The Taboo of poo

When looking after women in labour, it always surprises me how women's concerns echo each others…. pooing in labour! The great revelation GIRLS DO POO!!! There, I said it. What is this hold back women have about admitting we have a normal bodily function like everyone else around us. I am not one to judge as I often find myself saying to my partner ‘err girls don’t poop’, which quite frankly is a crock of shit (literally).

I will never forget my first placement over a year ago now, when I looked after a woman who from word go was just really held back by her possible need to poo. She was mortified that she had baked beans for lunch, ‘‘of all the days to have baked beans’’ she said! Like if she had not of had baked beans maybe she wouldn’t need the toilet? hmmm!

However, during contractions she would scream ‘’but I had baked beans for lunch!!!’’, it got me thinking that she was so worried about me, my mentor and her partner seeing her poop, she was not concentrating on the job in hand… delivering her beautiful baby. When you worry, get anxious or panic in labour this releases adrenaline, which has negative implications for birth. The release of adrenaline (fight or flight hormone) can actually slow your labour down and impede the release of our favourite hormone, the ‘love’ hormone...Oxytocin, which is your best friend in labour. My point to this little birth explanation is, to show how one normal bodily function can have such an impact on labour. You should not worry about what the midwife or student midwife thinks because it truly does not bother us if you poo…

Another woman I cared for had the same concerns in labour but she just did not vocalise them like the other woman. Me and my mentor entered the birthing room and was handed over her care from the midwife on nights. She explained that the woman had been quite uncomfortable during the night and was appearing slow to progress. This lovely woman had remained at 5 cm dilated for over 4-5 hours but constantly had the urge to bare down. Of course when she had the urge myself and my mentor empowered her to listen to her body and go with the sensation… However, remaining at 5 cm after an examination meant she was not quite ready to birth her baby, so what else was going on?? She had been for a wee many times, so her bladder was not blocking the path of the baby’s decent. We suggested she might try for a poo but she just could not go...She did not say if it was due to embarrassment or because she just couldn’t but me and my mentor had a sneaky suspicion that once she did go for a poo, we would be meeting her baby shortly after.

We continued to talk with her about how it was a natural process, a normal bodily function and she should just go for it… To clear up the taboo of poo in labour, midwives DO NOT judge, DO NOT care and DO NOT make a big song and dance about it if you do poo, it is discreetly gotten rid of.

So the best part of this story and to add a little student midwife humour into the mix; The woman we were caring for appeared increasingly uncomfortable and my mentor side glanced to me and said ‘‘get your gloves on’’, part of me thought ‘I don’t think this woman is about to have a baby but okay, I shall put my gloves on’. I got out my sterile gloves, put two fingers into one finger of the glove, which is my normal behaviour when trying to get gloves on quick… I turned round, my mentor looked at me strangely and at the time I didn’t know why but turns out she meant ‘put normal gloves on because the only thing you are delivering is a poo’, yep that’s right… Instead of assisting in the delivery of her baby, I got my sterile gloves on to deliver a poo… To emphasise how normal this is, it really did not bother me AT ALL, I very discreetly disposed of the poo and low and behold 10 minutes later she delivered her beautiful baby… She just needed to empty her bowels to make space for the descent of the baby… Midwives and student midwives genuinely get excited when labouring women say ‘I think I need a poo’, as this normally means that her baby is on their way, and this sensation is due to extra pressure from the baby’s head on the colon and rectum.

Birthing a baby is a normal process, so it makes complete sense that in order to facilitate ‘normal’ you first need to assess your basic needs for example; going to the toilet, resting, eating and drinking. I hope this blog has offered a little insight into why you should not worry about pooing in labour and why you should not hold back… Always listen to your body, it normally tells you what you need to do.

Life has finally calmed down, it is officially 12 noon, which means that the essays I have submitted can not be changed and do not need to be read anymore. Thank you to those who have put up with my anxieties surrounding these essays (Mum you are a complete legend for putting up with my constant mood swings, love you dearly). I really have felt like I am not good enough or do not have the brains for this course but on the bad days I think about all the lovely women I have cared for, I read the cards and I seriously could not imagine doing anything other than midwifery :)

I am writing this from a lovely little cafe in Hampstead Heath, I plan to have a well earned rest over the next 3 weeks until I start on the Neonatal Unit for my next placement. I have a trip to France planned with my gorgeous friends and a camping trip with my wonderful partner. I plan to recharge my batteries and then get stuck into the second half of my degree.

To any of my classmates who read this, so proud of you guys we have all worked so so hard, hope you all have a good rest now and for those going straight out into placement I hope you have some amazing experiences. Congratulations to you all (and me) we are halfway through!! YAY!

Thanks as always for taking the time to read my blog

If you have any birthing stories you wish to share or if you are feeling brave today and want to share your poop related birthing stories then please share your experiences. Let's make birth a ‘normal’ process and a positive one, where people don't have to worry about little things like big poos

Love

JP

p.s. Not everyone poos in labour, just so you know!

and thank you to Tim for helping me come up with the title :)