Do Babies Actually Poop Inside

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Childbirth is a tough process and most women find staying pregnant (if given a choice?) a lot easier than the bedlam that breaks loose during the birthing process and the post-partum phase. Having a baby is like a second stint at life and if the childbirth process is complicated due to vivid reasons then it surely becomes a journey close to hell. While natural childbirth is unarguably the best, off late most women we hear opt or are compelled to go for the caesarean section. I recently came across someone who had to go for a C-section urgently because she was told that her baby had pooped inside her! I wondered if this was possible as something like this has been unheard of.Do babies really poop inside you while you are pregnant? Read on to know the reality behind your baby’s first poop.

Babies And Their First Poop

Babies And Their First Poop
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Image: Shutterstock

It is a well-known fact that the baby in the womb receives nutrition and oxygen via the placenta. According to an article published in ROMPER, an unborn baby can start passing urine at approximately ten weeks. An unborn baby pees because they drink the amniotic fluids, this process interestingly makes them familiar with different tastes. It is quite likely that a baby might end up swallowing their urine, but the good news is that urine is sterile in nature and hence not harmful say the experts in this article (1).

Now that we know that a baby pees in the womb, the question “Whether it poops in the womb”, isn’t too far away! Per the article published in ROMPER, placenta filters most of the waste and sends it to the mother for it to be excreted. But at times the baby may swallow intestinal cells, bile, lanugo (hair that covers the baby’s body) and mucus and this remains inside the baby’s small intestine. These accumulated substances become meconium (a sticky, thick and green matter) or in simple terms a baby’s first poop.Usually, a baby would pass stool for the first time withinits first or second day, but sometimes if a baby has experienced stress in the womb or is overdue then it may poop right inside says the experts at University Of California quoted in this article (2).

All parents look forward to a hassle-free journey into parenthood. But some do face troubles during childbirth and one of the issues being MAS or Meconium Aspiration Syndrome. According to Kids Health, MAS can happen before, during or afterpost-delivery. This happens when the baby breathes In or aspirates a mix of amniotic fluids and meconium (3).

MAS (Meconium Aspiration Syndrome)

MAS (Meconium Aspiration Syndrome)
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Image: Shutterstock

According to a report published in Kids Health, meconium, if inhaled by the baby, can partially or totally block the baby’s windpipe and hence might even prove fatal. But the severity of this condition also depends on the amount of meconium inhaled and other conditions such as uterine infections, stress during pregnancy or childbirth andpostmaturity. Interestingly about 6% to 25% of babies have traces of amniotic fluid in their first poop, but fortunately not many have been detected with MAS (4).

Although it may sound weird and even repulsive,a baby does pee and poop inside the womb.The complications that arise because of the baby pooping inside you are real but can be avoided by being aware of their very existence. While we may not be able to keep off from work and an array of other responsibilities that expect us to multi-task while being pregnant, it is advisable to be as stress-free as possible. Besides being calm, it is also important to avoid waiting too long after the due date as even that could lead to MAS.So, if you are in the family way make sure you keep calm and prepare yourself well for childbirth. On this note, I wish you a smooth entry into the wonderful world of parenthood.

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