My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

Childbirth

enema at start of labour?

16 replies

BeeMyBaby · 08/11/2015 18:23

So I know everyone says 'when you are in labour you really don't care if you poop yourself', but as I did numerous times during DD2's water birth (ahhhhhh!!!!!) I can assure everyone that I did very much care. So I read on another thread that someone else used a glycerin suppository at the start of labour (it didn't help, but they were so blocked up they didn't poop in labour anyway), has anyone else tried this? Was it effective? Did it clear out their system quite quickly so they were able to concentrate on giving birth without wanting to die inside from embarrassment? Frankly the pain is enough for me to try to handle without the thought of the mw desperately trying to fish out my poop from the bath and DH pretending not to witness this additional humiliation on my part. Is there any suppositories which would be better?

OP posts:
Report
eddiemairswife · 08/11/2015 18:34

No help I'm afraid, but when I had my 4 in the Dark Ages it was routine to be given an enema at the start of labour.

Report
Mouthfulofquiz · 08/11/2015 18:39

I think that everyone should just accept that you probably will poop and not be embarrassed! It's only poo. Everybody does it.

Report
BeeMyBaby · 08/11/2015 18:41

Yes my mother had enemas during each of her labours. Why did they stop doing it? I think it would be completely weird if I were to request it and would prefer to deal with this issue in the privacy of my own home and whilst I'm not in too much pain from contractions.

OP posts:
Report
Icanseeclearly · 08/11/2015 19:02

Can you approach your mw for some advice? Given you are worrying they may agree to prescribe something to use early on?

Report
Firsttimer82 · 08/11/2015 19:14

Buy a 50ml bladder syringe or an enema syringe off the internet and have a wash out yourself at the start of labour?

Report
bugoven · 08/11/2015 19:32

Can't say whether it's a good idea to do before labour but I have recently used a glycerin suppository when I had a very painful tummy bug at 32 weeks pregnant and a blockage combined. Pharmacist said it was perfectly safe in pregnancy and I can confirm it was very effective! I was advised to try and keep it in as long as possible and I managed 30 seconds if that. I was instantly relieved, comfortable and no horrible side effects. I am considering using one at start of labour too if I nanage a natural start this time.

Report
winchester1 · 08/11/2015 19:40

I used them during pregnancy and then started eating flax seeds every day to keep things moving. I didn't poo in labour but things went quite fast so maybe that was the reason.

Report
OhMakeMeOver · 08/11/2015 20:26

I heard they used to do it before labour... but what was the reason? It's not a problem to poo so why bother!
Take some iron tablets and make yourself constipated, ha! Or I'm sure you get your own kit for home use..?

Report
babyboomersrock · 09/11/2015 20:45

I had my first baby in 1974, when soap-and-water enemas were the norm. Suffice to say the experience was so unpleasant that I made sure I didn't have another one (enema that is, not baby!). I felt utterly debilitated after the enema had worked - drained, weak and sore - as one does after a bout of severe diarrhoea. Not exactly a comfortable start to labour.

We were told that enemas helped kick-start labour and made more room in the pelvis - but we were told lots of things which turned out to be nonsense. I certainly had no sense of "humiliation" from any natural leakage during my subsequent labours - if my partner had been so squeamish that he couldn't cope, then he was free to leave the room.

Report
Stylingwax · 09/11/2015 20:48

I agree that the 'you really won't care' message didn't work for me with DC1, and I am planning to merrily use a suppository with the first twinges. A little bit later on I don't mind but I don't really want to be depositing a log.

Report
BreeVDKamp · 09/11/2015 20:57

I begged for one as I was soooooo constipated in the last weeks of pregnancy, but they wouldn't do it. Bah. I was being induced so I should have just gone to the pharmacy and bought a fleet enema the day before. Do that OP!

Report
BreeVDKamp · 09/11/2015 20:58

I suppose you still might go during labour anyway even after an enema though Hmm

Report
BreeVDKamp · 09/11/2015 20:59

I remember trying to reason with my midwife and explaining that I'm sure there'd be sooooo much more room for the baby to come down if I could just do a poo Grin

Report
FattyNinjaOwl · 09/11/2015 21:06

I was given an enema with DS1. The mw said that I might need a poo and that's why my contractions were so painful even though I was only 3cm......no they were painful because they were fecking strong. Silly beggar. Hmm

I didn't have one with my other 2. I was fine. I pooed before labour with them without an enema. But maybe speak to a pharmacist or your mw if you are worried about it

Report
BeeMyBaby · 09/11/2015 21:47

Yes I might still poop, but hopefully not as spectacularly as last time. Yes I know it's natural but I still care, when I poop i like to go in private without strangers having to fish it out for me. Good idea to check with my mw, I will do that at my next appointment. I had to have an enemy prior to a colonoscopy in my late teens do I know they aren't so bad, just trying to work out the best way to go about it. It really doesn't sound so bad if you just have to hold the suppository in for 30 seconds to make it work, and I presume it would 'clear' within about 30 mins? So far I'm eating a portion or two of prunes a day which is keeping everything working as it should but I know it's likely that it will get to the time when natural diet based remedies won't suffice.

OP posts:
Report
Jellybean100 · 14/11/2015 17:28

They used to give enemas because if the rectum was full it can sometimes stop baby advancing normally. In a hospital I used to work in they offered women a suppository if they could feel on vaginal examination a full rectum (nice...!)
Just discuss it with your midwife on admission, although if you're not constipated it may not be effective.
I agree with you on the fishing out of the poo from the pool- it's humiliating and undignified for the poor labouring woman!

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.