For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had a sensitive stomach. Anxiety always wrecked my intestines, and I often found myself bloated after eating. I seemed to be more prone to both diarrhea and constipation than most people, and I’d often swing wildly between both states. I almost never had normal daily poops.
But none of that was too disruptive. It was just how I was and I learned to live with it.
All of that changed when I had my first child
I don’t know if it was because of how my body changed after pregnancy and childbirth, or whether the cascading hormones of pregnancy and breastfeeding were making my gut act up, but by the time my son was a toddler, all of my bowel issues had gone to sh!t (pun definitely intended).
It seemed like everything was giving me diarrhea: stress, sleep deprivation, and my (newly returned) period. Certain foods seemed to wreck my gut too, though it was hard to figure out which ones.
The diarrhea was so bad and so constant that I grew apprehensive about leaving the house, because I didn’t know if there would be a toilet near enough. Let me tell you: Pulling over at a store or gas station to try to make it to a bathroom with a toddler in tow is no fun at all. Sometimes you almost don’t make it to the bathroom. Ask me how I know.
It wasn’t just the diarrhea, either
I was experiencing really bad abdominal pain. REALLY BAD. There were a few times that I found myself hunched over from the pain, and it sometimes felt worse than my unmedicated childbirth.
Finally, I decided I definitely needed to get some help. I went to my primary care provider, who referred me to a gastroenterologist. He examined me, ran some blood tests, and determined that I had IBS. I was relieved that I didn’t have anything more serious, but having IBS is pretty non-specific and it’s not like there is a simple cure for it.
I was determined to figure out how to get better
Unfortunately, that was a bit of a bumpy road. The doctors I had seen offered tips like “just relax” or “drink more water.” I tried seeing a chiropractor, who put me on a gluten-free diet, along with a bunch of supplements. Somehow, that only made things worse.
Finally, I came across something called the low FODMAP diet. I looked at all the foods in the “no” column, like garlic, onions, beans, and stone fruits, and I realized that many of those were what seemed to mess up my gut. I ended up finding a wonderful nutritionist who specialized in the diet and she walked me through the elimination and reintroduction phases of the diet.
This diet — along with meditating and trying to catch up on sleep — were the only things that helped. Eventually, my IBS symptoms got much better. I’ve been on the low FODMAP diet for almost a decade now, and I would say that I still have a sensitive gut, but I know much better how to manage it.
I’m still not sure why my digestive system went bonkers after my son was born. I think all of the changes my body had gone through were part of it, along with getting older and the stress and exhaustion of caring for a young child.
I do know that I’ve talked to lots of women who've had this experience
My advice is that if your IBS got worse after you had a baby, definitely go to a doctor to rule out anything more serious. And then look into dietary changes (the low FODMAP diet isn’t for everyone, but it helps a lot of folks with IBS) and consider things like medication and lifestyle changes, if appropriate.
The main thing to remember is that your own health and well-being matters — even as you put your heart and soul into caring for your children — and you should take it seriously.
*Disclaimer: The advice on Mom.com is not a substitute for consultation with a medical professional or treatment for a specific condition. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem without consulting a qualified professional. Please contact your health-care provider with questions and concerns.
