Constipation during postpartum: what to know

After delivery, soreness from stitches, swelling, or a caesarean birth may make you delay a bowel movement. Reduced activity, not drinking enough, iron supplements, and some strong pain medicines can make stool harder or slower to pass. Fear of discomfort can also lead to holding stool, which allows more water to be absorbed.

Constipation may feel like hard stools, straining, bloating, or a sense that the bowel has not emptied. It is a symptom rather than a diagnosis. If it continues, a clinician can review medicines and consider contributors such as dehydration, hypothyroidism, or irritable bowel syndrome.

Drink fluids regularly unless your clinician has advised a restriction. Add fibre gradually through fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and nuts; increasing fibre suddenly without enough fluid can worsen bloating. Short, comfortable walks can encourage bowel movement. Respond to the urge, sit without rushing, and place your feet on a low support so your knees are slightly higher than your hips.

Do not stop prescribed iron or pain treatment without discussing it. Ask your maternity clinician or pharmacist whether a stool softener or another laxative is suitable while breastfeeding, especially if you have stitches or haemorrhoids.

Contact your maternity team if constipation does not improve with self-care, keeps returning, or makes passing stool very painful. Seek urgent assessment for severe or worsening abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, a swollen abdomen, inability to pass gas, heavy rectal bleeding, fever, faintness, or feeling acutely unwell. These symptoms need assessment rather than extra laxatives.

Ask whether your iron or pain medicine could be contributing, which bowel medicine fits your recovery and breastfeeding plans, and whether pelvic floor or wound pain needs review. Mention when you last passed stool and any bleeding or abdominal symptoms.