To explore the maternal postpartum defecation situation and related influencing factors. Methods Healthy singleton parturients at full-term were screened out in Baotou and Bayannaoer region of Inner Mongolia as investigation objects. On -site questionnaire survey was conducted 3 and 12 months after childbirth. Semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) survey was adopted to calculate the daily dietary and nutritional intake of the women in the past 1 month. The correlations of postpartum defecation situation with diet, weight retention and other factors were analyzed. Results The average maternal age was (29.27 ±4.40) years. Defecation situation 3 months after delivery was significantly different from that 12 months after delivery (p < 0.05). The vegetable intake and the total dietary fiber intake increased significantly (p < 0.05), daily protein intake decreased in the women with defecation 7 times a week or more 12 months after delivery compared to 3 months after delivery (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in weight retention between the mothers with different defecation situation in the 3rd and 12th month after delivery (p > 0.05). The defecation situation was not significantly different between the mothers with different delivery ways or feeding ways (p > 0.05). Conclusions Female postpartum defecation situation is related to diet, but not correlated with postpartum weight retention, delivery ways or feeding ways.