What To Know About Pooping During Labor and Delivery

When you’re in the late stages of pregnancy, you may hear people say that you’re “ready to pop.” But are you worried that you may also be ready to poop?

Pooping during labor and delivery is incredibly common. And though it may sound embarrassing, Ob/Gyn Catherine Caponero, DO, says it’s nothing to feel ashamed of or to worry about in advance.

“Almost every patient will poop during labor and delivery, for a variety of reasons,” Dr. Caponero says. “Though it’s also a common and well-stated fear for many, I promise that your team is much more concerned about you and your baby’s safety than about you pooping.”

She explains why you’ll probably poop when you’re in the process of giving birth and shares a few words of wisdom to help ease your mind.

Is it normal to poop during labor and delivery?

In short, yes! It’s both normal and common — expected, even — to poop when you’re in labor (the process of preparing for childbirth).

But … why? Pooping happens for several reasons during the labor process, including:

• Hormonal shifts. When your body is getting ready to give birth, it starts to release prostaglandins, hormone-like substances that affect uterine contractions. But prostaglandins can also impact your bowels and make you have to poop.
• Fetal position. As your baby shifts inside your body, its head can press on your rectum, where your poop collects just before it’s ready to come out. This is most common in the occiput posterior position, when your baby’s head is positioned downward but facing up toward your belly.
• The process of pushing. The second stage of labor is when your baby starts moving out of your birth canal and you start to push — and to do that, you engage the same muscles that you use for pooping. It makes sense, then, that this can lead to actual pooping.

Just as pooping is common in labor, it’s also common during delivery (the act of actually giving birth). And all the same reasons apply.

“It can happen due to hormone shifts, the baby’s position in your body during labor and the process of actively pushing your baby out,” Dr. Caponero reiterates. “In fact, when I’m coaching a patient through a vaginal delivery, I tell them that if they poop while pushing, they’re doing it right.”

But if you’ve had an epidural, you might not even realize you’ve pooped. This medication injection can help block the pain you feel during labor and childbirth — and it can dull the sensation of pooping, too. Plus, Dr. Caponero says labor and delivery teams are great at discretely managing the situation.

“We usually just wipe the poop away with either gauze, a clean towel or a moist towelette,” she shares. “If you do realize that you’re pooping, though, please know that it just means that you’re doing a great job at pushing!”

Can you have diarrhea while in labor?

Diarrhea is often a sign that you’re about to go into labor. It has to do with the prostaglandins your body releases when it’s getting ready to give birth, which lead to uterine contractions — and can cause bowel contractions, too.

Can it be avoided?

You can’t avoid pooping when you’re having a baby — and there’s no reason to. Pooping is a normal part of the human body, and it’s a normal part of the labor and delivery process. It means your body is doing what it should be doing!

In the past, obstetrical care providers gave enemas or laxatives before delivery. But data showed that these medications could cause discomfort, dehydration and even pain, so they’re no longer used.

“Today’s healthcare providers understand that pooping is just a part of the process, and we try to reassure our patients of that, too,” Dr. Caponero reassures. “Poop happens. Our job is to clean it up and focus on helping you safely deliver your beautiful baby.”