Enema before birth?

Erikahenderson1

Anyone had/plan to have this done? Pros/Cons?

I feel like if you get cleaned out before birth you will have a few days of recovery before you need to go again. Hence the curiosity. GO!

kseccomb17

Be careful. That can cause dehydration which can lead to contractions. I'm not sure how you'd time it so that it happened a few days before labor. I would consult your doctor.

Erikahenderson1

Bahaha! Oh dear. lol I was thinking day of, during contractions kinda thing. Which sounds horrible, but so does pooping with stitches.

kseccomb17

My first poop PP wasn't that bad. Stool softener for daysss

seannasmommy16

My MIL has been telling me that I need to have this done before I go into labor... I've heard it can cause dehydration and kick start your labor.. With my DD I still don't know weather or not I pooped myself..

zoopsiedaisy

I have a friend who with her second birth did one at home after going in to labor. She had her husband help....which is crazy weird to me! She recommends it. The fleets enemas are fast acting but its something I want to do. I imagine contractions are tough enough without added intestinal cramping.

Edit to add...she didn't do her own for the pp experience. She did it to try to prevent the labor pooping experience. I didn't ask or even think to ask how her pp poop was. I didn't even know it was a thing!

Erikahenderson1

kseccomb17 said:

My first poop PP wasn't that bad. Stool softener for daysss

My first time EVER being constipated was somewhere around like 15 weeks. I felt like I was giving birth haha. But that's when the curiosity set in about how painful it may be to poop after birth. Maybe I should start taking it again now.

Rrrrrachel

I was terrified of the first pp poop because my colon felt bruised, but it really wasn't bad. I didn't drink prune juice mixed with sparkling water. Sun sweet prunes are also delicious.

MapleLeafMama

Stool softeners and water are your friend post birth. There's no way around the first post birth poop really.

thomas930

Nope, nope, no way!!

stool softners starting right after birth and the first poo really isn't that bad...that's with stitches. 

ksulli

thomas930 said:

Nope, nope, no way!!

stool softners starting right after birth and the first poo really isn't that bad...that's with stitches. 

Yup. I already have my dulcolax waiting for me.

Avion22

My midwife was saying that it used to be standard practice to do an enema at the hospital -- most of our moms were probably given enemas.  It was to keep women from pooping while pushing, and I guess it was to keep them from being embarrassed around male doctors (though they probably spun it as  "making things more sanitary").  Anyway, this has fallen out of practice because it's just not necessary, and could make you dehydrated.  

RedDawnsRevenge

I had such bad diarrhea prior to labour I just can't see the need.

homediva

OMG. Is this actually a thing?

Rrrrrachel

Personally I don't think enemas are that bad and they have their place, but that place is severe constipation, not child birth.

ricekez

I'll just echo what others have already said - stool softeners make the first pp poop not so bad. Even with stitches, it was nbd for me. And I imagine stool softeners are much more pleasant than an enema.

katieharpiceland

I don't get the whole enema to ease the first pp poop thing? Enemas are an instant form of relief, so, even though they would work before labor, it won't do much in the days after labor. So, I'm definitely skipping. 

Airynn Chica

They are standard procedure here. I had one with DD1 and it works extremely fast! I assume they will give me on with this LO as well. It was NBD to me and didn't need stool softeners after birth. However, I had a ecs so I don't know if that affects the pain of the first pp poop.

Serenla

I think this should be a standard.

katieharpiceland

@kendracoleslaw No, stool softeners won't do that. That's what laxatives can do. However, stool softeners are a whole different thing and don't work by stimulating the colon, which is what can cause the diarrhea and cramping. I *think* stool softeners work by bring more water in to your intestines. Don't be afraid of them. :-)

kseccomb17

KendraColeslaw said:

I'm afraid of stool softeners... I just imagine it gives you explosive diarrhea if you don't measure correctly or are sensitive to it. Does it give you stomach cramps like with diarrhea?

I use capsules, like dulcolax. I don't have any negative effects from them, but laxatives definitely give me cramping and diarrhea. 

Erikahenderson1

Maybe I'm weird but I've always wanted an enema. Not for childbirth specifically, just in general to clean all the build up out. Then I read somewhere that it used to be standard practice but that they have found it to be unnecessary. I want one and I want it to be free! lol

katieharpiceland

Erikahenderson1 said:

Maybe I'm weird but I've always wanted an enema. Not for childbirth specifically, just in general to clean all the build up out. Then I read somewhere that it used to be standard practice but that they have found it to be unnecessary. I want one and I want it to be free! lol

The body does a really good job of that on its own. Severe constipation (or before abdominal surgeries, colonoscopies) is really the only reason to do one outside of before childbirth.  Just a FYI.  I've had 5 abdominal surgeries, 2 colonoscopies. The cramping from enemas was miserable and I definitely don't want that during labor. Of course, everyone is different. 

1983sas

I never needed a stool softener and was fine.  I wouldn't do an enema at all.

Mamaengen

Ok so maybe I'm the odd ball out on this one, but it's something I'm considering too. Fleet enemas are not bad at all, and I literally cried when I finally had my first pp poop. It hurt intensely and that was after the stool softeners twice. I actually requested an enema after being in so much pain. I had a third-degree episiotomy, though, so that's part of it. But...no one really knows when they'll have such a bad epi or tear so since this baby is bigger, I'm really debating it.

MamaFantastic

i've never even considered it, actually.  that sounds horrible.  my first PP poop was just fine.

Sisimama10

MamaFantastic said:

i've never even considered it, actually.  that sounds horrible.  my first PP poop was just fine.

^ my thoughts as well.

Merlyna04

Avion22 said:

My midwife was saying that it used to be standard practice to do an enema at the hospital -- most of our moms were probably given enemas.  It was to keep women from pooping while pushing, and I guess it was to keep them from being embarrassed around male doctors (though they probably spun it as  "making things more sanitary").  Anyway, this has fallen out of practice because it's just not necessary, and could make you dehydrated.  

My mom told me the same thing !!!
I am very constipated , and when I went it was like 8 days later and painful .

knotty-girl

Erikahenderson1 said:

Maybe I'm weird but I've always wanted an enema. Not for childbirth specifically, just in general to clean all the build up out. Then I read somewhere that it used to be standard practice but that they have found it to be unnecessary. I want one and I want it to be free! lol

I don't think you really need to clean your colon of build up. I did a colonic years ago when I fell for the hype, but I don't really think they are beneficial, and actually quite dangerous. Enemas aren't bad but can be if you obsessively do them (My Strange Addiction, Coffee Enema Lady). As someone else said, they do have their place. The last time I did one was because I was instructed to by my doctor 24 hours before a surgery. I would definitely ask your OB or midwife before doing one prior to delivery.

mrscrcalli

jellysparkles said:

I just imagine it sending me into labor and then squirting butt juice at the nurse when I go to push.

@jellysparkles‌
The visual of this, has made my night :x

katieharpiceland

I think taking one after birth (or during labor), if you are extremely constipated, is totally fine. Our midwife said they mostly offer them because not everyone goes through this clean out phase and some women are extremely constipated, still, while in labor. That's what enemas are for, in my opinion. I'm just saying taking one preemptively, before birth, isn't going to do anything for your first PP poop. Its an instant thing, its not something that builds up in your system and allows it to work for days.