TL;DR: You just had a baby, your body feels like a rental car post–Coachella, and now you’re constipated? Rude. But you don’t need to chug a kale smoothie with one hand while bouncing a cluster-feeding newborn with the other. Here are low-effort, doctor- and mom-approved tricks to get things moving even when you’re still holding the baby.
Let’s Normalize This Situation
Postpartum constipation is ridiculously common. Between pregnancy hormones, pain meds, a healing pelvic floor, and a whole human sitting on your bladder (and maybe your perineum), it’s no surprise that pooping becomes… complicated. According to the experts, postpartum constipation can last days to weeks and is totally normal especially after a C-section or if you’re on iron supplements.
What’s not normal? Suffering in silence because no one wants to talk about it. So we are. Because if we can share TikToks of us crying while cluster-feeding, we can talk about our poop.
The “Holding-a-Baby” Postpartum Constipation Relief Toolkit
These aren’t your grandmother’s fiber cereal solutions. These are small, doable, realistic mom-hacks that work even when you haven’t peed alone in days.
1. The Hydration Hustle (with a Side of Coffee)
- Keep a water bottle in every baby-nursing station (i.e., every room you exist in).
- Add electrolytes; coconut water, LMNT, or whatever you grabbed on your last Target run.
- Still breastfeeding? Add at least 64 ounces to your daily water intake. Your milk needs it, your colon needs it, your skin will thank you.
Pro-tip: A warm cup of coffee while feeding baby = gentle stimulation to both your letdown and your colon. Bonus if it’s hot. Ultra bonus if it’s not microwaved for the third time.
2. Hands-Free Squatting (Yes, Really)
- Try a footstool or even a stack of diapers under your feet to mimic a squat position on the toilet. Squatting straightens your colon and gives gravity a fighting chance.
- Holding baby? Pop them in a carrier and lean slightly forward, safely supported, while doing this. It’s a multitasker’s dream.
3. Fiber That Doesn’t Taste Like Regret
- If you can’t manage a salad with your DoorDash habit right now (we get it), here’s the cheat sheet:
- Chia pudding (made the night before if you’re a unicorn or bought at Whole Foods if you’re not)
- Dried fruit like apricots or prunes, ideal one-handed snacks
- Oatmeal packs with flax or chia (bonus: supports milk supply, too)
Per La Leche League, oats can support both digestion and lactation. That’s the kind of double-duty snack we can get behind.
4. Magnesium is the Mom MVP
- Talk to your OB or midwife about magnesium citrate or magnesium oxide. Both are safe short-term postpartum constipation relief solutions and often used before meds or suppositories.
- Many new moms are low in magnesium anyway, and it can help with muscle cramps, sleep, and yes, pooping.
Always ask your provider before adding a supplement, especially if you’re nursing. Even if it’s “just magnesium.”
5. Walk (or Waddle) It Out
- Movement helps but we’re not talking HIIT. Just a few loops around the living room, maybe a baby-wearing stroll to the mailbox.
- If you’re healing from a C-section, follow your provider’s movement guidance. Walking also helps reduce gas pains post-op.
Bonus: Walking while babywearing = nap trap = time to actually poop hands-free.
What If You’re Still Backed Up?
If it’s been more than 3–4 days and you’re feeling miserable (like, can’t even sneeze miserable), it’s time to:
- Call your OB/midwife.
- Ask about stool softeners or gentle laxatives like docusate sodium (Colace), which are typically safe for breastfeeding.
- Avoid pushing or straining especially if you have stitches or are healing from birth trauma.
And remember: The last thing that will help your constipation is guilt or blaming yourself. After all, organs are still figuring out where to live now.
Real Talk: This Too Shall Pass (Literally)
Constipation is one of those cruel postpartum plot twists no one warns you about like night sweats or cluster feeds at 2 a.m. But you’re not alone. Every mom has whispered “please, just let this happen” in a bathroom at some point in the first month.
So here’s your permission slip:
- To prioritize your digestion as part of self-care.
- To laugh about it.
- And to tell your partner that yes, the baby is coming into the bathroom with you again.
Final Sip
Just like breastfeeding, postpartum pooping is a journey. Sometimes it’s smooth sailing, sometimes it’s holding a baby while you cry on the toilet at 3 a.m. But you’re doing amazing. Your body is healing, your baby is thriving and finding the right postpartum constipation relief approach takes time.
Need more real talk, tips, and validation? The Everyboob app is full of community, expert advice, and low-key reminders that you’re not doing this alone.
Download the app today and come sit with us (bathroom breaks included).
