Top loo tips for your pelvic floor

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New research from Symprove, shows as many as one in five Brits (22%) only go for a poo two or three times a week, despite experts saying it should be a daily occurrence.

While eight in ten (84%) Brits only ever go for a number two in their own home, with many admitting they would rather hold it in for hours or even days, than use a public toilet.

GP and broadcaster Dr Sarah Jarvis believes a reluctance to poop outside the home could be contributing to a growing constipation crisis.

She says, “Many people feel embarrassed about using toilets outside the home, but regularly holding in bowel movements can contribute to constipation and may worsen symptoms for people living with IBS.

Pelvic floor expert Rosie Cardale talks a bit about the process – and offers her top tips for getting going and staying regular.

She says, “When you get the message that it’s time to poo, you head to the toilet and the action of sitting on the loo seat should trigger a relaxation response in your pelvic floor and rectum.

“One of the pelvic floor muscles (called the puborectalis) wraps around the rectum in a U shape. Usually this muscle is contracted, which keeps a 90 degree “bend” in your rectum and keeps you continent. In order to poo, this muscle needs to relax, which allows the rectum to straighten and lengthen creating a clear passageway for waste to exit the body. This means that the position you sit in can make a difference to how easy it is to pass a poo, with squatting being the most optimal choice for a comfortable poo.

“Issues can occur at any level of this clever system, and dysfunction within the pelvic floor muscles can cause changes to your bowel function. If you experience changes or struggles with pooing, then it is worth considering whether your pelvic floor is functioning as well as it can.

“Creating good bowel habits can help this muscle function better, as can doing regular pelvic floor exercises.”

The top five tips:

1. Breatheeeeeee

When we poo, we often need a small rise in pressure in the abdomen (belly) to get the bowel motion started. This can be created through breath. It’s a good habit to have slow relaxed breathing when you’re on the toilet. Too much breath holding or straining when we are on the loo can actually lessen the power of the pelvic floor.

Try this tip the next time you are on the loo – lean forward onto your knees, take your hand and make a fist. Place your lips against your index finger and thumb and breathe into it as if you are blowing into a trumpet. Try three long breaths like this to initiate a poo and then continue until you are finished.

2. Step it up

Using a step or stool, raise your feet off the floor (so that you are in more of a squatting position) when sitting on the loo to help you achieve an optimal pooing position. By getting your knees above your hips you’ll help the muscles in your pelvic floor relax. If you don’t have a stool, a toilet roll under each foot will do the same job.

3. Fire up the natural urge to go

Most people poo in the morning thanks to the gastrocolic reflex, an involuntary action which moves food and waste through your gut in the morning and after meals. Certain habits can help you take advantage of this reflex, including:

A hot drink first thing in the morning
A substantial breakfast
Giving yourself enough time in your morning routine to open your bowels rather than rushing off

Sitting on the loo even if you don’t have the urge can also stimulate your bowels to open. If you haven’t had a poo within a few minutes of sitting on the toilet, get up and return when you do get a natural urge to go.

4. Eat plenty of fibre

Fibre (found in foods like fruits, vegetables and wholemeal bread) is a great normaliser when it comes to pooing, helping with both hard and loose stools. You can learn more about fibre here.

5. Stop scrolling

The majority of Brits (57%) admit to using their phone on the toilet, but sitting on the loo for extended periods (think 10-15 minutes) isn’t recommended, because it may increase the risk of haemorrhoids, due to pooling of blood and increase pressure in your rectum and anus. If you haven’t been able to poop within a few minutes, get up and do something else then return when the urge returns.

Carol McEvoy from Symprove says, “With IBS Awareness Month starting this week, we wanted to shine a light on the nation’s loo habits and the discomfort many people experience when it comes to digestive health. For those living with IBS, symptoms such as bloating and constipation can have a real everyday impact.”

The study also reveals four in ten (41%) say they have reluctantly been to see their GP about digestive issues, although a quarter (25%) say they waited a month before booking the appointment.