If you are confined to the bed, use a bedpan, in as close to a sitting position as possible, or use a left side lying position if unable to sit. Try to ensure privacy as much as possible. Also, some people find that reading while sitting on the commode helps them relax and aids in bowel evacuation. Try to contract the abdominal muscles and bear down while expelling the stool. Some people find it helpful to bend forward while bearing down, as this increases the abdominal pressure and helps evacuate the bowel.
Consistency is crucial for the success of a bowel retraining program.
Try to establish a time for bowel movements and stick to this time. Within a few weeks, most people are able to establish a regular routine of bowel movements. Strengthening the tone of the rectal muscles may help achieve some degree of bowel control in those people who have fecal incontinence caused by an incompetent rectal sphincter. Exercises to strengthen pelvic and rectal muscle tone are often called Kegel exercises. These exercises were originally developed as a method of controlling incontinence in women following childbirth.