What a women’s health physiotherapist wants every woman to know about bowel habits
No one ever teaches us how to sit on the toilet. We’re just expected to know - and most of us have been getting it wrong our entire lives.
Bowel habits are one of those universal topics we rarely discuss. Even though everyone poos, it often feels private, awkward, or embarrassing. Many women rush, ignore urges, or scroll on their phones while on the toilet, believing whatever they’re doing must be ‘normal’” Even routine actions like providing a stool sample can feel uncomfortable or embarrassing.
Here’s what most women don’t realise: how, when, and even how you sit when you go to the toilet can affect digestion, bowel function, and pelvic floor health - even if you’ve never experienced constipation or other bowel issues. Simple habits and subtle changes can improve comfort and reduce strain, particularly during pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause.
As a women’s health physiotherapist, these are the bowel-related truths I wish every woman knew. Not because something is ‘wrong’, but because these basics can make everyday life more comfortable and protect pelvic floor health long term - particularly during pregnancy, after childbirth, and through perimenopause.
1. When You Get the Urge to Go, Go
Your body is surprisingly clever when it comes to bowel movements. The rectum is controlled by two sphincters: the internal anal sphincter, which works involuntarily, and the external anal sphincter, which you can consciously control.
When the rectum fills with stool, it triggers the urge to go to the toilet. What many women don’t realise is that this urge is temporary — often lasting only around ten minutes. If you ignore it because you’re busy, travelling, or waiting for a more “convenient” moment, the internal sphincter closes again automatically.
When this happens, the stool remains in the rectum, where more water is absorbed from it. This makes it drier and harder, meaning the next bowel movement may be more difficult or uncomfortable. Repeatedly ignoring the urge to go is one of the most common contributors to constipation - and it happens to women of all ages.
If you feel the urge, try to listen to it. Going when your body asks you to can significantly reduce straining and support healthier bowel habits.
2. Why Toilet Posture Matters (Yes, the Footstool Really Does Help)
If you’ve ever wondered why footstools or “squatty potty” style devices exist, there’s a very practical reason - and it’s not just so that toddlers can reach the toilet.
When you sit on a standard toilet with your knees lower than your hips, a muscle called the puborectalis creates a bend, or kink, in the rectum. This kink is useful for continence - it helps keep stool in when you’re not ready to go - but it also makes emptying the bowel more difficult.
By raising your feet on a small stool so that your knees are higher than your hips, the rectum straightens. This creates a clearer pathway for stool to pass with less effort. In simple terms, better posture means less straining, even if your bowels are otherwise healthy.
Good toilet posture includes:
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Feet supported on a small stool or block
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Knees higher than hips
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Leaning slightly forward
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Relaxed breathing (no holding your breath)
Many women are surprised to learn they’ve been sitting “incorrectly” on the toilet their entire lives - and that small change alone can make going to the bathroom quicker, easier, and more comfortable.
3. What If You Don’t Feel Fully ‘Emptied’?
Feeling like you haven’t completely emptied your bowels is common, particularly for women.
Sometimes, this is simply because we rush. Many women don’t allow enough time on the toilet, often due to family interruptions, work pressures, or lack of privacy. Rushing can prevent the bowel from fully emptying.
In other cases, incomplete emptying can be linked to a condition called a rectocele. This occurs when the back wall of the vagina loses some of its support and allows the rectum to bulge slightly into it. Stool can collect in this pocket, making it feel like you need to go again shortly after standing up.
For women with this issue, gentle support to the back vaginal wall - something a pelvic health physiotherapist can teach - can help improve emptying and reduce that frustrating “unfinished” feeling.
4. Constipation: Why It Matters More Than You Think
Constipation isn’t just uncomfortable - it can have wide-reaching effects on women’s health. It’s common during pregnancy, after childbirth, and when taking certain medications, but it’s often brushed off as something to simply live with.
Chronic constipation can contribute to pelvic floor dysfunction, urinary leakage, haemorrhoids, and, in more severe cases, rectal prolapse. It can also lead to a surprising issue called overflow faecal incontinence.
This happens when hard stool becomes stuck in the rectum and stretches it over time. Looser stool can then leak around the blockage, leading to unexpected bowel leakage - something many women find distressing, yet rarely talk about.
Practical Tips to Support Healthy Bowels
Small changes can make a big difference, even if you don’t have current issues:
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Use the gastrocolic reflex: This natural reflex occurs around 20–30 minutes after eating. Sitting on the toilet after breakfast, even without an urge, can help train regular bowel movements.
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Improve toilet posture: Use a footstool to elevate your feet and lean forward slightly.
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Relax your pelvic floor: Gentle stretches such as child’s pose or happy baby pose can help release tension.
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Hydration and fibre: Drinking enough water and including fibre-rich foods can support stool consistency. Coffee can also help stimulate bowel movements for some people.
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Consider magnesium citrate: Taken at night, it can help soften stools (check with a healthcare professional first).
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Gentle abdominal movement: Rolling a soft ball over your abdomen or practising deep belly breathing can stimulate bowel activity.
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Move your body: Regular walking and exercise support healthy digestion.
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Leave your phone outside the bathroom: Sitting for long periods increases pressure on the pelvic floor and can contribute to haemorrhoids.
When Toilet Posture Matters Most
Toilet posture becomes particularly important during pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and perimenopause. Hormonal changes, reduced core support, and increased pelvic floor demands can affect bowel function at these stages.
Supporting your body with good posture and healthy habits reduces strain and helps protect pelvic floor health over the long term.
When to Seek Professional Support
If you regularly experience constipation, straining, incomplete emptying, pain, or bowel leakage, it may be helpful to consult a women’s health or pelvic floor physiotherapist. They can assess your bowel and pelvic floor function and provide tailored guidance.
Bowel health is nothing to be embarrassed about - it’s an essential part of overall wellbeing.
Happy pooping!
About the Author
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Ally is a women’s health physiotherapist specialising in pelvic floor health, pregnancy, and postnatal care. She works closely with women to support bowel, bladder, and pelvic health through all stages of life. Ally Collishaw | Physiotherapist - Genesis Healthcare Centre Dubai alexandra@nunoou.com | www.nunoou.fit | Instagram |
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