Postpartum Constipation and Straining: The Pelvic Floor Connection Nobody Explains
In this article
- It's not only about diet
- Why straining matters beyond just discomfort
- What helps in the meantime
- FAQs
- Is postpartum constipation normal?
- Can straining make diastasis recti or pelvic organ prolapse worse?
- Will this get better on its own, or do I need to do something about it?
- Is this connected to the rest of my postpartum core and pelvic floor recovery?
Nobody really warns you about this part. Somewhere between the hormones, the stitches you're nervous about, the painkillers, and simply not drinking enough water because you're exhausted, a lot of mothers find that going to the bathroom becomes its own ordeal in the weeks after birth. It's common, it's rarely talked about, and it's worth understanding properly rather than just pushing through it.
It's not only about diet
Fiber and water matter, and they're the first thing worth checking. But for many postpartum mothers, the bigger issue is coordination, not content: the pelvic floor needs to relax and lengthen to allow a bowel movement, and a pelvic floor that's been strained, guarded (from fear of pain near stitches), or is simply not coordinating well yet after birth can end up doing the opposite — tightening instead of releasing. That mismatch is what makes it feel so much harder than it used to, even when everything else about your diet is the same as before.
Why straining matters beyond just discomfort
Straining repeatedly against a pelvic floor that isn't releasing properly increases downward pressure on tissues that are already healing — the same pelvic floor and connective tissue involved in diastasis recti and general postpartum core recovery. It's not about one bad day; it's the repeated pattern over weeks that can slow progress elsewhere, which is why this is worth addressing directly rather than treating it as separate from your broader recovery.
Approaches to postpartum constipation
| Diet and water alone | Softens stool, genuinely helps in many cases | Doesn't address a pelvic floor that isn't coordinating or releasing properly |
| Straining through it | Gets it over with in the moment | Repeated downward pressure can work against pelvic floor and core recovery |
| Diet, water, and pelvic floor release/coordination work | Addresses both the stool and the mechanism that's making it hard to pass | Takes a bit more awareness than diet changes alone, but addresses the actual cause for many mothers |
Diet and water alone
- What it does
- Softens stool, genuinely helps in many cases
- Limitation
- Doesn't address a pelvic floor that isn't coordinating or releasing properly
Straining through it
- What it does
- Gets it over with in the moment
- Limitation
- Repeated downward pressure can work against pelvic floor and core recovery
Diet, water, and pelvic floor release/coordination work
- What it does
- Addresses both the stool and the mechanism that's making it hard to pass
- Limitation
- Takes a bit more awareness than diet changes alone, but addresses the actual cause for many mothers
What helps in the meantime
A proper toilet position — knees higher than hips, leaning slightly forward, sometimes with a low stool under your feet — genuinely changes the angle of the pelvic floor and makes release easier without straining. Pairing that with slow, relaxed breathing (rather than holding your breath and bearing down) gives the pelvic floor the cue to lengthen instead of guard. These sound small, but they're often the missing piece diet advice alone doesn't cover.
FAQs
Because this guide mentions…
- Pelvic Floor GuideWhy leaks and heaviness happen, and how to train the floor properly.
- Postpartum NutritionThe repair nutrition that supports connective-tissue healing.
- Diastasis Recti GuideAssess the gap, understand what closes it, and progress safely.
- Lateral Breathing BasicsThe breathing mechanic every deep-core exercise is built on.
Written by
Ana (Anastasia Uvarova)
Women's Health Physiotherapist
UK-qualified physiotherapist, founder of Alpha Physio Care
UK-qualified women's health physiotherapist and founder of Alpha Physio Care. Ana designed the Mum21 12-week recovery program.
Medically reviewed by
Mum21 Clinical Team
Editorial and clinical review
Physiotherapy-led editorial team
The Mum21 editorial team works with practising women's health physiotherapists to keep every guide accurate and current.
Last clinical review: 27 October 2026
Part of the Pelvic Floor topic hub, a physiotherapist-reviewed collection of guides on pelvic floor.
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