Breaking the Poo Taboo: New Research Reveals Three Quarters of Women Fear the Labour Poo – and Most Never Talk about it

New research from Andrex has revealed that 75% of women fear the labour poo – yet despite it happening to virtually every person who gives birth, it remains one of the most talked-about taboos in pregnancy. Almost one in six women (16%) say they would never talk about the labour poo with anyone, and only 8% openly discuss it regularly.

Now, Andrex is on a mission to change that. The brand has launched its #MyLabourPoo campaign, fronted by comedian, author and mum-of-four Katherine Ryan, to break the stigma and get people sharing their stories online – because the more we have the overdue conversation, the more prepared the next generation of parents can be.

The labour poo: the thing nobody tells you

Andrex commissioned a nationwide piece of research among women who have given birth and their birth partners to understand just how big the silence around the labour poo really is. The findings paint a picture of an experience that is near-universal, yet almost entirely undiscussed.

Among women who have given birth:

When it comes to what the research found – 75% fear the labour poo, while 13% weren’t even aware it would happen and were completely unprepared when it did. 

Only 7% felt completely prepared for the physical realities of labour, including the labour poo (and only 22% felt ‘very’ or ‘completely’ prepared) and 74% are embarrassed to poo in front of medical staff. Just 8% talk about the labour poo on a regular basis and 16% say they would never discuss it with anyone. 

When asked who they’d feel completely comfortable discussing the labour poo with, the figures reveal just how deeply the taboo runs:

• 38% of women feel comfortable discussing the labour poo with their midwife or healthcare team
• 37% with a parent or co-parent
• 33% with a close friend who is also a mum
• 21% with a family member

The postpartum poo: the conversation that’s equally overdue

The silence doesn’t end in the delivery room. Andrex research found that the postpartum experience catches women equally off guard:

• 23% didn’t expect the bowel changes they experienced postpartum
• On average, women say it took 4.2 months to feel physically like themselves again after giving birth
• When women seek out information about postpartum physical recovery, they’re increasingly turning to the internet – making accurate, open, shame-free information more important than ever…
• Nearly half (48%) of women go to their midwife or healthcare team for postpartum recovery information followed by almost two in five (37%) who go to Google, online search or social media. 
• Next on the list is their GP or other mums who’ve been through it at just over a quarter (27%), a quarter (25%) to partner or family and 21% to pregnancy apps or books. 

That’s why Andrex has teamed up with Katherine Ryan to help break the labour poo taboo with the #MyLabourPoo campaign and accompanying content series. 

Katherine Ryan, Andrex brand partner and #MyLabourPoo campaign spokesperson, comments:

“When I shared the stat with my husband that 75% of people go into labour fearing they might poo, he asked ‘what’s going on with the other 25%? They’re excited about it???’ LOL it’s totally normal to be worried because nobody really wants to poo with an audience, but as a mum of four, I can tell you it might happen. In fact, it probably will. But what I also know for sure is that you won’t care and it’s not a big deal. I think it’s so important to have the conversation because if any fear holds you back from pushing, you could have a longer and more complicated labour. So you gotta go with the flow…even if that means you gotta ‘go’.”

The campaign: #MyLabourPoo

Last week, Andrex released its ‘Push Like You’re Pooing’ film, which has already sparked a national conversation, with people across the country sharing their own experiences online.

Now, Katherine Ryan is releasing ongoing content with the brand to encourage people to share their own #MyLabourPoo stories.

Niamh Finan, Marketing Director at Andrex, says:

“The labour poo happens to almost every woman who gives birth. It’s one of the most universal parts of the entire experience – and yet it’s one of the things we talk about least. 

“When we looked at where women are actually going for information and reassurance during pregnancy, the answer was online – forums, social media, late-night searches when they can’t sleep. They’re finding each other in comment sections because they can’t find this conversation anywhere else. That told us everything about where we needed to show up.

“At Andrex, our mission is to help people confront their own bathroom hang-ups and adopt healthier hygiene habits. And that starts with talking about them honestly. Because the skin that goes through a lot, deserves a lot – and so does the person it belongs to.”

The Andrex Get Comfortable platform was created to tackle the toilet taboos that cause unnecessary shame. The #MyLabourPoo campaign, fronted by comedian and mum-of-four Katherine Ryan, will be delivering relatable content to spark conversation across the nation and finally break the labour poo taboo for good.

The #MyLabourPoo campaign is live across Andrex’s social channels now. To join the conversation, share your story using #MyLabourPoo.