Believe it or not, pooping during labor is actually a good sign. It signals that labor is progressing, and in fact tells the obstetrician that you’re “pushing the right way.”
The goal is to increase your abdominal pressure to facilitate labor, and the motion of pooping does exactly that. It can seem embarrassing, but it’s a natural part of labor. Not everyone actually poops in labor, and every labor and delivery experience is different. Sometimes you just feel like you’re going to poop—it’s called rectal pressure—but nothing actually comes out. But don’t be surprised if your obstetrician or midwife tells you to push like you’re having a bowel movement—sometimes you do, but it’s worth it when you deliver your baby.
