oh dear God what is an enema?

[peanutMD]

I'm in maternity unit 36 Weeks gone.

Just been informed I will be getting an enema today for constipation.

What is it??

I'm intrigued but rather prudish about the prospect of random women poking around my arse :o

They will wash out your [ahem] back passage. Surprised they're not giving you a suppository though.

Yeah when doctor said they were going to help with my back passage I assumed she was going to say about the suppositry but nope she said enema.

Is that the hose thing?

Have they done a rectal examination yet? They need to know how much is in there and how hard/soft the stool is before they give an enema. They'll use lube don't worry

The enema will likely be one of the 5ml type small enemas. They come with the nozzle attached and it just gently gets inserted and then the part that holds the liquid gets squeezed and it is squirted up. There are some much bigger volume enemas though. How constipated are you?

To live life this long not knowing what one is I am sorry you have to find out the hard way.

Is this a standard thing ie does everyone get offered something? I'm hoping for a birthing pool so have been reading up on the poop and scoop stories ;)

Thanks ladies all done and dusted :o

Really wasn't as bad as I thought was a biv squeezy bottle with a little nozzle that they insert and squeeze into your rear.

Only managed to hold it in for 8 minutes though as I had to be sick and couldn't hold it in. I do feel better though as stomach was excrutiating but not so much now thankfully.

I am however now attached to a drip which is a pain as I'm still running back and forth to the loo :o

Slightly worried though as I felt something trickle down leg and assumed it was going to be brown but was clear liquid and front of underwear is wet (not soaked), back is sore and baby is going mad but MW says this is just the enema