Postpartum Constipation

After birth, you may have difficulty passing stools, hard stools, or a feeling that your bowels haven't fully emptied. This can be linked to the changes of pregnancy and birth, as well as reduced movement, pain, sensitive stitches or anxiety about going to the bathroom. A physiotherapy assessment looks at your bowel habits, toilet posture, how you use your breath and whether your pelvic floor muscles can relax. That's because during a bowel movement, your pelvic floor muscles need not only to be strong but also to relax when needed and work in harmony with the pressure inside your abdomen. A personalized approach may include breathing and relaxation exercises, toilet posture and your everyday movement habits.

Book an Appointment

Tuğçe Atalay

Postpartum Constipation: Bowel Habits and the Role of the Pelvic Floor

Why Does Constipation Happen After Birth?

Your bowel pattern may change in the days after birth. Being less active, changes in diet and fluid intake, iron supplements, or putting off going to the bathroom because of postpartum pain and stitches can lead to constipation. Not having a bowel movement for a few days after birth can happen; however, if your symptoms continue, talk to your healthcare provider.

Straining and the Feeling of Incomplete Emptying

Hard stools, prolonged straining or a feeling that your bowels haven't fully emptied after using the toilet often go along with constipation. For some people, difficulty relaxing the pelvic floor muscles or coordinating them with the breath can make bowel movements harder. This is considered during the assessment, along with other possible causes of constipation.

How Does Physiotherapy Help with Postpartum Constipation?

A pelvic floor physiotherapist assesses how your breathing, abdominal and pelvic floor muscles work, your toilet habits and any straining during bowel movements. Depending on your needs, you learn the right toilet posture, how to use your breath and exercises to relax your pelvic floor.

Would you like information or an appointment?

Book an Appointment

Common and Treatable

An observational study of 403 women after birth reported a constipation rate of 52% in the early postpartum period.

"My stools are very hard and I have to strain for a long time to pass them."

"When I get up from the toilet, I feel like my bowels haven't fully emptied."

"I'm scared to go to the bathroom after giving birth; I think I'll damage my stitches."

Kuronen M, Hantunen S, Alanne L, et al. Pregnancy, puerperium and perinatal constipation – an observational hybrid survey on pregnant and postpartum women and their age-matched non-pregnant controls. BJOG. 2021;128:1057–1064.

Postpartum Constipation FAQ

Is it normal not to have a bowel movement for a few days after birth?

Not having a bowel movement for a few days after birth can happen. Still, if your discomfort is increasing or the constipation continues, talk to your midwife, family doctor or physician.

I'm afraid my stitches will open when I have a bowel movement. What can I do?

This worry can lead you to put off going to the bathroom, especially after a tear or an episiotomy. Try not to hold your breath and push hard on the toilet; if you have pain or concerns about your stitches, ask your birth team for personal advice. If you keep having trouble with bowel movements, you can also share this with your physiotherapist.

How should I sit on the toilet to make bowel movements easier?

Place your feet firmly on the floor; if needed, use a low footstool so your knees are slightly higher than your hips. Lean forward a little and try to relax your belly and pelvic floor as you breathe out. Rather than straining for a long time, getting up and trying again later will feel more comfortable.

When should pelvic floor physiotherapy be considered for constipation?

An assessment is needed if you often strain, feel that stool gets stuck at the bowel opening, feel you can't fully empty, or spend a long time on the toilet. The physiotherapist checks whether your breathing and pelvic floor muscles can relax during bowel movements and tailors the approach to your findings.