Bowel Issue After Birth

I used sauerkraut juice after I had my children and it really works, just don't use more than a small can a day. It was very effective on me and very inexpensive. Good luck.

I had some similar issues after my second child. I take fiber choice chewable fiber now. I take 2 a day, and it seems to help. That and drinking more water and eating more foods with fiber in them.

It sounds to me like you might have hemmroids. Alot of women tend to get them after birth (They do eventually go away for the most part after a while). You may want to confirm with your doctor. But you can use a hemroid cream or preperation h pads. Usually they give them to you in the hospital after birth. But again, you should really check with your doctor to make sure nothing is wrong.

I had this problem for a good 6 months after I gave birth and tried everything. Turns out I just needed to stop taking my prenatal vitamins. It resolved itself within a day or two with no more need for stool softeners. The high iron content in them can cause lots of problems in the digestive tract if you are sensitive to it. If you are breastfeeding a healthy diet is just as good as a vitamin. Good luck!

Ooh, I feel for you! I had the same problem just not as long as you. I also took the stool softener. My mother recommended flax seed. It's good on top of yogurt or baked into anything. It worked great. <<<HUGS>>>

Hi A., you poor thing! I also suffered from terrible constipation, which in turn led to horrendous stomach pains, and then my stools were so hard that it flared my hemorroids so bad that I wouldn't go at all... such a vicious circle. My physician put me on Miralax, it works different than stool softeners. It draws water into your colon to soften your stools, after the first 2 days of using it, I was in heaven, I could have a BM without crying and I was back to a regular schedule. I used it for a week straight, then every other day, and then my body was able to regulate itself that I didn't have to take it anymore. If you start on the Miralax, and also take everyone else's wonderful advise about drinking plenty of water and eating a good diet, you should also find relief. Good luck to you, and your bowels! :)

Very good advice so far. I just want to add not to wait until you have 'the urge'.
I have noticed with me that even though I feel no pressure, sometimes if I go try, I go!
Try putting yourself on a schedule as you would a child who is being potty trained. Every day at the same time. Try, but of course, don't give yourself a hernia.

Hi A..
Sounds like you might not be balanced in soluble and insol. fibers. Or- are you drinking at least 64 oz of water per day not including coffee (2 to 1 on that) and even more if you're nursing??
I'm a wellness coach and deal with products second to none if you want to look at some of our digestive health stuff- email me at ____@____.com and put momsource in the subject line.
Stool softeners- eeww- only treating the symptom not prevention. They can work but might recur.
Here's to a day running smoothly- HA.
This too shall pass- sorry- we just had a convention recently.
Hope to chat with you more.
B. J
perfusionist and 48 yo mom to 7 yo twin girls.

Apirl,
I feel for you! I had problems with this for a very long time after my 2nd child. So, I've got a list of things you can do.

But you should also see your doctor, just to confirm if the pain is from hemorrhoids or an anal fissure.

Either way, the stuff I did helps both, as I had problems with both.

Drink tons of water.
Take Citrucil every day (an over the counter fiber, which will bulk and soften stools) (over the counter stool softener didn't help me at all, either)
Soak in a warm tub after passing a stool.
Eat a salad or some raw veggies every day. (prune juice, too!)

If it's hemorrhoids, I have a really good homemade remedy that my midwife gave to me. It works wonders! Better than any over the counter thing I have ever tried.
1 cup Epsom salts in a quart jar
Fill jar with boiling water
Stir until dissolved (some crystals may settle)
Mix one part of the above with one part mineral oil in small covered container
Add cotton balls to container and refrigerate.
Wipe cotton balls over hemorrhoids after ever bowel movement.

GOOD LUCK! It will go away, but you need to get more fiber in your body.

Hi A.,

I had a baby six months ago and this was very difficult for me, too. I was on pain killers that made me constipated and had lots of stitches from a large tear that occurred during birth. I actually ended up in the ER for the first bowel movement. It was really difficult. So I feel your pain!

Everyone's body is different. I got lots of advice from friends and doctors. The stool softener colace did not help. I have discovered that straining when I don't feel the urge has produced some hemorrhoids, so that wouldn't work for me.

Here's what did work for me. Miralax, which is a powder you buy over-the-counter in the pharmacy and mix with water, did the trick. I took it every day for weeks and it kept me regular. (An easy bowel movement every 2 days or so, which was perfect.) My son's pediatrician assured me that it was safe to take when breastfeeding. I also drank "smooth move" senna tea and ate some fiber bars, cut back on cheese, and made sure to eat fruit and veggies.

Good luck! Hope things get better soon.
B.

A. - A normal, healthy person should have 2-3 bowel movements every day. You eat 3 times a day, therefore, you create waste products 3 times a time and they need to be eliminated from your body. If you are holding these inside your body, you are creating an unhealthy immune system.

I would check the amount of fiber you are getting from your diet. Making choices of foods that are naturally high in fiber such as fruits and veggies plus whole grains could help. Also, having hydro-colon therapy could be a way to get things moving. My chiropractor's office in Eagan does these. Let me know if you want the name and contact information.

Water consumption is also really important. You should be drinking half of your body weight in ounces of water. If you weigh 150 lbs, you would need 75 ounces of water every day, spread throughout the day. Exercise is also important in getting your bowels moving and active.

Good luck,

D.

Try prune juice on a daily basis.

YOu poor thing! What an awful feeling! I know this sounds gross but you could try taking a tablespoon of olive oil a couple times a day and really up your water intake.
This is a long time to still have trouble so you might want to call your OB.
Also, take fish oils. Nordic Naturals or Carlson's are the only brands I can recommend. Do you eat any fresh fruit? Pears, grapes, peaches, plums....all good for getting things going!
Have you gone to the Chiropractor? That could make all the difference in the world!
I hope you feel better soon!

Have you told your Dr about this? Sometimes after having a baby when they stitch you back up they might stitch to far back and that would give you problems. Just a thought but I have known women that this has happened to.

You probably need to eat yogurt with active cultures. Try Activia. I would do 2 a day, also drink more water.

WATER WATER WATER! So many people don't drink enough water and it is so importnat to our health and digestion/elimination! I have a hug insulated mug with a straw, holds 52 oz. - you can get them at most convienience stores/gas stations. I fill it up in the morning with ice water and it stays cool all day and I don't have to "remember" to refill a smaller container. Then add on the extra drinks with meals, and I am usually up to or over 64 oz. a day which is the average amount reccommended...8, 8 oz. glasses.

Good Luck!

Jessie

Make sure you are getting enough fiber. I like Benefiber powder since it is flvorless and dissolves well in anything. Also try to eat as much natural fiber as you can. Dried prunes or prune juice are certainly worth a try. Also try yogurt to make sure you are getting a good balance of natural bacteria in there.

I had been having constipation issues and seeing some blood. I recently had a colonoscopy and they determined I had hemmoroids because of the straining to have a bowel movement. So the Dr. suggested an over the counter drug called Miralax! It's wonderful!!! You just put a capful of this powder in your favorite drink (hot or cold) daily! It is wonderful to go daily, at ease! I had tried EVERYTHING too, and nothing worked! Give this a try. I love it!

Eat a lot of foods with fiber in them such as leafy green vegetables, fruits (apples, oranges and prunes) and cereals like fiberone or grape nuts. Look at the nutrition labels on items. It will tell you how much fiber is in them. You can even try drinks like metamucil. And of course drink lots of water. That helps flush out the system naturally. Watch your diary intake too. If I eat too much cheese, yogurt or milk it sometimes messes up my system.

Also if you are taking any meds you might call your pharmacist or doctor and see if constipation is a side effect.

HTH,
A.

miralax over the counter works wonders

Have you tried eating Fiber One bars? They taste great - like a candy bar or yummy granola bar. You could also try the new YoPlus or Fiber One yogurt which taste like regular yogurt but include fiber plus the great active cultures that help put your digestive track back into order.

Hi A.. I am also 27 yr old. I had my 3rd baby last summer. I was having severe stomach pain w/ bm. My issue wasn't constipation or the opposite. I went to several doctors of ob/gyn, colo-rectal, and another GYN that specializes in women's issues.
Question: any issues with tampons or fullness feeling still- like a newly postpartum patient??? Could be your pelvic muscles are too tight, like a never-ending Kegel??
If your symptoms are similar, email me and I will tell you more about what I heard.

i had the same problem after i had my second daughter. first kid was no problem - second one wrecked my bowels!

anyway - it seemed like after month 4 things got a lot better. i tried everything - drinking more water, eating foods that normally get things moving & nothing really worked except time. sorry i don't have better news! now that it's been almost 6 months (my daughter was born 5.24.08), things are back to normal.

if you're nursing, you might want to increase your water intake. i'm breastfeeding exclusively & drinking enough water to float a boat didn't help, but it might be worth a shot. :)

good luck!

using milled flax seed over yogurt, cereal, etc is a constipation solver, but you have to drink lots of water also. these 2 together will help stool be softer. the flax has fiber in it, fiber doesnt get digested, but it absorbs water. the more fiber and the more water you have, the softer the stool will be.. too much can cause diarhea.. start with a teaspoon at first.
its pretty tasteless, but it is sorta crunchy. but it works every time .:D good luck.
thsi si also a good thing to use for baby when and if baby has harder stools. babies should NEVER have to strain to poop, and their poop should always be soft and squishy not hard and clumpy.

What ended up happening with everyone? Did they constipation just go away on it's on? I've been having this problem for almost 4 months and I have tried everything!
Help!

Hi A.,
I can completely feel your pain! Everyone is different and I reccomend trying different options first but my story is that I had pain with every bowel movement for months after my baby was born. I tried everything, colace, laxatives, eating more fiber, drinking practically my weight in water everyday, steroidal suppositories and nothing helped. I went to a general surgeon and it turned out I had a non-healing fissure that was causing the pain and irritation. I ended up having surgery and that completly took the pain away. Literally after six months of pain and agony, I had surgery and the next BM was like heaven. I don't know if your situation is as serious as that but if you have tried everything else please consult your doctor, there might be a physical reason for your pain. Good luck!