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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Sorry tmi but a question about enemas...!

20 replies

planner26 · 04/06/2010 12:25

Hi,

I'm currently expecting DC1 and have been chatting to my mum about her birthing experiences with my two brothers and I. She seemed really shocked that a few of my friends had ended up pooing at the pushing stage, and said that she didn't do it with any of us three.

I was suprised, as I get the impression it is very common, but although my mum had us quite a few years ago now, she is a nurse and suggested that I take an enema once contractions start to 'clear me out'. She said that when she had us three, the hospital offered her one if she needed.

Does anyone have any experiences of this lovely subject at all?! tbh anything that might clear me out is appealing beforehand but I'm not sure it's ok to do it!

Thanks

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BudaisintheZONE · 04/06/2010 12:28

I think when your mum had her babies it was common to be given an enema but not now.

Trillian42 · 04/06/2010 12:29

I don't think they give them anymore, though afaik your mum is right - they used to be standard.

Trillian42 · 04/06/2010 12:29

Cross post with BudaisintheZONE!

IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern · 04/06/2010 12:30

They are not generally given as standard now was actually talking to a friend about this yesterday.
Often before the onset of labour our bowels start clearing themselves out anyway.
Most women who poo themselves have no idea that they have even done it either.

Disenchanted3 · 04/06/2010 12:31

I had an enema for a medical procedure and its wasn't nice, you have to 'hold' the water for 10 mins but its impossible.

I'd rather do a poo in labour and have it cleaned up quickly rather than a midwiofe lubricate my bottom with her finger then insert a bottle of cold water!

Pooing when you are totally oblivious is the lesser evil of the two I think!

GetThePartyStarted · 04/06/2010 12:41

Personally I would rather possibly accidently poo when I am busy concentrating on pushing my baby out while high on gas and air (and probably not really notice), than be given an enema when completely sober and definitely poo.

ShowOfHands · 04/06/2010 12:53

I know you're worried. I was too. The idea of pooing in labour horrified me. And when people said 'oh you won't care' I thought yeah right, you don't know me at all. I will care. I will be mortified. When it came to it, it wasn't that I didn't care at all. If I could have chosen not to I would have done but really in the midst of it I wouldn't have been averse to anything happening that brought dd into the world and labour to an end. They could have wheeled in everybody I respected, all old crushes, all celebrity crushes, FIL, my grandparents and a small troupe of dancing monkeys and allowed them all to peer up my fanjo with magnifying glasses. As long as it helped. I'd have preferred they didn't all come in mind, except the monkeys that did appear once the g+a set in, but I wouldn't have minded.

Original poster

planner26 · 04/06/2010 14:24

Thanks for your advice. The enema she is suggesting is one I could take at home before going into hospital and she said it would only take 10 mins to work?! God knows! Think I'll just hope for the best!

OP posts:

diamondsandtiaras · 04/06/2010 16:34

excuse the pun but you really won't give a shit . Midwives really have seen it all and you won't even notice. I have no idea if I pooed with either of my births and I don't care enough to ask DH!

hippopo · 04/06/2010 18:02

I was also wondering about this and thinking maybe I might do an enema when in early labour?

Befor getting pregnant (and actually to help get pregnant) I have done a couple of juice fast detoxes and part of this is self administered ememas twice a day! So I actually feel I have got the knack of it now and afterwards it can actually feel quite good. They are also good it you have period pain or bad headache.

So was thinking maybe you ned to do two to make sure you are completely 'cleared out?'. Also wondering if they are 100% safe? Also my MW has encouraged me to eat in early labour to make sure have energy so this food may come out at pushing stage anyway!

Have also heard conflicting advice about how likely you are to poo. I am hoping for a water birth and wondering if this makes it better or worse

Sorry havent helped have asked more questions than answered but curious also, think it is naturally for a first pregnancy!

mathanxiety · 04/06/2010 18:11

I had an enema (by request) before being induced with DS, as I knew I would be tied to the bed for the next day or so and had memories of DD1's birth fresh in my mind. And I still pooped when I pushed. I always found it the least attractive aspect of giving birth. But nobody else seemed to care one bit, just quickly cleaned up and replaced the towels or whatever they had without a word except to tell me not to worry when I excused myself.

Original poster

planner26 · 04/06/2010 20:07

hippopo - I am hoping for waterbirth too (if you read the waterbirth thread there is one lady who said she pooed 'a lot'! How far along are you? I think I might try the enema on my mum's advice (she is usually not far wrong in medical matters) and as lovely and supportive dp is he is VERY delicate on birth matters! Not so bothered about the MW seeing - it's more him! I think they must be safe as they are given when requested.

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EthelredOnAGoodDay · 04/06/2010 23:37

Just to say, my mum said she had the same treatment when she has me and my brother. FWIW, sorry if TMI, i pooed several times during labour (both in the pool and out!) I had no idea, my DH told me afterwards. If your DH is squeamish about bodily functions etc, you might need to give him a bit of a pep talk as as it is not the most glamorous event in your life and there can be lots (ie buckets full, in my case) of blood and other lovely stuff! Is all fine though and just part of the process that brings you your baby.

Good luck!

mummytosquidgies · 07/06/2010 10:34

I had an enema when in labour with DS, that was in 2007, but was in Denmark, where apparently it's standard practice.

She put it in and then left the room, I sat on the bed wondering if I was allowed to go to the toilet as I desperately needed to, when she came back she couldn't believe I hadn't gone, but I didn't because I wasn't told I could!

It was horrendous then, it was (sorry, way TMI) like the worst diarrhoea I've ever had, and it made me scared to cough etc afterwards as I thought more was going to come out

I'm having a CS this time so doesn't matter but if I was having a VB I definitely wouldn't have the enema! I think I'd rather poo when pushing than have the fear I was going to have diarrhoea when pushing instead.

belgo · 07/06/2010 10:36

I did care when I was pooing during labour. I found it very inhibiting. The following labour I used a small microlax enema that worked well.

notso · 07/06/2010 10:51

Is it wrong that I haven't a clue if I pooed or not?
I know I was worried about it before I had DD but I honestly haven't the faintest idea if I did or not either time.
I did have diarrhoea before both labours started though, so perhaps I self evacuated.

heading4home · 07/06/2010 10:58

Enema still standard practice in Portugal where I had dd1.

However having heard other poor women in the toilets after taking using theirs and knowing it wasn't standard in UK anymore, I just went into the cubicle and pretended that I had used it. Couldn't speak Portuguese and the nurse couldn't speak English so no way to have any discussion about it.

Didn't poo when giving birth either, probably cos the food in the hospital was so hideous I hadn't eaten for 48 hours.

Fibilou · 07/06/2010 13:30

By the time you are in labour you won't give a monkey's.
I did a little poo, apparently, but I would a) never had known had I not asked the MW and
b) in the event didn't care - having been horrified at the thought before giving birth.

The MWs will have seen it all before and if you are worried about your DP/DH he will see something so amazing that he won't care either. I was worried my DH would take the mickey out of me but he has never mentioned it since.

Fibilou · 07/06/2010 13:31

PMSL at Showofhands and her monkeys

sonsmum · 09/06/2010 11:55

when i had ds.....onset of labour was quite slow so body cleared itself out before i got into hospital......

with dd, as due date approached, was more worried about being constipated and pooing at birth, than the actual birth etc....
Birth was much quicker.....at pushing phase, could tell i was pooing, but if i held it in, the baby would be held in.....
I told dh i needed to do a poo, as had to acknoweldge it somehow. He told the midwife, who said i had already done it,

Though my worst nightmare had come true, it wasn't so bad...you're about to see your baby, and it meant i could recover a little before i had to do that first post partum poo

good grief - never thought i would be writing on this subject....but if there is anyone out there worried about pooing at the birth.....as with the birth itself, worring about it is is often worse than the reality!

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