Try putting a few prunes in the bottom of your coffee cup. They will be soft, moist, and delicious when you get to the bottom. I use the non-sorbated kind (no preservatives). Otherwise, fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, dried fruits, flax, etc. Drink water. If all else fails, there's always Metamucil. I haven't found stool softeners that effective.

You're not really sewn together. The vagina is made narrower and shorter, so it can no longer accommodate a penis. I chose to have the uterus, Fallopian tubes, and ovaries removed vaginally during the same surgery, but this is not required.