Sorry about the grim explanation here, but I find what really helps me if my stools are very hard and its virtually impossible to go, if I place my fingers just to the side of my rear-end (not right at the anus, but on the cheek) and push it helps about 100%, it makes all the difference, it pretty-much breaks it up on its evacuation.

Sorry to be so disgustingly graphic, but its something thats really worked for me, and continues to help. I just read something about someone actually having to insert fingers right into themselves to - from what I can assume remove it by hand, but I personally don't think thats at all necessary, this technique works a treat

However now I've really improved my diet, I have vegetables daily, brown rice and always have cereal in the morning, rather than stodge like white bread

To have normal BM aperson needs 25 to 35 grams of fiber daily. Also, it needs to be divided between soluble fiber and insoluble fiber.

It may be a good idea to take a water soluble fiber 2X daily to bulk up your stool and make you regular daily w/o straining!! I take psyllium fiber -- Equate from Wal Mart~~ Water soluble fiber make your stool absorb water and it does not give it up readily--

I found out that this was a symptom of rectal/vaginal prolapse during a doctor's visit. The rectal and vaginal muscles begin falling (gravity is soooo lovely)...this means you don't have as much control, making stools difficult to expel...I have to have surgery for mine now, since (nice graphic mental image here...) my insides have begun falling outside, but my symptoms started as you're describing now....my doctor said that this is common in women who've had large babies, many babies, or sometimes just because of age...