Is Pooping a Lot a Sign of Labor? The Scoop on Pregnancy Poop Patterns

It’s the home stretch of your pregnancy and suddenly you find yourself rushing to the bathroom more than an excited toddler at Chuck E. Cheese. That familiar feeling hits you multiple times a day now – the urge to poop! While having to go number two frequently is par for the course during pregnancy thanks to those lovely hormones, is a sudden increase in pooping a sign that labor is imminent?

If you are pregnancy-peeing every five seconds, it makes sense that your poop pacing would pick up as well. But few things send an expectant mom racing to Dr. Google quicker than changes in bathroom habits. Is this a sign you’ll be meeting your baby soon or just another joy of the third trimester?

As you anxiously await going into labor, those trips to the toilet may provide clues about when the big day will arrive. Increased bowel movements and loose stools often occur right before labor begins. We will explore why you may be pooping like a champ just shy of delivery day and if this bathroom symptom is a reliable labor harbinger.

From prostaglandins to postpartum perks, the science behind why frequent pooping can mean labor is upon us may surprise you. Let’s dissect the deets on whether a loo-visit uptick signals baby’s impending arrival!

Labor Sign #1: Prostaglandins

One of the main instigators of increased bowel movements before labor is the hormone prostaglandin. Towards the end of pregnancy, your body starts naturally producing more prostaglandins to prep for delivery.

Prostaglandins help ripen and soften the cervix to get it ready for dilation and birth. But in addition to affecting the cervix, prostaglandins also stimulate smooth muscle contractions in the intestines. This can lead to loose stool, diarrhea, and the feeling you need to poop frequently.

So as prostaglandin production ramps up leading into labor, it often causes:

More frequent bowel movements
Loose, soft stool
Diarrhea episodes
Urgent feeling like you need to poop

Experiencing intestinal changes like diarrhea 1-2 days before labor is common as your body is essentially purging itself to be ready for the main event.

Labor Sign #2: Baby Dropping

Another reason for the boost in bowel movements is baby dropping lower in the pelvis around this time. The baby’s head will typically descend deeper into the pelvic cavity in the weeks before labor begins.

This added pressure from the baby’s head presses against the rectum, again giving the frequent feeling of needing to poop. The pressure can also restrict blood flow, causing hemorrhoids that make bowel movements more urgent and painful.

So as baby drops down into delivery position, the increased force and irritation on the rectum will send you to the toilet more often. Like the effects of prostaglandin, this is another sign labor is likely close as the baby gets set for their journey through the birth canal.

Labor Sign #3: Cervical Mucus

In the early stages of labor, you may pass a thick, mucus-like cervical plug. This mucus plug helps block bacteria from entering the uterus during pregnancy.

As the cervix starts dilating, this plug is expelled through vaginal discharge or by leaving mucus in your stool. Seeing mucus in your poop is another indicator that the cervix is effacing, preparing itself for active birthing.

Labor Sign #4: Loosening Ligaments

Hormones like relaxin begin loosening your joints and ligaments to get the pelvis ready to open for delivery. This ligament loosening also extends to the intestines and rectum.

Having looser ligaments around the intestinal tract contributes to more frequent bathroom trips right before labor. The intensifying hormonal cocktail primes your entire pelvic area for getting that baby out.

Other Causes of Labor Poop

While labor hormones and baby positioning play a big role in pre-labor poop patterns, other factors can contribute as well:

Dietary changes – Eating more fiber, fruits, veggies, spicy foods, etc. leads to more loose stool. Cravings and indulgences near the end can also cause diarrhea.
Iron supplements – Many prenatal vitamins contain iron that is constipating earlier on but can stimulate the bowels closer to labor.
Magnesium supplements – Magnesium is sometimes taken to help prevent seizures and preeclampsia. It draws water into the intestines, acting like a laxative.
Antacids – Antacids like Tums contain calcium that can trigger bowel movements. These are often taken for heartburn in late pregnancy.
Laxative effect of DHEA – The hormone DHEA spikes near labor and has a laxative effect.
Nervous diarrhea – Some women get anxious diarrhea as labor nears. Stress and emotions affect digestion and bowel habits.

So while labor hormones are usually the main driver of more frequent pre-labor pooping, other factors like supplements, foods, nerves, etc. can all play a role too.

When to Worry About Labor Poop

While pooping more often is normal as labor approaches, take note if any of the following apply:

Severe diarrhea lasting more than 24-48 hours
Signs of dehydration from excessive diarrhea – dizziness, dark urine, dry lips and mouth
Diarrhea accompanied by a fever over 100.4°F (38°C)
Abdominal cramping and pain severe enough to bend you over
Poop containing blood or mucus

These may be signs of a gastrointestinal illness, bacterial infection, or complication requiring medical treatment beyond standard pre-labor diarrhea. Call your doctor if severe symptoms accompany the increase in bowel movements.

The Poop Factor: How Reliable a Labor Sign?

So is pooping a lot a dependable sign that labor is imminent? Here’s a look at the accuracy of this bathroom labor predictor:

Not a guarantee – Frequent pooping doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll go into labor within 24-48 hours. Everyone has a different poop response.
Fairly reliable – For many women, increased bowel movements do tend to occur within 1-2 days of labor starting. But the timing varies.
Better predictor if combined with other signs – Contractions, bloody show, pelvic pressure, etc. in addition to diarrhea make labor more likely within a day or two.
More reliable with first pregnancies – The poop sign seems to hold truer for first-time moms, compared to subsequent pregnancies.

So while pooping frequently doesn’t definitively seal the labor deal, keeping an eye on your poop habits can provide helpful clues baby’s on the way. Diarrhea and the urge to go are very common in the days leading up to labor.

Pooping After Labor: Prepare for the Aftershocks

Once all the pooping before labor subsides and baby makes their debut, you’ll be quite familiar with the toilet seat by then. But even after delivery, prepare to log some loo time as bathroom business continues.

Here’s what to expect while pooping postpartum:

Stool softeners are standard – You’ll likely be prescribed a stool softener while recovering and weaning off pain meds to avoid constipation and straining. This makes that first poop after labor loose and soft(er). Take your prescribed dosage to make things flow easier.
The first bowel movement may hurt – Think hemorrhoids and sore muscles. But it’s just temporary discomfort. Take it slow, use a squatty potty, and apply numbing spray, ice, or cream. Stay on top of pain medication.
Diarrhea is common – Your digestive system is adjusting post-birth. The cocktail of hormones, antibiotics, prenatal vitamins, and metamorphosing microbiome often leads to loose stool after labor.
Keep hydrating and eating fiber – Drink lots of fluids, incorporate gentle fiber sources like berries and lentils, and choose probiotic-rich foods to get your gut back on track.

While it may take time for your bowel habits to regulate after having a baby, take comfort knowing the poop parade will soon subside. You got this, mama!

Poop Prophecy or Poop Premonition?

When it comes to predicting labor, only time will tell how accurate your bowel ball is. While more frequent pooping is a common precursor to the big event, false labor alarms are definitely a thing too.

But keeping an eye on your poop provides clues into what’s developing behind the scenes as the body preps for discharge (of the baby and the bowels!). Try not to drive yourself too crazy analyzing every trip to the toilet. Stay tuned into other labor signs happening simultaneously.

Now that you know the scoop on what causes the increase in pooping before labor, relax and let that bowel prep for baby work its magic. And get ready to meet your baby soon when the poop prophecy becomes reality!