Hard Time Wiping? Let’s Talk A-Booty It!
Man sitting and looking at his hands feeling down because he can’t wipe his booty. His friends are putting their hands on his shoulders for comfort. Photo by Unsplash.
Listen, I need to get very personal with you today and talk about wiping after going to the bathroom.
It’s part of my job. As weird as that sounds, I’m passionate about helping people keep their ability to take care of themselves.
All in a day’s work for an occupational therapist!
Sometimes, I work with people who can’t reach all the way to wipe their bottom for some reason or another. I can’t tell you how many of my clients feel embarrassed and ashamed of this problem. I’ve worked with many people who’ve cried because they can’t wipe themselves.
You may ask, “how is that possible?”
Well, there’s a whole heckuva lot of things that happen in life that make it so you can’t wipe: car accidents, bad backs or shoulders, stroke, cancer, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, traumatic brain injuries, broken leg, etc. ad nauseam.
Sometimes people get really really sick and weak and have a hard time wiping.
I have to be honest with you: when I was pregnant, I had a hard time trying to twist my back and work around a huge belly! I know I’m not the only one who’s had this issue!
The thing is you never know when there’s going to be a day that you’ll have a hard time wiping. It could come out of nowhere! One minute you’re “Miss Independent” and the next you’re having a nurse wipe your butt.
Or maybe it’s not you that has a hard time wiping.
Maybe you're like me and you’re watching your grandparents or parents go through the shame and embarrassment of struggling to wipe.
And because they’re old school, they’re not bringing up this problem at the doctor’s office. They’re going to keep this problem to themselves and take it to the grave.
(To be honest, the doctor wouldn’t know how to help them anyway! They’d probably refer you to an occupational therapist like me.)
So I wanted to share a couple of tips to get you started to make wiping easier for you and your family members!
Are you a healthcare professional looking for wiping tips for your patients?
1) Sit while you wipe.
No standing up and wiping here! Sitting gives you a wider base of support to balance yourself while you bend to reach and wipe.
You may think this is common sense and wonder why I’m telling you to sit down on the toilet seat while you wipe.
The reason is that I’ve seen one too many people prop one foot on the toilet stool with the other on the floor.
If you’ve got great balance, then get on with your bad self!
But if you’re feeling pain or weakness, sit your butt down on the toilet to get the job done! You’ll wipe easier, be safer, and avoid more injuries down the line.
2) Sit tall, so you don’t fall!
Use those back and belly muscles to sit as tall as you can before you lean forward, back, or to the side to wipe. This will help you keep your balance while wiping AND make it easier for you to reach that booty.
When you sit like a queen or king on the porcelain throne, it gives you the confidence you need to wipe and protect your back, shoulder, and hip joints.
Sitting tall will help you twist less and feel less back pain.
Less pain? Heck yes!
3) Wipe front to back.
This tip is especially important for all of my friends with female anatomy! Wiping front to back will keep bacteria away from the urethra and vagina!
This is a one-way street! No back and forth motions here!
Think about sweeping the floor. Are you pushing the dirt back and forth or sweeping it in one direction? Wiping front to back is an efficient way to get your booty thoroughly clean!
Let’s stay infection-free, people!
This information is the tip of the iceberg! The “Hard Time Wiping? Let’s Talk A-booty It!” course will give you options that’ll make you go from feeling cringe-worthy to confident in cleaning up after using the toilet!
No more feelings of shame or helplessness. You’re going to feel more like yourself! You’re going to feel empowered in your ability to clean your caboose!
Learn more about the “Hard Time Wiping? Let’s Talk A-booty It!” HERE.
If you know someone who’s struggling to wipe after going to the bathroom, then share this article with them. Let them explore the possibilities of a thoroughly clean butt!
It’s truly a gift to be able to care for yourself in this intimate way. Don’t be stingy!
Questions? Visit us HERE or ask away in the comments below!