Bulky

Hi shellymum

I have had a few constipation issues myself recently - and usually never get this. Not sure why it has started again, as it was a problem after the birth.

Some great advice I had recently when going to the toilet is - put feet up on a foot stool, then with a straight back, lean forwards with your elbows on your knees like you are reading the newspaper. Then push your lower tummy out so it bulges. I found this amazing, it takes any pressure off the pelvic floor and allows you to eliminate easily. I wish someone had told me this MONTHS ago, so I didn't have to go backwards in my symptoms first.

I guess the difficult part is, what to do if you are not at home and don't have a foot stool! I haven't worked out that bit yet, but hope that if I have a morning BM, it shouldn't be too bad during the day.

Also I find that feeling stressed or having to rush doesn't help things much, your workmates probably didn't even realise you were gone that long.

If you search loopoo you will see a very good thread about #2 from Louise.
It doesn't require a stool so you could use this in public places. Just thought you might want to read all about it. Doesn't that sound like good literature? lol I have said the answers are all here, but sometimes they are harder to find in this well of knowledge.
Melly

i second about that. very helpful. read the thread for details.
magnesium can really help as well. have you tried that? i have to really experiment with diet. what works best for me is no dairy, no chocolate, minimal carb, tons of veg, some fruit, and pulses. so you may need to tweak a bit more.
don't stress about your rect getting a bit worse. it does that--steps back, steps forward.
do you do nauli / firebreathing? that can really help.

Thanks for the thread directions, interesting reading. I had to laugh as when I was reading it I could see my dog outside having his morning BM - he is hilarious as he turns in circles as he goes.

I had tried something similar to the lopo before and it helped - but the thing with this other posture is that it is similar in the leaning forward and not putting pressure on the pelvic floor - but the knees are higher than the hips. I find this works better for me - it makes things quick, no waiting around, no strain, no pain! But yes, the issue of being out somewhere - I will try the lopo :-)

I do naulli/firebreathing as part of WW exercises (when I fit it in) - must admit, like some others I find it a bit hard to know if I am doing it properly as I don't notice much from doing it. I should try doing it daily I suppose.

Kiki I have been a bit slack on the fruit as it is winter and not so exciting, but did stew up some pears and prunes which work a treat! Chocolate :-( - I love it! otherwise my diet is high in veg and no other processed foods. I think being cold I had unintentionally cut down my fluid intake, so have been making a conscious effort now, especially as breastfeeding. Yes, I have started taking magnesium too, I was feeling a bit achy in general and thought my levels may be a bit low.

The overall thing I am finding is that you have to just 'keep it up' and not get slack at all as it is not worth the consequences to your body if you end up constipated. Lesson learnt!

Hi AussieMum

I remember well the amount of fluid I had to drink while breastfeeding, because I had that same issue.

I used to have the most enormous coffee mug known to woman! It must have been close to a pint. I made a habit of skulling this mug and refilling it with water, and taking it with me to my nursing chair *every* time I sat down to feed my babies. This was about 10 times a day, not including night feeds. This was at the stage where I had to sit up and feed them during the night. Once they were OK with latching on while in our bed, and in double night nappies, I can't remember what I did. It was a long time ago. It was all kind of remote control by then.

The point I make is that you need to be mindful of the amount of fluid that is being removed from your body by a nursing baby or toddler, in addition to the normal amount of water you need in 24 hours. Much of our daily needs for water comes in the food we consume, but if a large amount of this food is quite dry you will need more water with it so it doesn't rob your body of water. So, if you have a dryish meal, ensure that you have an large tumbler of water around that time.

If you don't urinate much during the day that is a sure sign that the water you consume is going to your digestive system instead of to your organs. This will result in the urine being quite strong in colour and smell, and lower in volume, and if the digestive system cannot get enough water the stools will be quite hard.

Increasing the fibre in your diet will help prevent constipation, but fibre absorbs a lot of water in itself, and if you are not drinking extra to compensate you can still run your whole metabolism short of water.

Hi Shellymum

Yes, I agree that there are lots of different things that can happen. What you describe is exactly how Lopo came to be. By periodically squatting down and rising up again during the day, I think it kind of moulds the rectum long and thin again. This would be helped by firebreathing. There are deposits of fat called rectal pillars on each side of the rectum, which kind of support it on both sides, but if you know that your rectum bulges out (or gets kind of packed down into a bendy knot) these will not be able to support its sausage shape. I think it is these kinks that stop evacuation, just like a garden hose. The only way to allow the rectum to empty seems to be to stretch it out again by taking the pressure off the top of it and allowing it to rearrange itself.

When you half-squat and rise again there is a lot of intraabdominal pressure generated. You have to brace all your abdominal muscles and stick your butt out to keep your pelvic floor taut. It won't work immediately, but I think you will find that a bit later you will experience a normal urge and be able to pass the motion, even if it is not the full motion. You might pass several within the space of the day, but they will be normal size and easy to pass. When the urge stops just do a few more half-squats and rises and wait until you feel the urge again.

Yes, the whole business is a bit bizarre.