In a moving story out of Indianapolis, 27-year-old Lacey Wilson was constipated for so long that she suffered from weeks of postpartum depression after finally getting it out.
“I was growing that thing inside of me for a long time,” says Lacey. “Four full days. There were ups and downs. Sometimes I loved being constipated, like when I got to eat all those prunes on day three. Other times it was really frustrating, and I just wanted my normal life back.”
“But once I did finally shit, an experience that in and of itself was traumatic as well as thrilling, I started to have a hard time,” Lacey adds. “I guess it’s what you might call the ‘bowel blues’ but I don’t know how I feel about that cutesy language. This is a real thing that people struggle with.”
Wow! Major props to Lacey for tackling her adversity and destigmatizing mental health issues in the process.
“I felt anxious, sleepy, hungry,” says Lacey. “And I also felt very disconnected from my big, hard turd, but I think that was sort of inevitable because I flushed it down the toilet soon after wiping.”
“Obviously, I took a look,” Lacey adds. “I mean who wouldn’t after four days? But it definitely wasn’t enough time to bond.”
Naturally, being a brave woman speaking her truth, Lacey has faced some negativity.
“Lacey has been saying she has postpartum depression and refusing to do the dishes for a week,” says Lacey’s roommate, Aisha Weiss. “I’m not saying she isn’t depressed, maybe she is. But I don’t think you can have postpartum from taking a big constipated poop.”
Okay, western medicine gatekeeper!
“I’m one voice but I’m speaking for countless others,” Lacey says. “When I told people I was constipated they would always offer me advice and tell me how great everything would be once I shat. But it’s not such a pretty narrative for many, even most people.”
“The expectation for me to be grateful and happy to have pooted made it even harder to face what I was going through,” Lacey adds. “But now I’m glad to say I’m feeling more like myself. Not enough to wash that sheet pan, though.”
There’s not yet word on whether the beignets that brought on Lacey’s constipation are experiencing paternal postpartum depression, but we wish them well.
