For the newly birthed mother, the postpartum period can bring about many physical adjustments as your body recovers from the intense process of labor and delivery. One common issue that may arise is postpartum constipation – difficulty having bowel movements due to hardened stools or straining. While uncomfortable, this is a natural part of the postpartum transition that can be alleviated through some simple steps.
The Science Behind the Shift There are several contributing factors that can lead to postpartum constipation. The fluctuations in hormones like estrogen and progesterone after birth can temporarily slow down your digestive system. Medications used for pain relief after delivery, such as opioids, are another culprit as they can bind the bowels. Even the iron supplements often prescribed to replenish stores can cause constipation.
Additionally, the abdominal pressure and stretching of the intestines from your baby’s growth can disrupt the normal rhythms for a while. Compounded with potential dietary changes, like eating less fiber-rich foods, and low physical activity, it sets the stage for irregularity.
Finding Your Flow While postpartum constipation is common in these initial weeks and months, there are gentle steps you can take to help restor your regularity:
Stay Hydrated – Drink plenty of water, herbal teas, and fluids to soften stool and stimulate motility.
Load Up on Fiber – Increase your intake of high-fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains to add bulk.
Supplement Wisely – Probiotic supplements repopulate beneficial gut bacteria. Magnesium can help draw water into intestines. Always consult your doctor.
Get Moving – Low-impact exercise and movement like walking helps propel things along your digestive tract.
Try Natural Soothers – Warmth from a sitz bath or heating pad can relax abdominal muscles. Massage can also help stimulate things.
Use Proper Positioning – Elevating your legs using a stool while sitting on the toilet can help ease straining. Adopting a proper squatting position can also aid the process.
Be Patient and Present – This transition is temporary as your body adapts. Breathe through discomfort and stay attuned to your needs.
If issues persist beyond a few months, speak to your doctor or pelvic health specialist about other remedies like over-the-counter laxatives or stool softeners.
Embracing Your Renewal This novel bodily initiation, however uncomfortable at times, is simply part of the greater initiation you’re experiencing – realigning your whole being to the most sacred role of motherhood. Any constipation or stalling you feel is just your anatomy’s wise way of pausing so you can shed one form and fully invite the next.
Trust this process of rebirth, going inward to decipher your needs. Nourish yourself, embrace patience and self-compassion, and call upon your support figures. For you are being divinely remolded into your highest feminine calling – guide, nurturer, and guardian of new life itself. Honor these regenerative periods as you blossom into your resilient radiance.
Turawa EB, Musekiwa A, Rohwer AC. Interventions for preventing postpartum constipation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015 Sep 18;2015(9):CD011625. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD011625.pub2. Update in: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020 Aug 5;8:CD011625. PMID: 26387487; PMCID: PMC6492314..
