push like you have to poop!

Have you heard that? “Push like you’re having a bowel movement.”

Did you know that's incredibly dysfunctional?!

I know. Shocking.

When our body is operating with a good rhythm, we should having something called the gastrocolic reflex. This is where, when we wake up and eat a little something or have a little coffee, it stimulates our gastrointestinal system to start moving since it was resting through the night when we were asleep.

We start to feel an urge… maybe a rumble in the low abdomen or a pressure towards our rectum. We head to the bathroom, sit on the toilet (using our handy dandy squatty potty), relax and breathe.

We may do a slight nudge to get some input in the posterior pelvic floor region, and a nicely formed, relatively soft (not liquidy at all) bowel movement passes with the sensation of fully evacuating our bowels.

We do not have pain. We do not have bloating or cramping. We do not need to push or strain or hold out breath for this to happen. It isn’t rock hard pellets that come out and it’s not liquidy.

If this is not what happens for you, you actually would do well with a consultation to figure out what your specific situation is and to get you in a normal path! This will help you avoid other pelvic floor concerns down the road.

I have had SO many patients (men and women alike) who stare at me with this look of “…what are you even talking about..” when I explain this scenario. And -surprisingly- we get much closer to it with some tweaks in nutrition/supplements, body mechanics, stretching breathing, and relaxation techniques.

So, if your s*it don’t staaankk… or at least pass in the way I described - message me and let’s figure this out together.