I.B.S. and giving birth. ESpecially relating to water birth.

[Sweetpez]

Hi, I have had I.B.S since I was about 14, I find that I still have to plan my life around it a little, even though it has become a lot more manageable since my mid twenties.

I would love to hear from anyone who can give me any advice or spurt on how they delt with I.B.S and labour. On the topics below, or anything you found helped.

My two biggest questions are: is labour pain similar to I.B.S. contractions?

And

This is my BIG question/worry/fear
I know that people often poop during transition, and in water they scoop it out, but I rarely have a formed stool, so what happens if I have diarrhea while in the birthing pool?

Thank you for your help bub hubbers!

[preggasaurus]

No advice, sorry. I just didn't want to read and not reply.

Sending you hugs and wishing you luck for labour.

[singlemumma82]

I had IBS up until I fell pregnant, then I couldn't work out if it was IBS or morning sickness haha.

Personally I found labour easy as I had dealt with the pain of feeling my tummy contract ever time I ate so it was normal to me, IYKWIM.

As for going to the toilet, I had a posterior birth so I actually spent majority of the time on the toilet thinking I was simply constipated and not in labour, so by the time I was ready to birth her my bowels where empty.

I also found that by changing my diet my IBS is now under control, do you know what foods set you off and do you take anything to help with it currently?

[kirstykilleen]

My IBS completely disappeared during pregnancy it was amazing an is pretty good now, as the other poster said your so used to feeling your stomach cramp that the first stages of labour are a breeze my middy kept asking me if I really couldn't feel the contractions! As for pooping I was terrified too but honestly it wasn't an issue I had had spicy nandos, chocolate cake, a full on Indian an 3 meals at the hospital before I started pushing (over 24hours) an nothing, although my first BM post birth wasn't fun... Good luck with your labour an enjoy every second my baby is 17days old you soon forget the pain and embarrassment

[BaronessM]

Hi Sweetpez, did you get your water birth? How did your birth go? How did you manage your IBS during birth?

I so badly wanted a water birth, and it was possible at the hospy I was booked into. Then I had a Placental Abruption, and having a tiny, early baby totally scotched the water birth idea!

Would love to hear how your birth went, and how you managed your IBS.

P.S...I have some bowel issues, but the worst thing in my pg was developing Irritable womb syndrome (IWS?)! The abruption caused constant bleeding into the womb which didn't void and remained there, irritating the womb and causing 'tightenings' as they call them, basically one long contraction. I was hospitalised for threatened pre-term labour therefore. I was so sure labour would be nothing much after that, but boy, was I wrong! The nerve condition contrived with the contractions (which were full-on due to induction) to cause excrutiating pain, exaccerbated by being monitored and having to lie down on a bed motionless the whole labour. It sucked. I'm SO glad I didn't have any bowel issues along with dealing with all of the above!

So, anyway, how did you go?