How to Hold in Poop When You Can't Get to a Bathroom

There is absolutely no need to be embarrassed. All of us have felt that rumbling in our tummy at an unfortunate time and thought, oh no. Don’t sweat. Your body is actually designed to handle this kind of thing, and you will 100% get through this in time to find a bathroom. In this article, we’ll explain how to hold on if you get that feeling at an inopportune time.

Life Hacks to Hold Poop In During an Emergency

Tighten all of your butt and hip muscles and clench your rectum to prevent your bowels from relaxing.
If possible, lie down or stand up. Sitting is the natural pooping position so avoiding that will keep your bowels still.
Do not hold your bowels in longer than necessary—you can run into serious health problems if you don’t poop when you need to go.

Section 1 of 4:

Physical Hacks

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1
Tense your butt cheek muscles to hold the urge off. Flex your pelvic floor and glute muscles to activate them. Tighten your sphincter. Keep these muscles tense until any intense urges to go dissipate. You can even remain flexed for a longer period of time if the need to go is that urgent.^{[1]
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- This not only makes it physically impossible to poop, but it sends some key signals to your body. Your body isn’t used to defecating when all of the nearby muscles are flexed, so your gut should listen to your brain and hold everything in.
- It’s harder to hold in poop if the muscles around your rectum are weak. If your nerves are damaged in that area, you might not even know a stool has come out. See a doctor if this happens.^{[2]
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Stand up or lie down to minimize the need to go. The worst possible position to be in if you are trying to hold your poop is to squat. Sitting isn’t as good for holding your poop in as standing or lying down is, either.^{[3]
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- Squatting and sitting down are the natural positions for taking a bowel movement. Your brain is less likely to tell your body it’s time to go if you lie down or stand. It’s also a lot less natural for your muscles to loosen for a bowel movement if you’re not sitting or squatting.
- Standing will also remove some of the pressure from the abdomen. So will lying down.
- Even just shifting your position a bit can also help you keep the poop where you want it to stay inside your body until you have a chance to get to the toilet. If you must sit, shift your position in the chair. Pressing your buttocks against a hard area - like a metal chair bottom - might help.
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Try to poop before leaving your home. Basically, it’s best to poop before you end up at the place where it will be hard for you to poop. Give yourself plenty of time before you leave your home to use the bathroom. Think ahead!^{[4]
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- For example, many long-distance runners face this issue. They feel like they have to poop during the race. Another way to avoid this embarrassing problem is to simply avoid foods high in fiber before the race or event because that causes the need to poop.^{[5]
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- Gas-producing foods like beans, bran, fruit, and salad could also cause the need to have a bowel movement. Try to avoid eating any food within two hours of the event, though, or you will have another bowel movement.
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Avoid coffee, caffeine, and nicotine to prevent strong urges. Anything containing nicotine or caffeine is proven to make you feel the need to poop.^{[6]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health

Go to source} Skip anything that’s going to increase the odds you need to use the bathroom.^{[7]
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- It will be harder to hold in poop if you haven't pooped yet that day. This is another good reason to use the bathroom before you leave home.

Section 2 of 4:

Mental Tricks

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Relax, take a deep breath, and don’t overthink it. If you're thinking about your bowel movements all the time, then it's just going to make it harder. Relax, and try to think about something else. Anxiety and stress make the need to poop worse, so do your best to slow down emotionally by taking a deep breath and calming your body. The need to go won’t be so bad.^{[8]
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Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals

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- Try to stay as still as possible. Although standing up will help, if you start making abrupt movements or doing something that requires exertion (such as running), it’s going to be a lot tougher.
- Above all, keep your dignity and stay calm. Make sure not to panic or hold your hand against your behind. It's all about applying mental will to the situation.
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Distract yourself mentally so you’re not focusing on pooping. Come up with distracting thoughts like a kitten loving and cuddling you. You’re going to be more likely to feel the need to poop if you’re fixating on the problem, so don’t! Go to your happy place, repeat a positive mantra, or just talk to someone about the local sports team. Anything that distracts you will help you hold it in.^{[9]
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Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals

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- Find a phrase, and repeat it over and over again in your mind to focus your mind on something else. Another way to distract yourself is by striking up a conversation with someone.
- Watch TV, read a book or listen to music. Do anything to move your mind onto other thoughts for the time being. A mental task that requires concentration is best, such as playing a word game or writing down a to-do list.^{[10]
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Get over the embarrassment and just go if there’s a bathroom. If there’s a bathroom nearby, and you’re just too embarrassed to use it at that moment (say, if you’re on a date), shake it off! Pooping is a natural part of life, and everyone does it. ^{[11]
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Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals

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- You might feel better about it if you camouflage the smell. Spray a little perfume in the air of the bathroom after pooping, for example. Be prepared and carry a mini air freshener with you.^{[12]
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Section 3 of 4:

Is it safe to hold your poop in?

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It is perfectly fine to hold it for a little bit, but not an extended period of time. If you just need to keep your bowels calm for a few hours until you can find a bathroom you’re perfectly fine. It is not safe to hold a bowel movement in for more than that, though.^{[13]
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Research source} If you don’t get rid of waste, you risk developing:
- Fecal impaction This is a life-threatening condition where you can’t physically pass a large amount of poop. While rare, people have died from this, so it’s a serious concern if you go several days without pooping.^{[14]
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- Hemorrhoids
- Appendicitis
- Intestinal tears

Section 4 of 4:

When to See a Doctor

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See a doctor if you can’t go or you can’t hold it in. This is defined as you accidentally passing a stool from your rectum. If you can’t make it to the bathroom on time repeatedly, see a doctor.^{[15]
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- Bowel control problems are fairly common. They are more common in older people, but anyone can get them. Difficult childbirth, poor overall health, and disease or injury can be causes.^{[16]
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  National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
  Health information from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, a division of the U.S. National Institutes of Health
  
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Tips

When you get to the toilet, place a layer of toilet paper inside the bowl. It makes the landing much quieter, and it does not get toilet water on your bottom.

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Bring old magazines, Kleenex, or a small roll of toilet paper in your ruck sack, backpack, or bag so you can use it as a substitute for toilet paper if there is none available.

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Carry a bottle of air freshener with you.

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Warnings

Practicing this too frequently can cause colon problems and bloating. It can be very dangerous to your health to hold in poop.

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