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5 Facts about Poo

What you need to know about poo...
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1. Pooing regularly means ...
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going for a poo around four times a week. Less than this could mean you are constipated.

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2. 'Constipation' is what you call not pooing regularly
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When you’re constipated, your bowel is too full of hard poo. This can make it painful to go for a poo.

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3. Avoiding going for a poo can cause problems
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If it’s painful when you try to go for a poo, it might make you avoid going again.

The problem with this though is that it will cause a build-up of hard poo in your bowel. Fresh, watery poo may then leak around the lump of hard poo into your underwear.

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4. What happens if you avoid going for a long time?
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If the build-up of poo continues over time, your rectum (where your poo sits before you push it out) may stretch, and may take a while to shrink back to its usual size. This can mean your body finds it hard to sense when you need to do a poo.

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5. Drinking plenty of water and eating a high fibre diet can help
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One way of helping combat constipation is to drink plenty of water, at least 6-8 cups a day.  You need to eat a high fibre diet to keep your bowels working properly – that means lots of fruit, vegetables and cereals. If the problem carries on, visit your GP.

how to get help

If you have any more questions on this area or would like to speak to somebody about this topic, have a look at the links or search for your local services in the blue box below. Alternatively you can always contact your school nurse.

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