What should my poop look like?

Answer: Your poop should look like sausages, or soft formed logs, my friends. Sausages or soft formed logs. 

Hi  :) I’m Dr. Kelly Sadauckas (sed-OW-skiss, thanks for asking). I am one of a handful of Doctors of Physical Therapy IN THE WORLD that are double board certified in Pelvic Health and Orthopedics.  Today, I’m here to chat about a topic that we all wonder about, but might not talk about enough–poop!   

And to answer your question, at the risk of offending...here’s the scoop on your poop, and the picture above is exactly what your poop should look like:  Soft formed poop (stool) looks like a sausage or a small log.

Not tiny rabbit turds, not massive cylinders, and definitely not loose pulled pork (sorry if I ruined that for you). We're aiming for those comfy, soft-formed logs.

Wondering if your poop is normal? 

You're not alone! It's a totally normal concern because your not many people talk about this!!  But we should talk about this, because bowel habits (including what your poop looks like, and how easy it is to pass) are a good indicator of your overall health.  

Ever heard of the Bristol Stool Scale? It's a way of classifying and describing our Poop!  Please allow me to enlighten you…

The Bristol Stool Scale is like the Mad Libs of poop descriptions, ranging from types 1 to 7. For a happy pelvis, your goal is to hit Type 4 – give it a shot and casually mention it to your doctor at your next checkup. 😉

Type 1 is 'constipated' and Type 7 is Diarrhea.  Although whatever type you have, should be easy to pass...so you "could" have poop that "looks" like Type 4...and if you are constantly STRAINING and FORCING it to come out...you'd technically still be constipated--so it's the "look" and the "easy feel" that we are looking for :) 

4 Things to do if your poop doesn’t look right 

1. Hydration is key. This post talks about why hydration is important in pee problems, but did you know you also need to be hydrated to have good poops? Yep. Take your body weight in pounds, and divide it by 2.  This is your BASE number of target fluid ounces to take in each and every day.  You need more if you are regularly exercising, breastfeeding or live in a high, dry climate.  And 75% of it should be non-caffeinated and non-alcoholic, my friend.

2. Fiber and protein also matter...especially fiber. Fiber is important because it literally feeds the microbiome in our gut---it feeds the little things that digest our food for us, and make the nutrients available to us---this not only helps us actually feel satisfied (because we're actually getting nutrients absorbed from our food), but the happier the microbiome is, the more normally the poop passes through, leading to perfect Type 4 Poops all the time!  Shoot for 10 grams a meal, my friends. 

Small side-note, for my friends out there with SIBO, not all fibers are created equal, and some fibers could cause further constipation, so if you KNOW you have SIBO, or if you FEEL that "when I try to eat more fiber, THAT'S EXACTLY WHEN I GET MORE CONSTIPATED" or "THAT'S WHEN I GET DIARRHEA", that's exactly what an "in-touch" doctor should hear and see as a AHA moment for guiding you to more of a functional medicine approach.  You're not crazy. 

3. Connecting with your pelvic floor muscles MATTERS.  Tight pelvic floor muscles are a HUGE contributor to constipation and other poop problems, as well as collateral damage FROM irritable bowels. So the irritable bowel causes tight pelvic muscles...which can cause more irritable bowels AND/OR constipation...and the cycle continues. Connect with your pelvic floor, and learn to relax the muscles for better poops, all around. Check out my favorite Big 3 Connectors (buy a Cooch Ball HERE) as a place to start, and remember, Dr. Kelly's Treasure Chest has a whole section dedicated to helping you find your pelvic floor, and to help you have your best poop now and forever more, for one low monthly fee, and you are well worth the small monthly investment (less than a coffee a week? cancel anytime? SIGN ME UP!!)

4. And if things still seem really off, especially if there's blood, unusual bits, or a significant change in frequency or type of the poop, it's time to see a doctor and maybe get a stool sample or colonoscopy.  Colorectal cancer rates are SKYROCKETING, especially in the 40-somethings (because we ate processed food our whole lives), so don't delay this important screening.

Wishing you the very best vibes and sparkle-unicorn poops of your dreams! 🚽💕 

Thanks for reading, and if you enjoyed this, please share it with friends & family!

XOXO

Dr. Kelly 

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