At What Age Should You Receive Your First Enema?

I can remember being four years old and having my first enemas which I received from my mother. She would cut up Ivory soap into small pieces and stir them in a large bowl of warm water. She removed my pajamas and had me lay across her lap or lay on my side on a bath towel on my bed with my bottom facing her where she sat on a chair. She used enema bulb syringes to squirt the soapy liquid inside of my lubricated anus. She would receive enemas from my grandmother and aunt for health. Some of my male friends were given enemas, and we would make jokes about hiding the Ivory soap and enema bulb syringes in places where our mothers could not find them. I am curious as to what age you should receive your first enema.

Many of us got them as infants!

Well, I would say the first enema should be given purely for medical reasons and not just a regular cleansing. It is interesting that enemas were given so frequently to many kids that grew up in what is commonly referred to as the Golden Age of Enemas. But today kids and enemas are much less common. I would think an enema should be given to relieve constipation or to address some medical issue and a doctor recommends them to a parent.

If chronic constipation is an issue for a child, I could see that being an option for parents and child. And as the child reaches an age where they are old enough to learn how to give themselves an enema, then they can take over the task at whatever age that might be.

Certainly, many on this site got enemas on a regular basis as kids for what was thought to be overall health maintenance, but those days are in the past. Enemas can be used to address medical situations and if a child has a medical issue and enemas would appear to be the best option then yes proceed with enemas. And as time goes on and the enemas continue into adolescence and if that develops into a lifelong fetish then so be it. But we should recognize that there are lots of people out there who love getting and giving enemas for pleasure as adults. So, if you are in this group of enema fetish folks, then enjoy your fetish like I do.

The day of your 18th birthday. Make up your own mind. (Enemas are fun).

I must have received the first one as a toddler, consciously remembering it from around the age of 5

It isn't. About age as much as it is about need. If a toddler is constipated should an enema be not given because of age? I think not, it's a loving and caring act to give an enema to a toddler, rather than say, No way, they are too young if my sister is an indication I got enemas at two years. I was my parents gave my sister enemas at two years old, so I assume I did as well. They had a two ounce bulb enema in the bathroom just for such occasions.

Many of the medical and child rearing texts of decades ago, make references to the use of enemas in infancy and beyond. In many, the type of equipment and volume of solution is suggested, as is the type of solution depending on circumstances. There seemingly is no magical age.

The bottom line is that many of us embarked on experimentation at fairly young ages (6?). By puberty, some of us likely were having more sex with an enema bag or bulb, than our middle aged parents enjoyed together, as they had other responsibilities and concerns. At least our obsession didn't result in unintended reproduction etc.

I strongly believe that no child should receive enema or any other medial procedure just because they are at certain age.

The ONLY reason for those procedures should be actual medical need.

Born in the USA during WW-2. Dad was gutted and survived. Should have died, but too interested in living to give up. But his bowels never worked right. He was either stopped up or without good control. They set up a little grade B dairy 2 years after i was born and the war was over. My earliest memories are of learning to appreciate mom's special butt water treatments. Don't know for sure when she started me on the adventure, but first day home from first grade, at 4.5 years old, she rewarded me for being brave and allowing her to leave me with the teacher. I did not believe in school and did not relate to most sport minded classmates. I just wanted to go home and play in the dirt. One kid stole a red pencil from a classmate and gave it to me. I did not perceive his evil. But it became a major lesson in life. I thought he was the greatest friend in school and it took a while for me to understand what he did. I was so proud of that pencil gift, i could nor hear anything out the mouth of the little girl he took it from. But she proclaimed to be its rightful owner. That and a bunch of other similar and worse tragedies marked those first school ground years of experiences.

Mother knew how to let me forget and just move on. With her attention to treating my butt, one way or the other. Lessons were often applied to my seat of knowledge. I was never slapped nor cursed, but simply given what should be of most help. I forgot about my spankings specifically, except that i remembered, when it was all done and i had cooperated appropriately, my sore butt would be comforted the next day, allowing me to dry up and cheer up per their stern demand..

So 4.5 years seems to be a good start for a comforting enema-talking-to.

@sse4fun said,

By puberty, some of us likely were having more sex with an enema bag or bulb, than our middle aged parents enjoyed together, as they had other responsibilities and concerns. At least our obsession didn't result in unintended reproduction etc.

You just described my siblings and I as preteens. Once our RN grandmother taught us personal hygiene and enemas became our responsibility. It didn’t take long, before we were swapping enemas with each other two or three times a week. It lasted until we each finished High School. We were three horny teenagers… Need I say more!

I remember getting enemas at a very young age. I recall that I apparently had some issues going as often as was expected, I have no idea what the fuss was about. However, I did get the bulb or the bag when I was not cooperating or for whatever reason able to go when it was expected. Those moments may have started the interest later on in life- but I cant say for sure. I was just aware of the practice and later when the hormones were raging started to experiment with them myself and became fond of the feelings. I was quite relieved to learn I was not alone with this trait.

As to WHEN one SHOULD get their first? Medically necessary for the first 18 years of life, then up to the individual for the rest. Sometimes it is a partner that brings the enema practice to the relationship.

My first enema that I recall was at the age of 9. After seeing my female cousin about to get one at age 6 I thought a lot about getting an enema until I finally blurted out "Mom, can I have an enema". It surprised me that I had blurted that request out load but sure enough mom obliged with a 4oz. enema syringe. I was in heaven.

This is a bit off-topic, but there are still kids who are prescribed DAILY enemas. They get them because of various colon and rectal problems. Look on YouTube under the topic "large enema," or just "enema." NO, I'm NOT into kids(!!!!), but it was interesting to me how often enemas are still seen as medically necessary. The relevant posts are typically from Children's hospitals or children's departments within hospitals.

While you're at it, look up "LARS syndrome enemas," and/or "transanal irrigation." While enemas are not the catchall they once were, there are still medical situations where they are viewed very positively. I happen to be in one of those situations, and I'm still deciding how to handle it. After I heal a bit more from my surgeries, they are probably going to be a part of my own daily life.

@soapytim said,

As to WHEN one SHOULD get their first? Medically necessary for the first 18 years of life, then up to the individual for the rest.

My siblings and I got enemas as far back as I can remember. And I suspect, much earlier than that, being our grandmother was a retired RN and a firm believer in enemas for both kids and adults alike. That being said, conversation about enemas in the nineteenth fifties was commonplace, and were a common remedy for a multitude of maladies, including moody kids or adults. On the other hand, conversation about sex was taboo. To that end, our RN grandmother taught her daughters personal hygiene, and how to take care of and give children enemas as preteens. So, in order to give her two younger daughters practical experience. She gave them the responsibility of give my siblings and I our evening bath, which included spankings and or enemas when needed. When we were preteens, like her daughters, grandma taught us personal hygiene and enemas became our personal responsibility. And that was long before we were eighteen. It was long about the six or seventh grade.

As to WHEN one SHOULD get their first? Medically necessary for the first 18 years of life, then up to the individual for the rest. Sometimes it is a partner that brings the enema practice to the relationship.

I think @soapytim’s parting paragraph above is exactly right and focuses on precisely the right issue. When I read the OP’s original query as well as @st’s quoted reply above, my answer was essentially the same - “How about NEVER, unless they MEDICALLY REQUIRE it.” Just being a human being with a colon does not by itself require you to ever need an enema. The big gray area of this topic is likely to be what you believe is medical need, ranging from say a pediatrician or GI doc who might never use them except for pre-procedure evacuation or severe constipation to a mom or grandma who just thinks they’re good for your health. I’ve read many accounts of members and other people who have never had an enema in their entire lives or only eventually had one for medical necessity as an adult as prescribed by their physician, often for colon evacuation before a colorectal procedure. The original question can easily be read to imply that everyone needs one or more enemas at some time in their life, often in childhood, because enemas are essential for good long term health or disease prevention. Thus, the issue would then become not IF the person needed them, but WHEN they SHOULD start with their first one so as to not miss the presumed therapeutic or prophylactic window of benefit.

My own mother was not only a wonderful loving parent but also a highly-sought-after stellar RN who spent most her career in my home town working for a group of Ivy League medical school faculty surgeons. Even with her knowledge, experience and expertise, she gave us very, very few enemas growing up. In my particular case she probably gave me 3-5 at most, always for constipation, over my whole childhood and adolescence. Even when I was diagnosed by my mom’s surgeon to have “spastic colon” (now called IBS) at age 12, mom or the doc never gave me an enema except once to clean out before a BE (mid-1960’s).

Now after all that being said, I still wound up by age 15-20 to be a lifelong klismaphiliac. Go figure.

Eric

I guess it depends on the need.