There’s a vagina trick for constipation going round TikTok and apparently it works

Midwives sometimes use it on women during childbirth


“Splinting” is the newest trick on TikTok that involves pushing inside your vagina to help with constipation.

TikTok has offered us advice on just about everything: One-pot feta pasta recipes, fun tricks with cocoa powder, certain yoga positions only women can do, creating fake album covers, pancake cereal and tortilla toasties. However, this new trend is arguably the most unexpected and maybe the most useful.

The trend started after a TikTok user, @ambriaalicewalterfield, posted a video saying: “I know it’s difficult sometimes but give me one reason you’re happy to have a vagina. I’ll go first. You know when you’re sat on the toilet and you’re struggling to go for a P-O-O. But you can just” *wiggles her thumb to the camera* “and then it’s fine”.

This didn’t offer much information so, naturally, loads of people quickly commented asking for more information. After this, she posted a second video explaining exactly what the vagina constipation trick involves.

What is the vagina constipation trick?

According to Ambria, the vagina constipation trick is as follows: “When you’re constipated and the poo is there but you can’t quite push it out. It’s like turtling. Hook your thumb in your vagina and you can feel the poop. You can just pop pop pop it out”.

Loads of people commented thanking her for her tips and wondering why they’d never thought of this. One comment said: “I feel like I just unlocked level 100 girl”, another said: “Can’t wait to try this”. Some other users swore by this trick, writing: “I thought I was the only one who did this tho I feel so normal now”.

Does the vagina constipation trick actually work?

Some people in the comments reassured everyone that it works, and others said this trick is actually offered as medical advice for people struggling with constipation. The top comment on the second video read: “I am a labour nurse. I do this for my patients when the hubby isn’t looking so that it doesn’t happen when he is looking. #you’rewelcome😄 ”

According to Very Well Health, the technique is called “vaginal splinting” and a study found that 60 per cent of women use splinting to help with constipation.

Dr. Jennifer Lincoln, a gynaecologist, told Buzzfeed that although this is a known medical technique, it comes with its risks. She explained: “If you are using the technique, be sure your hands are clean and stop if something hurts.” She added: “If people need to splint frequently in order to empty their bowels, that is a sign that they should chat with their doctor to see how to better manage constipation”.

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