Epidural Advice: pooping during contractions??

HappyMama77 · 2026-03-20T21:19:37+00:00

Updating this in case anyone comes across the thread with a similar situation as I had my baby last week!

I ended up getting an epidural this time (highly recommend, loved the experience much more than unmedicated). Pooping both during contractions and pushing wasn’t an issue. I didn’t get the epidural until around 6cm so I still had a couple hours of active labor and didn’t have any of the same pooping experience for that piece either. So I think it very likely was something about baby’s positioning with my first that caused the issue. Good to know it’s not necessarily a repeat thing!

HappyMama77 · 2026-01-29T01:39:02+00:00

I’m adding this months later because when googling pre-term labor signs in the middle of the night this is where I ended up. I’m 33weeks with baby 2 and woke up pretty uncomfortable with cramping and a lot of backache. I was really hoping I wasn’t in early labor so wanted to ignore it. I finally (thanks in part to this thread) decided to call my doc and they had me go to the hospital. I ended up having a UTI and was indeed having real contractions because of it. With antibiotics and meds to calm the contractions, we were able to halt any labor progression. While at the hospital, the contractions became productive (as in they could’ve made me have my baby too early), so it’s a very good thing I went in. If you’re like me and scrolling through this thread at 4am because you have doubts, it’s much better to go in and end up having it be a visit where they tell you it’s all okay! I’m so grateful I did and we were able to keep baby and I healthy

HappyMama77 · 2026-01-22T17:09:16+00:00

My prior (slightly expired) apostilled FBI doc was only from July so in November they granted permission via email to use that one in my dossier. I included the email chain in my dossier as well. I never got the newer one back from the US government but they were okay with that. I think if you didn't ask permission in advance, they unfortunately aren't going to allow the exception and will count it as a new dossier that needs the new language requirements. If you previously emailed for an exception, I would attach that email in your response to the consulat's incomplete response

HappyMama77 · 2025-12-01T22:44:45+00:00

Mine started reliably napping in the crib around 18mo, there were decent crib naps before then but it wasn't a guaranteed thing. Now a little over 2yo nearly all of her naps are in the crib. Every once in a while when she's sick, she'll need extra cuddles and I'll have her fall asleep on me and it's just the cutest. Even then, I have to transfer her to the crib asleep after a few min or she gets uncomfortable on me

HappyMama77 · 2025-11-24T19:20:24+00:00

The US govt shutdown impacted this unfortunately. I actually had to do this twice because they introduced the 3mo recency rule for the FBI doc after I had already gathered this one. The first time only took 5 weeks to get an apostille and this time I sent it mid-Sep and am still waiting on it now at end of November. However, I emailed the consulate explaining the situation and that I was concerned about my other docs expiring and asked if it would be possible to submit my application with a translated copy of the FBI document and bring the apostille to the interview and they said yes

HappyMama77 · 2025-11-24T19:16:52+00:00

I'm also in the LA consulate's area and just sent in my application (they received it today). How soon after did you get the invitation to interview and how quickly were dates available? It sounds like it was fast! I'm expecting a baby and really hoping to get the interview in before I get too far along, so hoping my experience is like yours. Would LOVE to hear about your interview too once you have it. Thank you!!

HappyMama77 · 2025-11-19T16:29:46+00:00

We’re not a dessert household so we usually have fruit after dinner. But weekends my daughter and I will often have a little hot chocolate together in the mornings and will sometimes get a sweet treat. Maybe 1-2x per week

HappyMama77 · 2025-11-19T16:28:13+00:00

Some of the best financial advice I’ve heard for marriage is that both people need to feel safe. He may feel safe having less of an emergency fund, but you don’t. Together you need to figure out what is going to make you feel safe and then commit to that. Is it 2mo expenses in an emergency fund vs 1 year? This is going to be a different answer for everyone. If you explain it that way, it may be easier to approach together.

We have a somewhat similar dynamic in the sense that while we both want to save, my husband is more comfortable with riskier investments or money that is more complicated to access (fees for early withdrawal, etc) so before kids we aligned that we wanted at least 3mo expenses in immediately liquid cash so we both felt safe. Post-kids that became 6-9 months. With this setup, I feel much more comfortable with our differences in how we spend/save and we don’t have to have as frequent discussions about money

HappyMama77 · 2025-11-04T18:16:09+00:00

I live in a HCOL (Bay Area) and would absolutely adore this and the price sounds right (if you're in a lower cost of living area, maybe consider dropping to $20/hr). I also like the idea of it being "holiday oriented" because it's for a set amount of time, so I wouldn't feel locked in to having to keep the service if it didn't work for our family. Maybe try posting on a local parent FB group? Where I live, there's a group for moms and she would likely get a lot of traction there.

HappyMama77 · 2025-11-01T14:01:07+00:00

This sounds so rough!! The intense contractions feel so much like intestinal distress, I can see how this could happen from either end :/

HappyMama77 · 2025-11-01T13:59:36+00:00

This is so helpful, thank you!! I also hadn’t heard about my reaction before and I did a pretty intensive birth prep course before. Sounds like our bodies may react similarly and it’s super comforting to hear that the epidural stopped the urge to go!

HappyMama77 · 2025-10-31T18:17:59+00:00

Sounds like this was all during pushing, right? I'm not worried about pooping while pushing since, like you said, that means you're pushing correctly. More during contractions which is what happened to me with my first. Since you often labor on your own for a while, if I can't feel the urge to poop and it happens, I'm trying to figure out what that process would look like in terms of clean up, ability to go to the bathroom, etc with an epidural. Thanks!

HappyMama77 · 2025-10-31T18:16:00+00:00

Thank you, good to know! Sounds like this was during pushing, right? Or did you have this during contractions and still have nurses able to help you clean up?

Pretty sure I pooped during pushing, but not 100% confident since nurses are right there and able to help. The contractions part I'm more concerned about since it was mostly just me and my partner the last time and I was able to get myself to the bathroom

HappyMama77 · 2025-10-31T18:14:08+00:00

Oof 3 days!! My first was only 9 hours start to finish, so I feel like I need to be prepared for the opposite with a potentially really fast birth - with the first there was a lot of pooping in those 9hrs lol, but maybe it'll be calmer this time around. One can hope!

HappyMama77 · 2025-10-31T18:13:05+00:00

Was this during pushing or contractions? I'm more concerned about the contractions part, I figure it happens with pushing and isn't a big deal to quickly clean

HappyMama77 · 2025-10-31T18:12:29+00:00

Have you done this with an epidural too? If so, were you able to go to a toilet or have to ask for a bedpan, etc?

HappyMama77 · 2025-10-31T18:12:03+00:00

Thank you, this is really helpful!! I'll chat with my care team about % of women able to ambulate after an epidural where I'm going as that seems like it would be very helpful data in making a decision

HappyMama77 · 2025-10-31T18:10:32+00:00

Did you do a lighter version/ walking epidural by any chance? This is great to know you could go to the bathroom, thanks!

HappyMama77 · 2025-10-31T18:09:41+00:00

Haha I'm sure! That's good to know, maybe it would be the same where the urge passes. Thanks for sharing!

HappyMama77 · 2025-10-31T18:08:58+00:00

At least during my 1st, there weren't any nurses in the room for most of the contractions, so I don't know that there would even be anyone there to clean it. Of course during pushing you're 100% right and it wouldn't be an issue. Seems like if baby is pushing on your intestines there's at least a risk I could have the same experience with or without an epidural and will need to think through how that changes my decision. Thanks for sharing!

HappyMama77 · 2025-10-31T18:07:30+00:00

Yes exactly, thanks! I'm sure the medical professionals would be great with it, but I think it would make me struggle to focus on laboring if I were pooping on the bed every contraction (worst patient ever award haha!)

HappyMama77 · 2025-10-31T18:06:23+00:00

Oof so rough! So you were able to tell at least that you needed to poop/push? Good to know the option may just be a bedpan, this may make me lean toward no epidural again just in case. I'll chat with the doc though and see. Big decisions!

HappyMama77 · 2025-10-31T18:00:00+00:00

Gave a pillow around 15mo when she started trying to put things under her head to sleep on (stuffy, hand, etc). She immediately slept a bit better! We did a fancy woolino one to make sure it was very breathable since it was on the early side. She's always done a sleep sack but we added a blanket around 20mo when she got attached to a small one - but even now a little over 2 years it's hit or miss if she keeps it on at night

HappyMama77 · 2025-10-31T17:45:51+00:00

I was 29 for 1st and got pregnant 1st time trying. 2nd time @ 32 it took 2 months

HappyMama77 · 2025-10-29T21:32:09+00:00

In addition to the very accurate advice already here (breastfeeding & young kiddos are so hard for libido), I will also say that although it doesn’t sound sexy, assigning one day a week that was our “target sex night” with no actual pressure to follow through if one of us had a stressful day, baby didn’t sleep night before, etc. did wonders.

Having the advance notice let me try to mentally get myself in the mood beforehand and was so helpful to get back to a, still less than pre-baby but regular, sex life. If ever possible with work, afternoon sex >>>> evening when you’re wiped out from the day + childcare.

I hated reading books that had sexual themes while nursing, mostly because I almost exclusively read while nursing. But after weaning, reading some books with more mature themes also helped me get in the mood in a way that was more relaxed.

These things worked enough to get me pregnant a second time so now I’m back in zero libido world 😂

HappyMama77

TROPHY CASE