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Constipation After Having a Baby: What Can Help?

Answer:

Constipation is something many women deal with during pregnancy and after birth, and for some it carries on for months. The first poo after birth can feel daunting, and going to the toilet can stay uncomfortable and stressful, especially if you have stitches, a tear or haemorrhoids.

There are simple things you can do to make going to the toilet easier and more comfortable, and to look after your pelvic floor and bowel while you recover.

Why it happens

Pregnancy hormones slow your bowel down, so poo moves through more slowly. Iron tablets, which many women take during pregnancy, can also make it harder to go. After birth, a few more things can add to it:

  • Pain relief. Some pain medicines can slow your bowel.
  • Iron tablets. Many women keep taking these after birth.
  • Moving less. In the early days you may be resting more than usual.
  • Not drinking enough. It’s easy to forget when you’re busy with a baby, and breastfeeding uses extra fluid.
  • Fear of going. Worrying about pain, stitches or a tear can make you put off going. The longer poo stays in your bowel, the harder and drier it can get.
  • No time for you. Life with a newborn is busy, and your baby’s needs often come first. It’s easy to put off going to the toilet when you feel the urge because you’re feeding, settling or just trying to get through the day. Making time for yourself when you need to go is part of looking after your recovery.

If you have stitches, a tear or bruising, going to the toilet can feel scary. Supporting your perineum can help you feel more secure and ease some of the discomfort.

Your perineum is the area between your vagina and anus. To support it, wrap some toilet paper or a clean pad around your hand. As you go, press gently upwards on your perineum and hold it there until you’ve finished.

You can do this every time you open your bowels, for as long as it helps.

The way you sit can make it easier to open your bowels without straining.

  • Put your feet up. Rest your feet on a small stool, a step or a pile of books, so your knees are higher than your hips.
  • Lean forward. Rest your elbows on your knees and keep your back straight.
  • Let your abdomen relax. Let it soften and bulge out, rather than holding it in.
  • Breathe. Breathe slowly and try not to hold your breath.
  • Take your time. Give yourself a few minutes, without rushing.

When you strain, you push down hard on your pelvic floor. Over time, this can increase the risk of prolapse, where the organs in your pelvis drop down. Straining can also make haemorrhoids worse.

If nothing happens after a few minutes, it’s okay to get up and try again later. Going back when you feel the urge is easier on your body than pushing hard.

Haemorrhoids are swollen veins in and around your anus. They’re common in pregnancy and after birth, from the pressure of your growing baby, pushing during labour, and constipation.

They can feel itchy, sore or like a small lump, and you might notice some bright red blood on the toilet paper after you go.

A few things can help:

  • Keep your poo soft. Avoiding constipation and straining is the best way to stop them getting worse.
  • Use ice. A wrapped ice pack can ease swelling and soreness.
  • Be gentle when you wipe. Use soft toilet paper, or try patting rather than wiping.
  • Ask your pharmacist. They can suggest creams or other treatments that are safe while you’re breastfeeding.

 

See your GP if the bleeding doesn’t settle, you have a lot of pain, or you’re worried.

What you eat and drink can make a big difference to how easily you go.

  • Eat plenty of fibre. Fruit, vegetables, wholegrain bread and cereals, and legumes like beans and lentils all help keep your poo soft. Add more fibre slowly, so your body can adjust.
  • Drink enough fluid. Fibre works best with plenty of water. A good guide is urine that’s pale yellow.
  • Drink more if you’re breastfeeding. Breastfeeding uses extra fluid, so keep a drink nearby when you feed.
  • Keep moving. Gentle walking can help get your bowel moving.
  • Go when you feel the urge. Holding on gives your bowel more time to absorb water, making your poo harder.

Sometimes food and fluids aren’t enough on their own, and that’s okay. Stool softeners and other gentle medicines can make your poo softer and easier to pass.

Many hospitals offer these after birth, especially if you’ve had stitches or a tear. You can also buy them from your pharmacy without a prescription.

Your pharmacist can help you choose one that suits you and is safe if you’re breastfeeding. Let them know about any other medicines you’re taking, like pain relief or iron tablets.

They’re best used for a short time. If you find you need them for more than a few weeks, talk to your GP.

You don’t have to manage this on your own.

  • Your pharmacist. A good first stop for stool softeners and haemorrhoid treatments, and free to talk to.
  • The National Continence Helpline: 1800 33 00 66. Free, confidential advice from a nurse continence specialist about your bowel and pelvic floor.
  • Your GP. See your GP if you haven’t been able to go for several days, you have a lot of pain or bleeding, or things aren’t improving.
  • A women’s health physiotherapist. They can help with your pelvic floor and how you use your bowels. You can book privately without a referral, though there is a cost, or be referred through the public system, where there’s usually a wait.

 

If you find it hard to control wind or poo, please talk to your GP or call the helpline. Many women keep it to themselves for a long time, worried it will be embarrassing to talk about. You don’t have to. It’s a health issue like any other part of your recovery, and with the right support, it can improve.

Fiona Stanley Fremantle Hospitals Group. (n.d.). Bladder and bowel health during and after pregnancy. Government of Western Australia. https://fsfhg.health.wa.gov.au/Our-services/Maternity/Pregnancy-care/Physiotherapy-during-pregnancy/Bladder-and-bowel-health-during-and-after-pregnancy

Royal Women’s Hospital. (2018). Preventing constipation [Fact sheet]. https://www.thewomens.org.au/images/uploads/fact-sheets/Preventing-constipation.pdf

Women and Newborn Health Service. (n.d.). Physiotherapy after childbirth. King Edward Memorial Hospital, Government of Western Australia. https://www.kemh.health.wa.gov.au/~/media/HSPs/NMHS/Hospitals/WNHS/Documents/Patients-resources/Physiotherapy-after-childbirth.pdf

Woodley, S.J., Lawrenson, P., Boyle, R., Cody, J.D., Morkved, S., Kernohan, A., & Hay-Smith, E.J.C. (2020). Pelvic floor muscle training for preventing and treating urinary and faecal incontinence in antenatal and postnatal women. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 5, CD007471.

How to sit on the toilet

Feet up, knees higher than your hips, lean forward and let your abdomen relax. Sitting this way can help you go more easily, without straining.

 

Developed by the WHEN Clinical Team

Clinically reviewed by the WHEN Clinical Governance Committee

Last reviewed: 04/10/2026
With clinical input from Peta Titter, RN, Advanced Diploma of Pilates, continence nurse specialist. Honours research in diastasis recti. PhD candidate, University of Tasmania. Founder and CEO, WHEN.

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