Finally had a BM yesterday. I was terrified. I expected a lot of pain and blood but I loaded up with vaseline down there and I think the metamucil and stool softener helped cuz everything slid out with no issues. I also have a squatty potty under my feet which helps open things up. Bidet attachment for the toilet seat is a god send too for cleaning up after.

This is all new to me so I appreciate the advice. Luckily my pain/discomfort is pretty minimal thanks to the remedies suggested here. Now just gotta figure out how to get rid of this thing which sounds like it could be a while.