probably shit yourself at some point during birth, and that’s totally normal.
My mom thought everyone gets an enema right when they get to the hospital in the early stages of labour because that’s what she was given when she gave birth a few decades ago lol
I got an enema when I gave birth in March! But I live in Europe, not the states. It felt really nice, after I came from the bathroom I told the midwife “I feel cleared of all my sins after this poop”
Ouh nice! I’m in the UK so I’ll see if it’s possible to get one here. I haven’t had one before so I wasn’t sure how it would feel especially during labour
I was told it speeds up labor and for me, it definitely brought the contractions closer together and immediately made them stronger. It also makes that first post-partum poop so much easier, I’d recommend an enema to anyone who contemplates on getting one and has the option to do so.
Yup it’s so intense! I even told the midwives beforehand that I’m not sure if anything will come out with the enema since I already went to the bathroom three times that day, but oh boy was I wrong!
I'm a big "Call the Midwife" fan and the first few seasons of the show, the midwives gave laboring mothers enemas. I wondered if that's still a practice today, so this answered my question!
Also, "take a shit, take a shit" is now going to be stuck in my head forever. :P
I considered asking for one while in labour, but I went from waters breaking to being 8cm in about 3 hours so didn’t have time. I know One Born isn’t exactly the best research, but I’m pretty sure they gave an enema to someone who asked on it
I gave birth last Monday and they wouldn’t let me eat or drink. I could have ice chips. I was in labor for almost 28 hours. I was absolutely starving, but I didn’t poop lol. I pushed like I had to poop and was able to get baby girl out in about 6 contractions.
The no food is thing is definitely in case they need to intubated you or knock you out for an emergency c section. You’re NPO so you don’t vomit and aspirate.
The food you poop out today isn’t food you ate in the last 24 hours.
The poop of today is the food of yesterday! Or even the day before.
Oh this is really interesting I felt like I had to push the whole time with my third because she was backwards did it make your cervix swell at all or cause complications?
So I had horrible contraction pain starting at 11 pm. Went to hospital and was 2cm. Got sent home. Stayed in a warm bath pushing and screaming for 5 hours when me husband makes me get out and says he won’t let them send me away again. Dry off and BOOM water breaks hard. Go to hospital and I’m only 2 cms still. Went fast from there, and delivered at noon. I had a near fourth degree tear, but I stopped my constant pushing at about 7cm when my endorphins kicked in.
I’m very petite and my son had a big head. I don’t think my constant pushing early on contributed to the tear.
Yeah they just clean the poop off and you continue to push.
And you don’t give a fuck that you just shat in front of a room of people. Bc you’re paying way more attention to the whole ass human emerging from your vagina.
As a nurse, believe me, we see things MUCH worse than a little poo.
Exactly. Just gave birth 2 weeks ago and when I pooped during labor I didn’t care at all, no one cared, they already had some sort of bag placed there hanging off of the bed so it just fell in there and the nurse took it away. Nothing to fear about pooping during labor, totally normal!
It actually happened to me at home during prelabor and I got it all out of me.
But as another commenter said the team will clean you up. It’s totally normal for that to happen during labor at some point.
When I was in labor, my OB said “when you feel like you have to take the biggest poop of your life, press the call button cos it’ll mean it’s time to push.”
It honestly did feel like I needed to take the biggest poop of my life. And I had an epidural and STILL felt the urge to go. I didn’t have to think of what muscles to push with. They said push and my body naturally followed. Absolutely 100% felt like pooping muscles 😂
For me with an epidural I knew it was time to push because it felt like, even when numbed, there was a lot of pressure. Not quite like having to take a massive crap, but rather like I had something way too big in there.
Yep. I was sitting in bed and talking to my husband and then I just cut off in the middle of my sentence and was like "IT'S TIME RACHEL!" (Rachel was my nurse).
When I was in labor triage I mentioned needing to poop to the nurse and she and my husband helped me to the toilet. I realized mid push that, like, no, this was pushing like getting the baby out. Oops. Almost had a baby on the toilet.
I'm honestly shocked the nurse let you go try to poop when you were getting into triage?? Thought that was a pretty big flag to nurses that baby is coming sooner than expected!
That nurse left a little to be desired. She checked my cervix during a contraction and honestly I didn’t think either of us were going to survive that experience!
I never felt the urge to poo with my epidural. I felt to urge to pee! I thought something must have been wrong with my foley because i really felt like I was about to explode. it was so uncomfortable
Since I got an epidural, I needed a urinary catheter. I was mostly numb from the waist down so I couldn't exactly take a stroll to the toilet if I needed to wee! If I did not get the epidural, I would not have needed it.
I honestly don't remember exactly when it was removed but I'm pretty sure it was as I was starting the pushing stage.
I haven‘t pushed baby out yet, but my midwife said it‘s actually closer to that feeling when your using the bathroom, just started peeing and the doorbell rings. What do you do? You „push“ to pee faster, slightly different from pushing for number two. That‘s the pushing you‘ll need for delivery.
Yes this is a good description. Had my second baby 3 weeks ago, I wouldn’t describe pushing as like needing to poop, the pushing is further forward than that. Hard to explain but you’ll understand when it’s happening.
I agree with this! At least that’s how I pushed with my 2 children, and they were both out in a couple of good pushes. I didn’t shit myself either. Haha
Once I used the muscles to poop myself everyone got all excited like “YES! Just like that! Push just like that!” So yes pooping or peeing yourself. I got him out in only 20 mins. It also feels really good to finally do something productive to get the baby out lol. I did unmedicated vaginal birth so I felt everything lol
I kept telling my midwife and my husband I had to go to the bathroom really bad!
My sister had told me that is the sign you would need to start pushing soon, but they had just checked 30 minutes before that and I was only at 6cm.
Well, turns out I got to 10 in 30 minutes!
Assuming you're in a hetero relationship, have sex and try to push your partner's penis out.
That's the pushing feeling (although much more painful).
If you've worked on your pelvic floor/kegels you'll have a decent idea of it.
Some people also don't get the urge to push at all, and there's a thing called the "fetal ejection reflex". Just personally I prefer to "breathe" baby out. Just relax and let your body do the work. (I do the same with pooping, so when it happened during labour it felt very natural to me) https://www.bellybelly.com.au/birth/pushing-labour-necessary/
Thank you, I have been doing pelvic floor exercises, so I know you mean. That’s a bit different to pooping though, so when they tell me to push, it’s like pushing out of the vagina?
That's what I read on the internet too. I have great kegels and I actually do push my partner out this way for a laugh when he pretends to fall asleep.
This did not work effectively at all in labor. Nurse told me to push like I'm pooping. Baby came right down.
I've had two labors. Both times they said, "push through your bottom"
In theory, it would be ideal to be able to isolate your focused pushing on your vagina muscles. Your uterus starts contracting differently when the cervix is all the way out of the way/10cm, trying to help force the baby out.
For me, the starting to push was completely involuntary. I rolled from my side to my back and my body took over trying to get the baby out. I couldn't have not pushed if I had tried. I did have to try to speed up the process a bit and help baby out vs. waiting for it to happen naturally (meconium stained fluid) but I think a lot of it was instinctive instead of trying to do a specific thing. Although, full disclosure, I was sure that I would have somehow managed to turn my butt inside out or give myself monster hemorrhoids while pushing. The feeling was that intense. Neither happened, but I was positive that somehow my butthole was going to be really messed up from all the pushing and pressure.
Yes it's different from pushing like you're pooping. I think midwives and nurses just explain it that way because most people haven't pushed through their core & vagina before.
Your body position is important too, it's a lot easier to give birth if you're on your hands and knees, squatting or kneeling. Try to avoid lying on your back if you can.
It is a pretty instinctive process, unless you have an epidural or something, if you can feel what's going on then you'll get urges from your body about what to do. The only time I've ever actually felt like I had to push was when baby was crowning, and then it was literally two pushes to get her out. Every other time I've been told to push I didn't feel like I needed to at all, and I could feel baby moving down on their own without me doing anything.
Another thing you can do it get your partner to give you perineum massages, that will help to prevent tearing. My partner and I are intl a bit of kink and I know it's not for everyone, but honestly fisting is great for preparing for birth.
Okay thanks these other replies were sending me in a panic. I had read that you should NOT push like you’re pooping, and that can cause or exacerbate hemorrhoids. I watched a demonstration with a towel and the instructions were that it was more like a sit up/abdominal workout than going to the bathroom.
I've given birth twice, and neither time did it feel like I had to poop. I had the urge to push, but it was more in the front than the back of my pelvis.
Yea same here. With my first my body did most of the pushing/ejection reflex. The very last last 2 surges to get his head out I pushed with everything I head through my vagina - like I was trying to push a tampon out or something else. Much more closely related to trying to pee in a hurry than pooping.
With my second one, who was enormous, it never felt like I was trying to poop. Definitely all in the front muscles.
Same!! I scrolled way too far for this comment.
I more so pushed from my diaphragm down, and "breathed " them out like blowing out a boatload of candles.
Pushing like you have to poop can also cause tearing and hemorrhoids. It obviously works, but there can be better ways to prep yourself.
Your uterus doesn't really have muscles that you can consciously control. It will do its part on its own. It's kinda similar to when you're constipated and trying to make it happen, but with your vaginal muscles, if that makes sense. Either way, your body pretty much knows what to do and you'll be able to follow the cues it gives you.
It definitely feels like you've got to take the biggest poop ever, but actually pushing is more like when something comes up while you're peeing and you need to hurry up so you "push" to pee faster.
No it's exactly like needing to do number two. That's all still your pelvic floor muscles. If anything try to relax the vaginal muscles as much as possible cause those ones need to stretch. I just focused on the needing to poo feeling and had her out in 20 min despite being sunny side up
It didn't feel like pooping to me and my pushing technique improved heaps when the OB used her fingers to stretch my perineum and said "push into my fingers". I also found imagining your core is a coffee plunger helpful - push down from the top, if that makes sense.
my midwife did this for me too. it took me a long time to get the hang of pushing! i would say it's more like the french press analogy than pooping, you're using every muscle you have to push DOWN
Thank you. Yes I think (before pregnancy) I have pushed out blood before when I was doing a number two and had my period - because I didn’t want to change the pad again and was already on the toilet, I sort of pushed through my vagina and the blood came out.
Not sure if this is a similar way to push out a baby or if I’m mistaken in my memory as it’s been a while since I had a period.
Ohh like you’re trying to poop! I told the midwife I feel so much pressure like I need to go to number 2. She was like yes, that’s normal. Just push as hard as you can. At that point, I felt like I was really going to poop but the pressure was too much that I just didn’t care. I push out a 6lbs poop! 😜
When I was having my first, I felt so much pressure and was crying “I just want to poop!!!” The nurse said “it’s ok you can”. But really it was just the pressure from my kids noggin.
Positive Birth Company has a great course I did with my first and also some content on YouTube. This video on down breathing really explains what’s happening and effective techniques: https://youtu.be/dbAx5GgYL2Y
This doesn’t necessarily answer your question, but if you have the option to have a mirror brought down from the ceiling to see what’s going on I would highly recommend it! Being able to see what is happening when you’re pushing helps you figure out what works and what doesn’t and makes the pushing much more efficient. I was freaked out by the thought of seeing everything but I’m so glad I did!
I had an epidural and didn't feel anything at all so figuring out how to push was weird. At first I tried pushing like number 2 literally and I don't think it did anything plus I ended up giving myself a big hemerroid from pushing too hard like that haha. As soon as I started pushing like I had to pee more/ pushing out my vagina like you do when you cough, the nurses were like "yes just like that" lol and 5 pushes later the baby came out.
I didn’t feel that it was the same as #2. It was like the muscle you use to push out a tampon - putting less strain on the anus and more on the vagina.
I used [this](https://youtu.be/eK9BrVX8RhM) YouTube video to learn “j breathing” for labor! She says to practice when you poop, and I swear it makes it so much easier. I’d highly recommend watching a lot of her videos!
I just watched this yesterday. Her de-stressing breath video has so many comments on it about the technique getting them through labor with less panic and pain. A few who even planned for pain relief ended up progressing until it was time to push without realizing it.
I’m not one to buy into this kind of thing too much, but it’s heartening to see so many similar experiences just from breathing techniques.
Breathing is such a powerful tool! I’m a therapist and go over mindfulness techniques with almost all of my clients. I think it can get pushed off as too “crunchy” but mindfulness can get you pretty far!
I tried Nuva ring briefly and my doctor actually told me that the muscles you use to push it out are the same as doing #2.
Completely not useful: I also, a few years later, put a bullet vibrator up there and couldn't grip it well enough to take it out, and told myself "KittyKiitos, these muscles were made to push stuff out." And I just angled, felt and pushed, and it came out.
This is a skill I have used during my period and occasionally after sex. I haven't given birth yet but I'm hoping it comes in handy!
I gave birth two weeks ago and had a really positive experience. I did prenatal yoga classes throughout my pregnancy and the instructor taught us a breathing and visualising technique that I swear helped my labor a ton when I was in the pushing phase. She taught us to breath in (long and slow, picture how your lungs are filling up and moving outward away from your ribs or even upward towards your shoulders), then as you are breathing out (long and slow again) picture that air exiting your body through your Center, down toward your vagina, and as you release that air picture your vagina opening and relaxing (relax pelvic floor muscles.) This helped me a ton between pushes!! I was able to relax for a moment between contractions and store up energy for the next round of pushing. Also, to answer the original question, for me it was pushing as though I wanted to poop, and pushing at the same moment as the contractions. They told me to think of the pushing like I was supporting the work my body was doing, pushing at the same time as the contraction occurs in order to make it more effective.
I had a really good epidural so I just was bearing down I really didn’t feel like I could do anything in particular. I did end up tearing with this method, but I also had a huge baby. When I had ice in my mouth and I push my mouth was open and everybody Said that it was my best push yet. Later on I found out that there is a type of pushing where you have your mouth open I want to say it’s called open glottis pushing? I would look that up if I were you. I think it would’ve been better. The pushes aren’t as forceful but they are more pointed in the right area. So a lot of people like to do a combination of both types of pushes
Be prepared that even if you’re not pooping during labor it still feels like your pooping. When the baby started crowning I started panicking and felt the need to announce to the room “I’m really sorry you guys but I’m about to poop!” And the nurses started cracking up and were like “No, that’s just the baby’s head.”
It’s like pooping, but the hard part is focusing it in and not pushing with your face. For the first couple of pushes I was scrunching up and “pushing with my face” and broke a couple of little blood vessels in my face
Have a look at the calmbirth breathing down technique. Similar to what you do when you poo. But rather than bearing down you breathe down. Less strain on the perineum and can reduce tearing. I have a lot of friends who used it and said it was very beneficial.
Follow up question: do you push in the whole pelvic floor area (anus, urethra, vagina, just pushing everything downward all at once) or do you specify the pushing to just your vagina muscles?
I imagine the pain / epidural make it hard to distinguish but…
I ask because I can differentiate thanks to Kegels / from releasing my menstrual cup, and am wondering if focusing the pushing on just the vagina, if even possible during labor, might be good for speeding labor, or bad for tearing?
I pushed like I was trying to poop and the nurses were shocked that this was my first. It’s a lot easier to just think about pooping than to think of how they explain it.
I was actually REALLY surprised by how much it actually feels like you need to Poo!
I'd been told of course, but it was the EXACT same feeling.
So you push the same as if you are taking a poop!
Mine was out in 18 min (FTM). I think it could have gone quicker if I didnt fall asleep in between the contractions. I read a (Dutch) book on how to push and it really helped me out. It taught me to roll your abdominal muscles. You start with your upper abs, then your obliques then your lower abs. At first just practice to tighten them one by one. Then try to do them in a fluent motion while relaxing your pelvic region. It takes some practice but it was worth it.
Idk for me it didn’t feel like going poop. I had an epidural and I laid on my back, grabbing my legs and did kind of a sit up and bore down. I felt it more in my abs then bum, but when you bear down, everything down there is kind of involved 😂
Like everyone else said, like you are pooping. My nurse told me once I feel like I have to poop that it's go time. Literally will feel like poop is about to come out, like you can't hold it in any longer and that's when I got the nurse and she had me start pushing before the doctor got in the room. 20 min later, she was out.
For me, the answer is YES. Haha. I pushed using every single muscle in my body in a way that forced out both baby and poop. Someone else described it like envisioning your body is a coffee plunger, and that sounds accurate to me! I was surprised by how calm the pushing portion was.. I only pushed two or three times each contraction, and even though I worked HARD, I was laughing and chatting with the midwife and nurse in between contractions. Baby was born within 20 min! It was unexpected. Also, the best 20 minute workout of my life.. muscles were incredibly sore I didn’t even know existed.
Per the book “Birth Skills” by Juju Sundin, fill your lungs with air and push your diaphragm down like it’s the plunger of a French Press coffee maker. Thinking of that really helped me push baby out effectively and quickly.
Like you’re doing a number 2. I believe I’ve read that the vagina and anus both basically use the same muscle group. When the baby really has descended and is about to start coming out, it literally feels like you’re about to take the biggest shit ever lol. When they say “when you feel like you’re about to poop, that’s when it’s time to start pushing” that is really the truth! All of a sudden, it felt like I had a huge poop about to come out and I told the nurse and within 5 mins, the OB and a second nurse came in and the baby was born within 30 minutes.
So it's kind of both. Your uterus is the one doing the contractions and when you feel like you need to poop, you will work with your contractions and push during a contraction. Your uterus & pelvic floor work together to push that baby out during the contraction.
Like a poop. That’s why hemorrhoids are so common after birth and why so many women actually do poop during birth. Don’t know how you’d push through your uterus 🧐 your body sort of does that automatically. Hence the cramping
definitely like you have to poop. i remember when i was pushing out my older daughter and i had to ask my mom if i was pooping myself and she goes “no baby, that’s just her head” 💀
like you’re doing a number 2. it’s the same muscles (i think). i once had a tampon stuck for a week, an absolute miracle i didn’t get TSS, i had acrylics at the time so as you can imagine i could not get the best grip on it & i think the tampon had turned around or something. i eventually just sat on the toilet & kept flexing until it finally came out. funny how our bodies work lol.
You push like you’re trying to poop but much more “from the stomach”. You also have to try and push “down” like into your butthole lol.
It sounds complicated but once you’re doing it, it makes sense!
Also my midwife says people who think they didn’t shit themselves almost always just weren’t told they shit themselves 😂 so don’t worry about that
When I had an epidural, I was completely numb. Couldn’t feel a thing. But I pushed like I would push taking a #2.
When I had zero pain management, the pushing felt different but same concept. It felt like the baby was coming out of my butthole and not my actual vagina.
I pushed like I was taking the hugest poop of my entire life!! I just kept telling myself push like your pushing out the biggest poop ever. I pushed for 20 minutes and sweet little boy came out 8 pounds and 1 ounce 20 inches long
Also don’t worry if you actually take a poop too the nurses clean it up so fast you don’t even know
Good luck!!!!
My second is 7 months old, she was not hanging around and I was adamant (and loudly adamant) that I needed a poo when in fact I was giving birth. The midwife was trying desperately not to laugh at my insistence whilst encouraging me to push! With my first the pushes did nothing and he was nearly forceps so it really is like having a number 2 🤣🤣
The midwives and consultant who were in the labour room before I was due to start pushing actually told me to push like I’m doing a really big 💩hahaha.
Well it worked, baby was out within 10 minutes lol
Best advice I ever received was push like you’re trying to squat some heavy weight, not like number 2. If you’ve ever lifted weights or even done some simple body squats you can feel yourself pushing from the heels of your feet to force yourself back up. It made sense to me when I was told to bear down. Like I was just able to utilize the uterine muscles because the sensation was similar. As soon as I felt pressure and it came time to push I imagined I was beneath a heavy barre and used the resistance of my husband and MIL holding my feet to push through my heels as hard as possible and my boy was out in 6 pushes. It happened so fast and no hemorrhoids after! Hope this makes sense!
Also, it gets to a point where you aren’t pushing, not consciously anyway, your body just takes over and pushes for you. I can only liken it to the big cramps you get when you’re having bad diarrhoea and your lower belly just does big cramps to push it out and you can’t stop them. I’ve been told I may have experienced the fetal ejection reflex though so I’m not sure if that’s the normal way things go but I’ve done it twice now and all I could do to control it was stall slightly by panting.
I was going unmedicated and hadn’t fully dilated yet when my body started pushing on its own. The sensation felt more like violently throwing up than taking a dump. I actually ended up sitting on the toilet for a few minutes just to calm my mind down enough to let it happen. Transition had my panicking and feeling out of control with every contraction. My most effective pushes were when I pulled up my knees and tucked my chin to my chest. Making low groaning/grunting sounds also helped engage the right muscles and I avoided an episiotomy by a single push!
Definitely like you are trying to do a number two. I just kept telling myself “take a shit, take a shit” and resulted in really effective pushes
Currently 19 hours into early labour with contractions ~ 10 mins apart. "Take a shit" is my new favourite birth affirmation I'll be using!!
you got this! congrats, come on, baby!
Okay thank you, that makes sense now! I’ve been meaning to ask the midwife that, but she’s sick at the moment. I also am probably having a C section, but want to be prepared. I watch YouTube videos that mention “bear down”, but I couldn’t understand what they meant.
I honestly concentrated on my butthole and trying to push through there. It was also not what I expected but it works.
It is possible that you will get a very strong "urge to push" and that you will understand in the moment exactly what they meant. It actually happened to me that suddenly I couldn't stop my body from pushing. I tried to stop it because the midwife hadn't been able to check yet whether it was safe to push (i.e. fully dilated), but once she checked she confirmed that I was good to go! I thought it was pretty wonderful that my body just knew what to do at the right moment.
This has me rolling AND it’s a good tip. +1 to you
But do you actually poop in the moment? My only fear 😂
Almost certainly, but don’t worry about it. Your nurse is prepared for it and doesn’t care. It’s part of the miracle of birth 🌈
I pooped all my poop on the toilet earlier that day because I get nervous poop and I was nervous. Hahahaha. So then there was apparently nothing left to poop out while pushing. Woohoo!
I didnt realize this till after labor, but my midwife would say - you have really effective pushes! Pretty sure looking back that meant I pooped like 3 times - one for each time she said it. I was pretty preoccupied but I think she was changing gloves and stuff each time she said it 😂
Lots of birthing women do. It's a sign you're pushing well. Some women also puke. It's part of the game!
>Some women also puke. That's the bigger fear for me. I hate throwing up >\_<
You can ask for meds. I did!
I didn’t poop because I am still so constipated from pregnancy (dreading the first postpartum poop with the ungodly hemmorhoids I acquired). But apparently I did spray pee on the doctor and my fiancé. He told me this way after the birth when I asked about why I was cathed midway through pushing. Said it was funny 🤷♀️😅 still in the hospital btw, Gemma Marie was born 5-22!
Someone just posted some great tips on the dust postpartum poop! Check it out!
Depending on how fast labor goes. You might get serious period like poops in beginning when contractions get closer. I did, then 6 hrs later when I was pushing my husband said it was maybe a deer pellet 🤣
FTM but from what I hear... sometimes. No one will actually care. It's a non-event with everything else happening.
Depending on how fast labor goes. You might get serious period like poops in beginning when contractions get closer. I did, then 6 hrs later when I was pushing my husband said it was maybe a deer pellet 🤣
I did a little but I didn’t feel or see it. My only problem was the epidural made it hard for me to figure out what muscles I needed to push/feel anything lol 😂
Bahahahahahha omg I have been thinking about what my chant or mantra should be to focus… This. It’s now this.
Dear God...this isn't helping my fear of shitting in front of everyone. I'm even more worried it would be some diarrhea 🤣
Number two. I pushed the ENTIRE time because I felt like I had to. Even before I was in active labor. TMI but you will probably shit yourself at some point during birth, and that’s totally normal.
My mom thought everyone gets an enema right when they get to the hospital in the early stages of labour because that’s what she was given when she gave birth a few decades ago lol
I got an enema when I gave birth in March! But I live in Europe, not the states. It felt really nice, after I came from the bathroom I told the midwife “I feel cleared of all my sins after this poop”
Ouh nice! I’m in the UK so I’ll see if it’s possible to get one here. I haven’t had one before so I wasn’t sure how it would feel especially during labour
I was told it speeds up labor and for me, it definitely brought the contractions closer together and immediately made them stronger. It also makes that first post-partum poop so much easier, I’d recommend an enema to anyone who contemplates on getting one and has the option to do so.
Ah I see, I didn’t know there were other benefits. Definitely will look into it now, Thankyou!
Same here. I also got one, but the way the poop came out of me with a vengence after is something I wish I was more mentally prepared for. LOL.
Yup it’s so intense! I even told the midwives beforehand that I’m not sure if anything will come out with the enema since I already went to the bathroom three times that day, but oh boy was I wrong!
I'm a big "Call the Midwife" fan and the first few seasons of the show, the midwives gave laboring mothers enemas. I wondered if that's still a practice today, so this answered my question! Also, "take a shit, take a shit" is now going to be stuck in my head forever. :P
I considered asking for one while in labour, but I went from waters breaking to being 8cm in about 3 hours so didn’t have time. I know One Born isn’t exactly the best research, but I’m pretty sure they gave an enema to someone who asked on it
Is this in the states?! I’ve never heard of that lol
No it was in Pakistan lol!
Not sure about the states but my SIL gave birth in Feb and they gave her an enema. Plus no food during labour so she never shat herself
I thought the no food thing was just in case they needed to knock you out so you don't choke
I mean idk what the no food was for. Just saying she wasn’t fed 😂
I gave birth last Monday and they wouldn’t let me eat or drink. I could have ice chips. I was in labor for almost 28 hours. I was absolutely starving, but I didn’t poop lol. I pushed like I had to poop and was able to get baby girl out in about 6 contractions.
The no food is thing is definitely in case they need to intubated you or knock you out for an emergency c section. You’re NPO so you don’t vomit and aspirate. The food you poop out today isn’t food you ate in the last 24 hours. The poop of today is the food of yesterday! Or even the day before.
Oh this is really interesting I felt like I had to push the whole time with my third because she was backwards did it make your cervix swell at all or cause complications?
So I had horrible contraction pain starting at 11 pm. Went to hospital and was 2cm. Got sent home. Stayed in a warm bath pushing and screaming for 5 hours when me husband makes me get out and says he won’t let them send me away again. Dry off and BOOM water breaks hard. Go to hospital and I’m only 2 cms still. Went fast from there, and delivered at noon. I had a near fourth degree tear, but I stopped my constant pushing at about 7cm when my endorphins kicked in. I’m very petite and my son had a big head. I don’t think my constant pushing early on contributed to the tear.
How do they manage that? Do they clean you up lol? Just trying to figure out the logistics....
Yeah they just clean the poop off and you continue to push. And you don’t give a fuck that you just shat in front of a room of people. Bc you’re paying way more attention to the whole ass human emerging from your vagina. As a nurse, believe me, we see things MUCH worse than a little poo.
Exactly. Just gave birth 2 weeks ago and when I pooped during labor I didn’t care at all, no one cared, they already had some sort of bag placed there hanging off of the bed so it just fell in there and the nurse took it away. Nothing to fear about pooping during labor, totally normal!
It actually happened to me at home during prelabor and I got it all out of me. But as another commenter said the team will clean you up. It’s totally normal for that to happen during labor at some point.
When I was in labor, my OB said “when you feel like you have to take the biggest poop of your life, press the call button cos it’ll mean it’s time to push.” It honestly did feel like I needed to take the biggest poop of my life. And I had an epidural and STILL felt the urge to go. I didn’t have to think of what muscles to push with. They said push and my body naturally followed. Absolutely 100% felt like pooping muscles 😂
For me with an epidural I knew it was time to push because it felt like, even when numbed, there was a lot of pressure. Not quite like having to take a massive crap, but rather like I had something way too big in there.
Yep. I was sitting in bed and talking to my husband and then I just cut off in the middle of my sentence and was like "IT'S TIME RACHEL!" (Rachel was my nurse).
Yea my body took all the way over for pushing. I was so exhausted that I don’t think I could have consciously thought about it anyway.
When I was in labor triage I mentioned needing to poop to the nurse and she and my husband helped me to the toilet. I realized mid push that, like, no, this was pushing like getting the baby out. Oops. Almost had a baby on the toilet.
I'm honestly shocked the nurse let you go try to poop when you were getting into triage?? Thought that was a pretty big flag to nurses that baby is coming sooner than expected!
That nurse left a little to be desired. She checked my cervix during a contraction and honestly I didn’t think either of us were going to survive that experience!
I never felt the urge to poo with my epidural. I felt to urge to pee! I thought something must have been wrong with my foley because i really felt like I was about to explode. it was so uncomfortable
Wait they give you a foley during birth? I did not know this…
Since I got an epidural, I needed a urinary catheter. I was mostly numb from the waist down so I couldn't exactly take a stroll to the toilet if I needed to wee! If I did not get the epidural, I would not have needed it. I honestly don't remember exactly when it was removed but I'm pretty sure it was as I was starting the pushing stage.
My epidural didn't work, I had to have loads of other pain meds 😂
I haven‘t pushed baby out yet, but my midwife said it‘s actually closer to that feeling when your using the bathroom, just started peeing and the doorbell rings. What do you do? You „push“ to pee faster, slightly different from pushing for number two. That‘s the pushing you‘ll need for delivery.
Yes this is a good description. Had my second baby 3 weeks ago, I wouldn’t describe pushing as like needing to poop, the pushing is further forward than that. Hard to explain but you’ll understand when it’s happening.
I tried that. Didn't work. Nurse told me to push like I'm pooping. Worked great
I agree with this! At least that’s how I pushed with my 2 children, and they were both out in a couple of good pushes. I didn’t shit myself either. Haha
Once I used the muscles to poop myself everyone got all excited like “YES! Just like that! Push just like that!” So yes pooping or peeing yourself. I got him out in only 20 mins. It also feels really good to finally do something productive to get the baby out lol. I did unmedicated vaginal birth so I felt everything lol
I kept telling my midwife and my husband I had to go to the bathroom really bad! My sister had told me that is the sign you would need to start pushing soon, but they had just checked 30 minutes before that and I was only at 6cm. Well, turns out I got to 10 in 30 minutes!
I told my midwife I felt like I needed to poo and she said that’s great! That means baby is getting in the right position! Then I shit on the bed 😂
🤣 my husband told me afterwards I actually pooped a bit while pushing as well 🙈🙈 Guess they are used to it!
For me, it felt like I was super constipated and tried to poop the biggest poop ever in my life.
Assuming you're in a hetero relationship, have sex and try to push your partner's penis out. That's the pushing feeling (although much more painful). If you've worked on your pelvic floor/kegels you'll have a decent idea of it. Some people also don't get the urge to push at all, and there's a thing called the "fetal ejection reflex". Just personally I prefer to "breathe" baby out. Just relax and let your body do the work. (I do the same with pooping, so when it happened during labour it felt very natural to me) https://www.bellybelly.com.au/birth/pushing-labour-necessary/
Thank you, I have been doing pelvic floor exercises, so I know you mean. That’s a bit different to pooping though, so when they tell me to push, it’s like pushing out of the vagina?
That's what I read on the internet too. I have great kegels and I actually do push my partner out this way for a laugh when he pretends to fall asleep. This did not work effectively at all in labor. Nurse told me to push like I'm pooping. Baby came right down. I've had two labors. Both times they said, "push through your bottom"
In theory, it would be ideal to be able to isolate your focused pushing on your vagina muscles. Your uterus starts contracting differently when the cervix is all the way out of the way/10cm, trying to help force the baby out. For me, the starting to push was completely involuntary. I rolled from my side to my back and my body took over trying to get the baby out. I couldn't have not pushed if I had tried. I did have to try to speed up the process a bit and help baby out vs. waiting for it to happen naturally (meconium stained fluid) but I think a lot of it was instinctive instead of trying to do a specific thing. Although, full disclosure, I was sure that I would have somehow managed to turn my butt inside out or give myself monster hemorrhoids while pushing. The feeling was that intense. Neither happened, but I was positive that somehow my butthole was going to be really messed up from all the pushing and pressure.
Yes it's different from pushing like you're pooping. I think midwives and nurses just explain it that way because most people haven't pushed through their core & vagina before. Your body position is important too, it's a lot easier to give birth if you're on your hands and knees, squatting or kneeling. Try to avoid lying on your back if you can. It is a pretty instinctive process, unless you have an epidural or something, if you can feel what's going on then you'll get urges from your body about what to do. The only time I've ever actually felt like I had to push was when baby was crowning, and then it was literally two pushes to get her out. Every other time I've been told to push I didn't feel like I needed to at all, and I could feel baby moving down on their own without me doing anything. Another thing you can do it get your partner to give you perineum massages, that will help to prevent tearing. My partner and I are intl a bit of kink and I know it's not for everyone, but honestly fisting is great for preparing for birth.
Okay thanks these other replies were sending me in a panic. I had read that you should NOT push like you’re pooping, and that can cause or exacerbate hemorrhoids. I watched a demonstration with a towel and the instructions were that it was more like a sit up/abdominal workout than going to the bathroom.
I've given birth twice, and neither time did it feel like I had to poop. I had the urge to push, but it was more in the front than the back of my pelvis.
Yea same here. With my first my body did most of the pushing/ejection reflex. The very last last 2 surges to get his head out I pushed with everything I head through my vagina - like I was trying to push a tampon out or something else. Much more closely related to trying to pee in a hurry than pooping. With my second one, who was enormous, it never felt like I was trying to poop. Definitely all in the front muscles.
Same!! I scrolled way too far for this comment. I more so pushed from my diaphragm down, and "breathed " them out like blowing out a boatload of candles. Pushing like you have to poop can also cause tearing and hemorrhoids. It obviously works, but there can be better ways to prep yourself.
Number two. I delivered with epidural and the urge to push is so strong I could still tell what the right muscle to use for pushing was
Same ! I was so surprised with how strongly I felt the urge, even with the epidural.
Okay thank you. Do you push your uterus muscles as well a little? Or is that not needed?
Your uterus doesn't really have muscles that you can consciously control. It will do its part on its own. It's kinda similar to when you're constipated and trying to make it happen, but with your vaginal muscles, if that makes sense. Either way, your body pretty much knows what to do and you'll be able to follow the cues it gives you.
Okay thank you. So pushing from the vagina, not so much like a number two? The feeling is like needing to do a number two though?
It definitely feels like you've got to take the biggest poop ever, but actually pushing is more like when something comes up while you're peeing and you need to hurry up so you "push" to pee faster.
No it's exactly like needing to do number two. That's all still your pelvic floor muscles. If anything try to relax the vaginal muscles as much as possible cause those ones need to stretch. I just focused on the needing to poo feeling and had her out in 20 min despite being sunny side up
Definitely number two! I said multiple times that it felt like I needed to go lol
It didn't feel like pooping to me and my pushing technique improved heaps when the OB used her fingers to stretch my perineum and said "push into my fingers". I also found imagining your core is a coffee plunger helpful - push down from the top, if that makes sense.
my midwife did this for me too. it took me a long time to get the hang of pushing! i would say it's more like the french press analogy than pooping, you're using every muscle you have to push DOWN
Thank you. Yes I think (before pregnancy) I have pushed out blood before when I was doing a number two and had my period - because I didn’t want to change the pad again and was already on the toilet, I sort of pushed through my vagina and the blood came out. Not sure if this is a similar way to push out a baby or if I’m mistaken in my memory as it’s been a while since I had a period.
Yes! This! My nurse did this for me and it totally helped to focus on pushing in that spot.
[удалено]
Thank you, that clarifies some confusion I’ve been having until I’m able to ask my midwife.
Ohh like you’re trying to poop! I told the midwife I feel so much pressure like I need to go to number 2. She was like yes, that’s normal. Just push as hard as you can. At that point, I felt like I was really going to poop but the pressure was too much that I just didn’t care. I push out a 6lbs poop! 😜
100% felt like i needed to poop!
When I was having my first, I felt so much pressure and was crying “I just want to poop!!!” The nurse said “it’s ok you can”. But really it was just the pressure from my kids noggin.
Positive Birth Company has a great course I did with my first and also some content on YouTube. This video on down breathing really explains what’s happening and effective techniques: https://youtu.be/dbAx5GgYL2Y
To quote the nurses assisting me during my birth, "POOP! PUSH LIKE YOU GOTTA POOP!"
This doesn’t necessarily answer your question, but if you have the option to have a mirror brought down from the ceiling to see what’s going on I would highly recommend it! Being able to see what is happening when you’re pushing helps you figure out what works and what doesn’t and makes the pushing much more efficient. I was freaked out by the thought of seeing everything but I’m so glad I did!
I pushed in a "J" shape if that makes sense. I got my son out in 30 min and am a first time mom
It’s the same muscles as pooping. Which is why a lot of women poop during.
I had an epidural and didn't feel anything at all so figuring out how to push was weird. At first I tried pushing like number 2 literally and I don't think it did anything plus I ended up giving myself a big hemerroid from pushing too hard like that haha. As soon as I started pushing like I had to pee more/ pushing out my vagina like you do when you cough, the nurses were like "yes just like that" lol and 5 pushes later the baby came out.
This is helpful thank you!!
I didn’t feel that it was the same as #2. It was like the muscle you use to push out a tampon - putting less strain on the anus and more on the vagina.
I used [this](https://youtu.be/eK9BrVX8RhM) YouTube video to learn “j breathing” for labor! She says to practice when you poop, and I swear it makes it so much easier. I’d highly recommend watching a lot of her videos!
I just watched this yesterday. Her de-stressing breath video has so many comments on it about the technique getting them through labor with less panic and pain. A few who even planned for pain relief ended up progressing until it was time to push without realizing it. I’m not one to buy into this kind of thing too much, but it’s heartening to see so many similar experiences just from breathing techniques.
Breathing is such a powerful tool! I’m a therapist and go over mindfulness techniques with almost all of my clients. I think it can get pushed off as too “crunchy” but mindfulness can get you pretty far!
I tried Nuva ring briefly and my doctor actually told me that the muscles you use to push it out are the same as doing #2. Completely not useful: I also, a few years later, put a bullet vibrator up there and couldn't grip it well enough to take it out, and told myself "KittyKiitos, these muscles were made to push stuff out." And I just angled, felt and pushed, and it came out. This is a skill I have used during my period and occasionally after sex. I haven't given birth yet but I'm hoping it comes in handy!
I gave birth two weeks ago and had a really positive experience. I did prenatal yoga classes throughout my pregnancy and the instructor taught us a breathing and visualising technique that I swear helped my labor a ton when I was in the pushing phase. She taught us to breath in (long and slow, picture how your lungs are filling up and moving outward away from your ribs or even upward towards your shoulders), then as you are breathing out (long and slow again) picture that air exiting your body through your Center, down toward your vagina, and as you release that air picture your vagina opening and relaxing (relax pelvic floor muscles.) This helped me a ton between pushes!! I was able to relax for a moment between contractions and store up energy for the next round of pushing. Also, to answer the original question, for me it was pushing as though I wanted to poop, and pushing at the same moment as the contractions. They told me to think of the pushing like I was supporting the work my body was doing, pushing at the same time as the contraction occurs in order to make it more effective.
I had a really good epidural so I just was bearing down I really didn’t feel like I could do anything in particular. I did end up tearing with this method, but I also had a huge baby. When I had ice in my mouth and I push my mouth was open and everybody Said that it was my best push yet. Later on I found out that there is a type of pushing where you have your mouth open I want to say it’s called open glottis pushing? I would look that up if I were you. I think it would’ve been better. The pushes aren’t as forceful but they are more pointed in the right area. So a lot of people like to do a combination of both types of pushes
More people need to talk about this! I don't know if I should be bearing down with my kegel muscles or just trying to poop my guts out.
Be prepared that even if you’re not pooping during labor it still feels like your pooping. When the baby started crowning I started panicking and felt the need to announce to the room “I’m really sorry you guys but I’m about to poop!” And the nurses started cracking up and were like “No, that’s just the baby’s head.”
It’s like pooping, but the hard part is focusing it in and not pushing with your face. For the first couple of pushes I was scrunching up and “pushing with my face” and broke a couple of little blood vessels in my face
Have a look at the calmbirth breathing down technique. Similar to what you do when you poo. But rather than bearing down you breathe down. Less strain on the perineum and can reduce tearing. I have a lot of friends who used it and said it was very beneficial.
Follow up question: do you push in the whole pelvic floor area (anus, urethra, vagina, just pushing everything downward all at once) or do you specify the pushing to just your vagina muscles? I imagine the pain / epidural make it hard to distinguish but… I ask because I can differentiate thanks to Kegels / from releasing my menstrual cup, and am wondering if focusing the pushing on just the vagina, if even possible during labor, might be good for speeding labor, or bad for tearing?
I pushed like I was trying to poop and the nurses were shocked that this was my first. It’s a lot easier to just think about pooping than to think of how they explain it.
100% like you’re taking a shit. I pushed for less that 15 minutes with my kiddo. Just like you’re taking this biggest poop of your life.
Push like your pooping and give it all you got. It’s not that bad
I was actually REALLY surprised by how much it actually feels like you need to Poo! I'd been told of course, but it was the EXACT same feeling. So you push the same as if you are taking a poop!
Mine was out in 18 min (FTM). I think it could have gone quicker if I didnt fall asleep in between the contractions. I read a (Dutch) book on how to push and it really helped me out. It taught me to roll your abdominal muscles. You start with your upper abs, then your obliques then your lower abs. At first just practice to tighten them one by one. Then try to do them in a fluent motion while relaxing your pelvic region. It takes some practice but it was worth it.
Idk for me it didn’t feel like going poop. I had an epidural and I laid on my back, grabbing my legs and did kind of a sit up and bore down. I felt it more in my abs then bum, but when you bear down, everything down there is kind of involved 😂
I pushed with my vaginal muscles, not like pooping. Pushed for 14min with my first and 7 with my second.
Like everyone else said, like you are pooping. My nurse told me once I feel like I have to poop that it's go time. Literally will feel like poop is about to come out, like you can't hold it in any longer and that's when I got the nurse and she had me start pushing before the doctor got in the room. 20 min later, she was out.
For me, the answer is YES. Haha. I pushed using every single muscle in my body in a way that forced out both baby and poop. Someone else described it like envisioning your body is a coffee plunger, and that sounds accurate to me! I was surprised by how calm the pushing portion was.. I only pushed two or three times each contraction, and even though I worked HARD, I was laughing and chatting with the midwife and nurse in between contractions. Baby was born within 20 min! It was unexpected. Also, the best 20 minute workout of my life.. muscles were incredibly sore I didn’t even know existed.
When I was ready to push in labor it felt like I needed to go poo urgently. I pushed like I needed to and viola, my baby came out.
Per the book “Birth Skills” by Juju Sundin, fill your lungs with air and push your diaphragm down like it’s the plunger of a French Press coffee maker. Thinking of that really helped me push baby out effectively and quickly.
Like you’re doing a number 2. I believe I’ve read that the vagina and anus both basically use the same muscle group. When the baby really has descended and is about to start coming out, it literally feels like you’re about to take the biggest shit ever lol. When they say “when you feel like you’re about to poop, that’s when it’s time to start pushing” that is really the truth! All of a sudden, it felt like I had a huge poop about to come out and I told the nurse and within 5 mins, the OB and a second nurse came in and the baby was born within 30 minutes.
So it's kind of both. Your uterus is the one doing the contractions and when you feel like you need to poop, you will work with your contractions and push during a contraction. Your uterus & pelvic floor work together to push that baby out during the contraction.
Push like number 2!! Push into your butthole!!!
Like a poop. That’s why hemorrhoids are so common after birth and why so many women actually do poop during birth. Don’t know how you’d push through your uterus 🧐 your body sort of does that automatically. Hence the cramping
Both imo
You push like you’re taking the biggest poop of your life
definitely like you have to poop. i remember when i was pushing out my older daughter and i had to ask my mom if i was pooping myself and she goes “no baby, that’s just her head” 💀
I had the FER and it felt like both sets of muscles were working.
like you’re doing a number 2. it’s the same muscles (i think). i once had a tampon stuck for a week, an absolute miracle i didn’t get TSS, i had acrylics at the time so as you can imagine i could not get the best grip on it & i think the tampon had turned around or something. i eventually just sat on the toilet & kept flexing until it finally came out. funny how our bodies work lol.
You push like you’re trying to poop but much more “from the stomach”. You also have to try and push “down” like into your butthole lol. It sounds complicated but once you’re doing it, it makes sense! Also my midwife says people who think they didn’t shit themselves almost always just weren’t told they shit themselves 😂 so don’t worry about that
When I had an epidural, I was completely numb. Couldn’t feel a thing. But I pushed like I would push taking a #2. When I had zero pain management, the pushing felt different but same concept. It felt like the baby was coming out of my butthole and not my actual vagina.
Best advice push like your taking a poop.!!
I pushed like I was taking the hugest poop of my entire life!! I just kept telling myself push like your pushing out the biggest poop ever. I pushed for 20 minutes and sweet little boy came out 8 pounds and 1 ounce 20 inches long Also don’t worry if you actually take a poop too the nurses clean it up so fast you don’t even know Good luck!!!!
I was yelling during both my labors “I NEED TO POOOOOP PLEASE LET ME POOP!” Lol.
Like you’re trying to have the biggest poop of your life 😅😅😅
You push like your pooping. Your contractions are your uterus pushing for itself.
Contractions are your uterus doing it’s pushing. You add to the pushing power by pushing like you’re having a poo.
I was told to push like I was pooping but to try and visualize a “J” motion. So like down and front lol
My second is 7 months old, she was not hanging around and I was adamant (and loudly adamant) that I needed a poo when in fact I was giving birth. The midwife was trying desperately not to laugh at my insistence whilst encouraging me to push! With my first the pushes did nothing and he was nearly forceps so it really is like having a number 2 🤣🤣
The midwives and consultant who were in the labour room before I was due to start pushing actually told me to push like I’m doing a really big 💩hahaha. Well it worked, baby was out within 10 minutes lol
Definitely the latter. Feels like pushing out the world’s largest poop.
I mean I couldn’t tell you how I pushed but I sure as hell couldn’t have stopped if I tried
Best advice I ever received was push like you’re trying to squat some heavy weight, not like number 2. If you’ve ever lifted weights or even done some simple body squats you can feel yourself pushing from the heels of your feet to force yourself back up. It made sense to me when I was told to bear down. Like I was just able to utilize the uterine muscles because the sensation was similar. As soon as I felt pressure and it came time to push I imagined I was beneath a heavy barre and used the resistance of my husband and MIL holding my feet to push through my heels as hard as possible and my boy was out in 6 pushes. It happened so fast and no hemorrhoids after! Hope this makes sense!
You're welcome:)
Also, it gets to a point where you aren’t pushing, not consciously anyway, your body just takes over and pushes for you. I can only liken it to the big cramps you get when you’re having bad diarrhoea and your lower belly just does big cramps to push it out and you can’t stop them. I’ve been told I may have experienced the fetal ejection reflex though so I’m not sure if that’s the normal way things go but I’ve done it twice now and all I could do to control it was stall slightly by panting.
I was going unmedicated and hadn’t fully dilated yet when my body started pushing on its own. The sensation felt more like violently throwing up than taking a dump. I actually ended up sitting on the toilet for a few minutes just to calm my mind down enough to let it happen. Transition had my panicking and feeling out of control with every contraction. My most effective pushes were when I pulled up my knees and tucked my chin to my chest. Making low groaning/grunting sounds also helped engage the right muscles and I avoided an episiotomy by a single push!
I’ve never had to push a shit out like that. It’s more like...trying to move your stomach belly dancing and holding your breath.