Honestly, Pooping During Labor Is No Big Deal

If you're a pregnant mom in the weeks leading up to delivery, your mind is probably swarming with questions about labor, and wondering what it will be like most likely consumes many of your thoughts. Although labor looks different for each person, there seems to be one universal fear that every pregnant mom can't stop obsessing about: pooping while pushing on the delivery table. Oddly enough, many women's fear of pooping while pushing outweighs their fear of labor pain. But what happens when you poop on the table during delivery? Is it really as traumatic as laboring women believe?

The phrase "pooping during labor," when searched online, yielded an astounding 132,000 results and articles, proving this is no small concern to many moms. Nearly every parenting website, blog, and forum has information for moms who can't stop thinking about pooping while pushing. The fear makes sense; if you can't control your bowel movements, what can you control? The thought seems embarrassing and gross.

However, according to What to Expect, nearly every mom who is having a vaginal labor will poop while pushing. Oftentimes, they're not even aware of it happening.

The reason behind "the slip" is simple. Parents pointed out that the muscles you use to push in labor are the exact same ones you use while using the bathroom.

However, if anything does come out while you push, it likely will be a very small amount that your nurse or doctor will immediately wipe away. So, what happens if you poop on the table? Nothing. It's a common occurrence during labor that your doctors will have seen hundreds of times.

Instead of worrying about whether or not you might poop while you're pushing to deliver your 6- to 8-pound baby (because, in reality, you probably will), focus your energy on preparing your body, mind, and home to meet your little one. In the end, what does or doesn't happen during labor isn't important.