Bowels love routine
Giving your bowels a predictable routine helps them to move regularly. Here are some tips to keep your gut moving if you have been having difficulties having a poo.
Ways to keep your gut moving
- Drink warm water and lemon, and take a short walk in the morning to get things moving
- Leave some time: make sure you leave time after breakfast to go and sit on the toilet. Bowels can be trained, so set up a routine
- Relax over breakfast and pay attention to your body: when you're relaxed you're more likely to notice your body's subtle signals that it's ready to poo
- Go with your urge: don't put it off, go when your body gives you the signals
- Drink 2L water each day (3L if breastfeeding) – include soups and 'wet' foods
- Caffeine can increase your urge
- Adequate (but not too much) fibre – 30g a day
- General exercise can get things moving.
What to do to poo
- Sit as shown in the picture below, leaning slightly forward, with feet up on stools
- Alternatively, try leaning back – try both ways and see what works for you
- Bulge the low tummy out like a basketball
- Take relaxed deep breaths
- Try to hisssss like a snake through your teeth
- Find ways to relax while sitting on the toilet, so gravity can help your body's natural processes to work
Don't push or strain to poo
Your muscles need to be relaxed to let your body's normal processes push poo through your colon and out of your body. When you strain and pull your stomach in, it actually tightens everything up, so it's much harder to poo. It makes your whole body more stressed.
Bristol stool chart
Aim for Type 3–4 on the Bristol stool chart - which shouldn't require straining. For an example of the Bristol stool chart click here.
Need a little extra support?
Some women find that simple hand pressure against the perineum (between the vagina and anus) can provide pelvic support when needed.
