Is it bad to push when pooping while pregnant

Will Straining When I Poop Hurt My Baby?

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Will it affect your baby at all?

Updated: May 25, 2021

Originally Published: June 15, 2016

For plenty of people, pregnancy and digestive issues seem to go hand-in-hand, sometimes to a concerning degree. So to put it bluntly, will straining when you poop hurt the baby? It’s a real question for many people who are expecting a baby and experiencing serious gastro issues.

For most pregnancies that are progressing without any issues, it isn’t a huge concern. “Straining won’t harm the baby, but it can lead to hemorrhoids and anal fissures which can be very painful and uncomfortable for mom,” Dr. Zachary Hamilton, board certified OB/GYN at Austin Regional Clinic in Austin, Texas, tells Romper in an email. Although not a serious health risk, hemorrhoids can be quite painful. There are ways to help avoid hemorrhoids during pregnancy, however, such as getting enough fiber and staying hydrated. If you do get them, hemorrhoids are generally not difficult to treat, and even a simple sitz bath can help improve them considerably, according to a study in Women and Birth: Journal of the Australian College of Midwives.

There are some other potential health issues associated with difficult trips to the bathroom, however. For instance, “straining a lot or for long duration actually can reduce blood flow to the pregnant person's heart and head and cause dizziness,” Dr. Rebecca Levy-Gantt, Premier ObGyn Napa Inc., author of Womb With A View: Tales from the Delivery, Emergency and Operating Rooms , tells Romper. Pregnant people who experience low blood pressure, or a history of heart problems, may want to be especially aware of this possibility, as Dr. Levy-Gantt further explains.

And even if you are experiencing difficulty going to the bathroom, remember that your baby is in a whole other part of the body. “The rectum sits beneath the vagina and would not transmit too much pressure to the placenta,” Dr. Kim Langdon, MD, an OB/GYN, tells Romper. “Furthermore, the intrauterine contents are a closed system and do not experience the intra-abdominal pressure changes associated with bearing down or straining.” Even if you’re having a *bad* time, the baby probably won’t even know.

Those with certain health conditions, however, may want to know more about whether straining could be potentially harmful. “There are certain pregnancy complications that make straining more dangerous. Those include placenta previa (when the placenta low and is over the cervix) because it could cause bleeding, preterm labor, or problems with the cervix such as women who have a cerclage,” Dr. Kelly Culwell, board certified OB/GYN tells Romper. If you are experiencing these or any other complications during pregnancy, then talk about whether straining may potentially be problematic with your physician.

“Bowel problems like constipation are common because the hormones of pregnancy (especially Progesterone, which relaxes the smooth muscles in the body) often slow down metabolism, and that causes the intestines also to be more sluggish,” says Dr. Levy-Gantt. “That can cause gas to build up, and cause constipation.” You’re hardly the first pregnant person to deal with stomach issues, if that’s any consolation.

Thankfully, the doctors have some advice about easing your stomach issues while expecting. “Move around! Staying active can help keep your bowels active. Eat a balanced diet that includes fiber. Stay well hydrated and if you’re still having trouble with bowel movements, talk to your doctor,” says Dr. Hamilton. “A stool softener might help move everything along as well and is generally considered safe in pregnancy. ” In other words, don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor about issues with straining while you poop during pregnancy, because it’s often a common and manageable issue.

Studies Referenced:

Shirah BH, Shirah HA, Fallata AH, Alobidy SN, Hawsawi MMA. Hemorrhoids during pregnancy: Sitz bath vs. ano-rectal cream: A comparative prospective study of two conservative treatment protocols. Women Birth. 2018 Aug;31(4):e272-e277. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2017.10.003. Epub 2017 Oct 18. PMID: 29055673.

Experts:

Dr. Kelly Culwell (AKA Dr. Lady Doctor) Board Certified OB/GYN

Dr. Zachary Hamilton, board certified OB/GYN, Austin Regional Clinic in Austin, Texas

Dr. Kim Langdon, MD, an OB/GYN

Dr. Rebecca Levy-Gantt, Premier ObGyn Napa Inc., author of Womb With A View: Tales from the Delivery, Emergency and Operating Rooms

This article was originally published on June 15, 2016

Here's what you need to know

As we know, pregnancy is a massive time of change. The size of your breasts, abdomen, the rate at which you breathe, the amount you pee (never-ending), and your bowels are all affected when creating a new life. 

Let’s face it, talking about the bowel isn’t really a top priority of most during pregnancy, as it’s far more exciting to discuss topics such as baby names and pram choices. However, the one thing I always discuss with all my pregnant patients is the changes to the bowel and how to “poop like a Pro”. 

For many pregnant women the speed of the bowel changes, and for the majority, it slows right down becoming more difficult and harder to empty. There are a number of reasons for this:

1. Hormones: they affect the smooth muscle in the bowel wall making them a little floppier and not as efficient. 
   
2. Compression: the placenta, foetus and amniotic fluid add pressure, making it even harder to propel down
   
3. Reduced movement: exercise helps move along your bowel movements. During pregnancy, you typically move around less, which also means less bowel stimulation.
   
4. Drinking less water in the 1st trimester due to nausea and vomiting: This creates less hydrated stools, making them dryer and harder to pass through the gut.
   
5. Supplements containing iron: These can have a constipating effect. All pregnancy multivitamins contain some iron, so if your iron levels are normal, and you are suffering severe bowel issues, it may be worth changing to take only the supplements you need. There are also iron supplements that are gentler on the gut so this is worth speaking to your health care providers about.
   
6. Dietary changes of pregnancy mean there is often fewer fibrous foods and more starchy comfort foods, contributing to a more sluggish bowel.

Now all of these changes mean that straining to go to the bathroom often becomes a part of the process, and many women think it’s no big deal.

However, one of the biggest risk factors for long term pelvic floor issues such as incontinence, prolapse and haemorrhoids is straining to open the bowels, and straining through pregnancy will start to develop habits of straining – which should be avoided after birth. 

While you’re pregnant your pelvic floor is already weakened because of the impact of hormones on the tissues preparing it for birth. There is also the increased pressure from the weight of the baby that is going through the pelvic floor all day, so extra straining associated with constipation or poor bowel habits really is the last thing a pelvic floor needs. 

To help your bowels function a little better there a few main things we start with:

1. Diet modifications
2. Increased fluid
3. Movement
4. Supplements ( only when needed)
5. Learning how to “ Poop like a pro” 

Many people don’t know that this is actually a right and a wrong way to open the bowels and our modern-day popping style isn’t actually great on the pelvic floor in the long term.  

The goal of pooping like a pro is to allow the stool to pass through easily, with no strain, or breath-holding AT ALL. The problem with modern-day women is that we are often so busy, or don’t like to poop outside of our home, so we have become habitual ignorers of our own ‘defecation reflex’.

Think about it, when you get that urge to poop, how often do you ignore it and make it go away?

By the time you do decide to poo,  the stool has been sitting in the rectum, and the longer it sits the the drier it gets, making it more difficult and hence more likely to strain 

The other issue with our modern-day life is that we became all fancy and decided to sit on toilets rather than how we were designed to poop, which is to squat on the ground. When we sit on a toilet seat it is much harder for the process to happen, requiring excessive straining due to the biomechanics of the bowel.

The way I see it we have two options.

1. Go back to caveman days of squatting…
OR 
2. Embrace our current toilet seat, but alter the set up to bring us as close to the deep squat as possible.

Let’s go with option 2.

Step 1: When you feel like you gotta go – GO!

Step 2: Get a small stool to put your feet on, so that your knees come up as high as they can. If you have to, modify by raising up on your toes, or putting feet on toilet paper rolls or a backpack. Some nifty tricks! 

Step 3: Keeping your back straight, bring your upper body forward so that your pelvis tips forward. Rest your elbows on your knees.

Step 4: Relax your belly, keep breathing and resist the urge to hold your breath. Breathing and not breath holding is essential

Step 5: If you need a little assistance you can generate a little abdominal assistance by pushing your belly out (not straining in and down). Imagine you have a belt on and you are trying to pop the belt buckle. 

Sometimes making a noise such as a ‘sssssssss’ or a “moooo” can generate just enough pressure through your diaphragm and abdominal canister to kick the bowel along.

Your partner will undoubtedly love hearing this!

Step 6: Wipe and off you go! 

Now, this all might seem a little too much, but trust me, perfect pooping takes practice.

This really is how we are meant to open our bowels and learning to open them the right way will help save your pelvic floor in the long term.

Now get to it… listen to that urge, it’s time to poop like a pregnant pro!

*If you are making all of these changes and still having issues with your bowels then it is worth discussing with your health provider (GP, Dietician, Pharmacists or Women’s health Physiotherapist) about considering supplements to help soften the stool or further investigations.  

how to have a bowel movement, how to avoid constipation and establish a regular bowel movement, is it harmful to push in the toilet

I don’t experience problems with bowel movements, but I constantly hear that there are some special rules on how to go to the toilet in a big way. Allegedly, they will help to avoid problems in the future. Is this true or, if nothing bothers you, these rules can not be followed?

Polina Kalmykova

also poops

Author profile

There really are such rules. They are based on human physiology, and it is useful for each of us to know them.

I will tell you exactly how a bowel movement occurs, how to facilitate bowel movements and why we need to think about it at all.

Go see a doctor

Our articles are written with love for evidence-based medicine. We refer to authoritative sources and go to doctors with a good reputation for comments. But remember: the responsibility for your health lies with you and your doctor. We don't write prescriptions, we make recommendations. Relying on our point of view or not is up to you.

How the mechanism of defecation works

Defecation is a process that allows you to remove feces from the human body, that is, all undigested food residues. We control defecation, unlike many other processes that accompany digestion, such as salivation or intestinal motility. Normally, feces leave the body only when a person is ready for it.

Defecation starts in the final section of the intestine - the rectum. When it fills with feces, the receptors react to the stretching of the intestine and transmit a signal to the brain that it is time to go to the toilet.

Textbook "Fundamentals of Human Physiology" edited by N. A. Agadzhanyan

To prevent the intestine from emptying as it fills, the rectum is closed by two circular muscles - sphincters: internal and external. The inner one opens involuntarily when the receptors transmit a signal to the brain about the need to defecate. But the man himself controls the outside. Even if the rectum is already full, the sphincter will hold back feces until the person gets to the toilet and gives the body the command to act.

When a person is ready to defecate and signals this to the body, the external sphincter opens and the walls of the rectum begin to contract, pushing the feces out.

Sometimes these contractions are not enough - then the person has to push: tighten the diaphragm and abdominal muscles in order to increase the pressure inside the abdominal cavity and use it to push out the stool.

Additional force is required due to the fact that the end of the rectum is at an angle. When a person is standing, this angle is approximately 90°.

Effect of Posture on Defecation Restraint - International Journal of Colorectal Diseases

To poop easily, the person should assume a position that makes this angle as blunt as possible: this will help the stool not get stuck in the bend. Otherwise, pooping will still work, but you will have to make extra efforts to feel relief.

How to poop properly

The sitting position helps smooth out the curve between the rectum and the anal canal, and the deeper the person sits, the easier it will be for the feces to descend to the anus.

Thus, the best position for defecation is squatting. Although this position may not be very comfortable, it allows you to empty your bowels quickly and without additional effort.

Comparison of strain during defecation in three positions: results and implications for human health - Pubmed

Despite the benefits for the body, many are not ready to give up the usual toilet in favor of a floor-standing structure. In this case, a footrest will help you to take the desired position.

Another way to soften the anorectal angle is to assume the thinker's posture by bending the upper body. Studies have shown that 11 out of 22 volunteers who experienced problems with bowel movements in a sitting position were able to completely empty their bowels in this position.

Effect of Body Posture on Defecation: A Perspective Study of the Thinker Position - Pubmed

Regardless of the position , doctors do not recommend sitting on the toilet for more than two minutes: this can aggravate hemorrhoidal disease if it already exists, or lead to its development.

After defecation, the anus area must be cleaned from the remaining fragments of feces. To avoid irritation and itching, doctors recommend giving up toilet paper and giving preference to cleansing methods that do not require rubbing the skin: rinsing with clean water without soap and other detergents, blotting with damp wipes without fragrance or a damp cloth. If you have to use toilet paper in a public restroom, it is best to flush your anus with water as soon as possible.

Anal Itching - Drugs.com

Basic Anal Care - Permanente Magazine

Flush the anus from front to back to prevent infection from the rectum into the urinary tract.

Why pushing is harmful and how to avoid constipation

Although the body has the ability to push stool, pushing often and hard is not safe: it can become one of the causes of hemorrhoids or rectal prolapse. Correct posture will help prevent severe straining only if a person has a normal stool, but with constipation this may not be enough.

Constipation: Symptoms, Causes and Complications - Mayo Clinic Article

Normal bowel movements are between three times a day and once every three days if the stools are soft and formed. If a person feels the urge to empty the bowels less than three times a week, and the stool is hard, dry and difficult to pass from the body, this condition is called constipation.

Constipation forces a person to strain during bowel movements and also leads to complications: in addition to problems due to straining, hard stool can lead to tears in the anus or anal fissures. And this condition can make going to the toilet uncomfortable - too tiring or painful.

Community 11/14/22

What to do if you are constipated?

Constipation can occur for a variety of reasons: due to other diseases, such as diabetes, certain medications, dietary habits, pregnancy or age, one in two people over 80 suffer from constipation.

But sometimes constipation is caused by factors associated with the defecation process itself. So, frequent suppression of the urge to empty the intestines can lead to regular constipation.

To determine the cause of constipation and choose the right treatment, you need to seek help from a general practitioner. Perhaps, based on the results of the consultation, he will give a referral to a gastroenterologist and a proctologist. Figuring out on your own which part of your digestive tract is causing constipation can be tricky.

What else affects defecation

To ensure that bowel movements do not cause inconvenience, it is important not only to properly organize the process itself, but also to prepare the body for it in advance with the help of diet, sports and regimen.

Diet. The quality of stool is affected by the amount of fiber we consume. Its deficiency can cause both constipation and diarrhea. The more dietary fiber in the feces, the less stress is required during defecation, bowel movements occur more completely and with greater regularity.

/pochechuy/

How to Cure Hemorrhoids

Most fiber is found in vegetables, fruits with skins, and whole grains such as whole grain pasta or cereals with minimal refining. The normal amount of fiber per day for an adult is about 30 grams.

It is worth increasing the amount of fiber in the diet gradually: it can provoke bloating and increased gas formation.

Physical exercise. Sports activities increase muscle activity, including in the intestines - this helps the body to remove feces faster and more efficiently.

Mode. The habit of going to the toilet at the same time, without haste and stress, also contributes to the normalization of bowel movements.

Relationship between sleep disorders and bowel dysfunction – Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Digestion

The quality of sleep can also affect bowel movements: if a person wakes up frequently during the night or lacks sleep, they are at increased risk of constipation.

What is the result

Signs of a good bowel movement - regular, fast and painless bowel movements, formed, but soft stools.

Even if there are no problems with defecation now, they can develop if going to the toilet is wrong.

The best position for defecation is squatting. You can take it on a regular toilet with the help of a special footrest.

Instead of toilet paper, clean the anus with water or fragrance-free wet wipes.

/list/proctologia/

11 important questions for proctologist Maryana Abritsova

It is dangerous to ignore the urge to go to the toilet or sit on the toilet for a long time: this can lead to constipation or hemorrhoids.

A proper diet, regular exercise, regular sleep and toileting will help ease bowel movements.

What to do? Readers ask, experts answer

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Constipation in pregnancy - what to do? Obstetrician-gynecologist consults: articles of the Oxford Medical Medical Center Ivano-Frankivsk

Deba Victoria Tarasovna - obstetrician-gynecologist of the Oxford Medical Medical Center.

Pregnancy is a special condition during which a woman needs attention, care and safety. When you carry a separate life under your heart, you feel a special responsibility, you try to pay more attention to your health, you create optimal conditions for your environment. This condition is difficult to describe in words, therefore, I think that every pregnant woman will simply understand me.

Unfortunately, during pregnancy, our body also throws out not very pleasant things: toxicosis, swelling, mood variability. Did you know that the most common problem during pregnancy is constipation?

Why does pregnancy get constipated?

Normally, defecation should be 1 time per day. According to statistics, eight out of ten women go to the doctor with complaints of constipation. So what is the connection between pregnancy and a tendency to constipation?

It so happened that anatomically, the uterus and intestines in women have a common innervation. Accordingly, during pregnancy, the woman's body mobilizes all the forces to ensure that the uterus is relaxed. And next to the uterus, the intestines relax. This process is activated by the pregnancy hormone, progesterone.

Therefore, a pregnant woman can, at best, once every 1-2 weeks go to the stool. Of course, this is accompanied by discomfort, flatulence, abdominal pain. This process is also facilitated by a decrease in physical activity, reduced water intake due to fear of edema, compression of the intestines by the uterus.

It is worth noting that taking certain drugs, such as iron and calcium supplements, which are recommended for pregnant women, also causes constipation.

What can complicate constipation?

As stool stagnates in the intestines, it becomes hard due to the constant absorption of fluid in the large intestine. The exit of solid feces from the rectum is accompanied by constant attempts in a woman, and this can very soon lead to the appearance of hemorrhoids. Also, hard feces irritate the walls of the anus, which creates a risk of anal fissures.

Tips for pregnancy nutrition

In order to eliminate the problem of constipation and prevent the occurrence of complications, it is worth reviewing your diet and making certain adjustments. Let's start with drinking water: it is worth drinking at least 1.5 liters of water. If this amount causes swelling, it is worth consulting with a leading ob-gyn to eliminate this problem.

In the future, completely avoid during pregnancy such foods as:

• chocolate;
• mushrooms;
• legumes;
• sweets;
• strong tea and strong coffee;
• hard cheeses;
• smoked sausages;
• spices;
• animal fats;
• white bread, etc.

It is easy to understand that everyone who sees this list will at least want to cry, because how can one refuse this yummy? And we will provide options for wonderful alternatives that will be both tasty and healthy for a pregnant woman:

• fiber-rich foods: greens, apples (raw and baked), green beans, whole grain bread;
• baked pumpkin, pumpkin cream soup;
• dried fruits;
• sweet fruits: kiwifruit, bananas;
• fermented milk products (preferably in the first and second trimester, in the third Not recommended)
• boiled rabbit meat, chicken;
• obligatory ratio of meat to vegetables - 1: 2 (zucchini, broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, etc.

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