Constipation After Delivery—Home Remedies | Fast Relief

The first poop after birth can feel like a bigger milestone than it should. Tender skin, stitches, swelling, and fatigue can make you hold back. Some meds slow the bowel too. The goal is simple: soften the stool, relax your body, and take the fear out of the moment.

This page gives practical constipation after delivery—home remedies you can do at home, plus clear signs that mean it’s time to call your doctor or midwife. You’ll get quick wins first, then the next steps if you’re still stuck.

What You’re Feeling	Try This First	Small Detail That Helps
Hard, dry stool	Two extra glasses of water across the day	Drink a full glass each time you feed the baby
Fear of pushing	Footstool + slow exhale while you bear down	Lean forward and keep your jaw loose
Stool “stuck” at the exit	Warm sitz bath, then try again later	Set a 10-minute limit and stop if nothing happens
Hemorrhoids burn or swell	Cold pack for 10 minutes	Use a soft pad between skin and ice
Cramping and gas	Short walk around the room every 2–3 hours	Slow pace counts; you’re waking the gut up
Not hungry, still constipated	Warm drink + small fiber snack	Oatmeal, prunes, kiwi, or a pear work well
On iron or opioid pain meds	Ask about stool softener or an osmotic laxative	Start early so you don’t play catch-up
Stitches feel like they’ll tear	Hold a clean pad against the area while you go	This can make you feel steadier and less tense

Why Constipation Shows Up After Birth

Postpartum constipation usually comes from a stack of small issues that hit at the same time. Your pelvic floor may stay clenched after labor. Your belly muscles can feel weak or sore. You may be dehydrated from labor, sweating, or not drinking enough while feeding a newborn.

Then the practical stuff: you might avoid the toilet because you’re sore, you’re busy, or you’re nervous about pain. Add in iron, opioid pain medicine, or a big change in routine, and the gut slows down.

If you had a tear, hemorrhoids, or a C-section, the fear of pushing can be the biggest blocker. Softening the stool helps, yet relaxing your body matters just as much.

Constipation After Delivery—Home Remedies

Start with water you’ll actually drink

Hydration is the fastest lever you control. Aim for steady sipping all day, not a huge chug at night. Keep a bottle at every “baby station” you use: bed, couch, feeding chair.

A warm drink in the morning can trigger the gastrocolic reflex, which is your gut’s “time to move” signal. Tea, warm water, or broth all count.

Use food that pulls water into stool

Fiber works best when it has water to bind to. If you add fiber without fluids, stool can feel bulkier and still hard.

• Prunes or prune juice: Small serving, once or twice a day.
• Kiwi, pears, berries: Easy on the stomach, easy to snack on.
• Oats, bran, chia: Add to yogurt, oatmeal, or smoothies.
• Beans and lentils: Start small if gas is an issue.

Try “fiber plus a little fat” so things slide: oatmeal with yogurt, prunes with nuts, whole-grain toast with peanut butter, or a drizzle of olive oil on vegetables.

Set up your body for an easier release

Most toilets keep your knees too low. A footstool brings your knees up and can make the angle friendlier. Lean forward, rest your elbows on your thighs, then breathe out slowly as you bear down. Long exhale helps your pelvic floor drop.

Give yourself a time cap. If nothing happens in 10 minutes, get up. Sitting and straining can worsen hemorrhoids and swelling.

Make stitches feel safer

If you had stitches, you can feel like one push will undo everything. In many cases, stitches are sturdier than they feel. Still, fear is real. Hold a clean pad or folded tissue against the area while you poop. It can reduce the “pulling” sensation and let you relax more.

If you’re sore, a warm sitz bath before trying can help. A peri bottle with warm water during and after can reduce sting.

Move in tiny doses

Walking wakes up the gut. It does not need to be a workout. A few minutes around the room, a lap to the kitchen, a slow stroll to the mailbox—those small bursts can move gas and get bowel muscles working again.

Try a simple rhythm: stand up each time the baby wakes, stretch your arms overhead, then take 30–60 steps.

Home Remedies For Constipation After Delivery When Food Falls Short

If you’ve done the basics for a day and you’re still stuck, it’s time to add a “soften and move” plan. This is where many postpartum people do best with a stool softener or a gentle laxative, used for a short window, with their clinician’s ok.

Mayo Clinic notes that after a vaginal delivery, you can talk with your healthcare professional about using a stool softener or laxative to prevent constipation. Mayo Clinic postpartum care guidance is a solid overview.

Stool softeners

Docusate is a common stool softener used after birth. It draws water into stool, so it’s easier to pass. It’s not a “push your bowel” drug, so it can feel gentler when you’re scared of cramping.

Osmotic laxatives

Polyethylene glycol (often sold as PEG 3350) and lactulose pull water into the bowel. Many clinicians use these when stool softener alone isn’t enough. They can take a day or so to kick in.

Glycerin suppositories

If stool is right at the end and you can’t get it started, a glycerin suppository can help trigger a bowel movement. Use only if your clinician says it’s ok, especially if you have significant tears or rectal pain.

What to avoid on your own

Stimulant laxatives can cause cramping and urgency. Enemas can irritate tissue and are not a great first move after birth. If you feel tempted to try either, call your doctor or midwife first.

ACOG includes stool softeners as a common option in postpartum comfort care. ACOG postpartum pain management is a good, plain-language reference.

Medication And Supplement Triggers To Check

A few common postpartum meds can slow you down. If you spot one of these on your list, relief can come faster once the plan is adjusted with your clinician.

Iron

Iron can help after blood loss, yet it can darken and harden stool. Ask if your dose can change for a few days, or if a different type is an option.

Opioid pain medicine

If you’re using an opioid, constipation is common. Ask if pain can be handled with acetaminophen or ibuprofen instead. If you still need the opioid, pair it with a bowel plan right away.

Calcium and some antacids

Some calcium supplements and some antacids can slow the bowel. If you’re taking them daily, ask whether timing or dose can change for a week.

Quick Checks That Keep You Safe

Most postpartum constipation is annoying, not dangerous. Still, a few symptoms deserve fast attention. Call your doctor or midwife right away if you have any of these:

• Severe belly pain that does not ease after passing gas
• Vomiting, fever, or chills
• Blood in stool that is more than a small streak from hemorrhoids
• New or worsening rectal pain that makes you avoid the toilet
• No bowel movement for several days plus increasing bloating

If you had a C-section and you cannot pass gas, or your belly swelling ramps up fast, call sooner rather than later.

Special Notes For C-Section Recovery

After a C-section, the bowel can be slower because of anesthesia, pain meds, and less movement in the first days. Gas pain can feel sharp and can sit high under the ribs or shoulders. Walking and position changes can make a big difference.

Use pillow pressure across your incision when you cough, laugh, or bear down. It can make the whole process feel steadier.

Go slow with fiber at first if you’re gassy. Pair smaller fiber servings with water and walking so you don’t feel more bloated.

Option	When It Fits	Extra Caution
Docusate (stool softener)	Stool is hard and fear of pushing is high	Works best with steady fluids
PEG 3350 (osmotic laxative)	No movement after a day of food + water changes	Can take a day; don’t double-dose without advice
Lactulose (osmotic laxative)	Similar use to PEG; used in some postpartum plans	Can cause gas in some people
Psyllium (fiber supplement)	Diet fiber is low and stool is small and hard	Needs water; start with a small amount
Glycerin suppository	Stool is at the exit and you can’t start	Ask first if you have significant tears
Topical hemorrhoid care	Swelling and burning make you avoid the toilet	Don’t use numbing products long-term without advice

How To Prevent Another Rough Week

Once things move again, prevention is easier than rescue. Keep the “boring basics” steady for a week: fluids, fiber, and a bit of walking each day.

Build a simple routine you can repeat while sleep is broken. Drink when you feed. Eat one fiber food at breakfast. Take a short walk after lunch. Put a footstool in the bathroom and leave it there.

If iron is still needed, ask about pairing it with a stool softener for a short stretch. If pain meds are needed, ask for a bowel plan at the same time you fill the prescription.

One-Page Checklist For Today

• Drink one full glass of water now, then keep sipping through the day
• Eat one “fiber plus fat” snack (oats + yogurt, prunes + nuts, toast + peanut butter)
• Take a 3–5 minute slow walk, then do it again later
• Use a footstool, lean forward, and exhale slowly when you try
• Stop straining after 10 minutes; try again later
• If you’re on iron or opioid pain meds, call your clinician about a stool softener or osmotic laxative
• Call right away for severe pain, vomiting, fever, or worsening bloating with no gas

If you’re still stuck after you’ve tried this plan, don’t sit in discomfort. Call your doctor or midwife and ask for a short, step-by-step bowel plan that matches your delivery and your current meds.

This page uses constipation after delivery—home remedies as the starting point, then adds the next steps that clinicians use when home steps aren’t enough.