How Many Enemas Growing up?

I've written elsewhere about being given frequent enemas as a child due to a severe colon illness. I can recall most of the details of my treatments, including volumes and frequency, and tonight out of curiosity decided to estimate how many enemas I was given. I was surprised to see the number to say the least, but for what it's worth I'm now in my 60s and am extremely healthy and fit...so I know at least they didn't "hurt" me like doctors say they might in today's world!

2-7: Two small bulb syringe enemas nearly every day to "retrain" colon and eliminate chronic full-time constipation. 5 years x 6 days per week (average) x 2 enemas per treatment x 52 weeks per year = 3,120

7-12: Frequency changed to twice per week from 7 to 9 1/2 when I started getting "adult" bag enemas, usually one on Wednesdays and a series of at

least three (sometimes an additional enema when necessary and occasionally but rarely five) on Sundays. The first two years I can't recall mom ever missing my twice-weekly treatments even once. I'll use 3.75 as the average number of enemas given weekly. 2.5 years x 52 weeks x 3.75 per

week = 488

Frequency started slowly decreasing between 9 1/2 and 11. I'll use 3.5 as the average number of enemas given weekly. 1.5 years x 52 weeks x

3.5 per week = 273

Frequency decreased to nearly only one enema per week on Wednesdays between 11 and 12 when they discontinued being provided by mom. I'll use 1.75 per week as I was still occasionally given an enema series when necessary. 1 year x 52 weeks x 1.75 = 91

3,120 + 488 + 273 + 91 = 3, 975 enemas

Most years I got about a dozen enemas when I was growing up, most when I was home from school during an illness plus a few when a laxative given at bedtime followed by a suppository first thing the next morning didn't make me go and 2 each year as part of a spring cleaning during the Easter holidays. When I was 12 I got the measles and was off school for a week. A few colds and a bout of the flu got me a total of 2 dozen enemas that year.

Compared to some members here, the number of enemas I received was rather modest.

Mom gave me a series of three separate enemas at every meeting; The first was always a soap enema, which she hoped would have the desired effect, followed by two with plain water to rinse out any soap residue. At least that's how she explained it to me once.

On average, Mom took me under her wing about once or twice a month, for a period of about nine years.

The calculation is quite simple and manageable:

1.5 x 12 x 9 = 162 sessions with mom.

Since each session consisted of three individual enemas, this result must be multiplied by three; so:

162 x 3 = 486 individual enemas.

In short:

During my childhood, Mom gave me an estimated 500 enemas during the 160-170 times we spent together in our bathroom.

I never got enemas regularly or on any schedule. Starting from about five years old, I probably got them less than once a month from mom until about ten when my interest increased and I was doing it myself more often than mom did. Starting about puberty and through my teenage years I probably gave myself an enema about every two weeks, sometimes more or less depending upon opportunity. When first married and until my kids were in school it was sort of an enema desert when time and opportunity was rare. Maybe once a month when the kids were in bed and husband out on business. I tried getting him involved in enemas for fun, but no luck there. Once the kids were out of the house I had more opportunities to indulge in the pleasures of the bag and I averaged one a week. Now I am retired and my average is several times a week. Life is good.

From age 6 to 11 I had maybe one or two enemas a year. I suffered from constipation two or three times a month, but laxatives usually resolved the problem. The enema bag only came out when a laxative failed. Those occasions were memorable, however.

Starting at age 11, the constipation got a lot worse and became more frequent. I was given laxatives two or three times a week. In addition, the laxatives were failing more frequently which resulted in me being given a lot more enemas. I estimate that I was getting two or three a month. So, 48 to 72 enemas over that two year period.

During my teen years, I was allowed to self administer the enemas after my mother prepared them. I was still taking maybe two of them a month. Over the six year period from age 13 to age 18, I probably had one a month - so roughly 72 in all. When I went away to university, I lived in communal housing. In that setting, there was no reasonable way to take an enema. I had to rely on oral laxatives and suppositories. For the most part, I substituted Dulcolax suppositories for enemas when I wanted reasonably fast relief.

I can only remember getting an enema about 4 or 5 times. until I as about 8 and one when i was about 11 which i asked for.

My mother used a small black bulb probably about 3 ounces.

She never carried on and would just arrive when I was sick and give it to me.

Never a large amount probably 4 bulbs I cannot remember for sure. I would then sit on a small enamel pot to expel.

Those few enemas have left me with a lifetime of wanting an enema and thinking about enemas everyday. AKA the enema virus.

I remember getting an enema one time and absolutely hating it. Did a full 180 somehow later in life.

I remember hardly any enemas until age 9, then the flood gates opened (ha!). Breaking it down by age...

(All numbers are my best guesstimate)

Age 9: 24 (Average 2/week for 3 months whereupon I turned 10)

Age 10: 78 (1/week for sure, plus some extras mid-week)

Age 11: 65 (1/week for sure, plus fewer extras mid-week)

Age 12: 40/12 (40 from a parent, 12 were self-administered without my parents knowledge)

Age 13: 20/20 (Parent enemas end, self-administered WITH parents knowledge begins, plus others without)

Age 14: 40 (All enemas self administered, but at least half were 'sneaked')

Age 15: 20 (1/month with parents knowledge, plus others)

Age 16: 20 (4/year with parents knowledge, plus others)

Age 17: 20 (similar to age 16)

Adding that all up yields a total of (about) 319.

Very few during college years (except summers at home). Picked-up again when I was living independently.

I received one enema from my mother at about age 6. It was a punishment enema for playing doctor with a neighborhood friend. We had pushed our fingers up each other's buttholes thinking that was the closest thing to giving an injection. When he got home that day, his mom and what we did for the afternoon and he had no problem telling his mom all the details. His mom talked to my mom who was extremely embarrassed so she gave me an enema and a good thrashing with the big wooden paddle usually reserved for the "big kids." (When I was 6 years old, my siblings were 16, 13, 11, 8, and 2 years old).

In spite of knowing the enema was a punishment, my mom shot the bulb full of warm water up my caboose, I felt an amazing feeling that I wanted to feel again so over the next 12 years, whenever I was home alone, I used my mom's enema equipment to give myself enemas. I graduated to the red bag with the hose and figured out how to use it but not very well at first. I used straight hot water (120 degrees F) and hung the bag from the showerhead. Eventually, figured out I should used warm water, not scalding water, and placing the bag on the bathroom counter gave me a nice flow.

So, in total, over the 12 years of self-administration, I probably had about six to eight sessions a year or about 72 to 96 enema sessions with multiple enemas during each session.

Grew up in the 80s and 90s, so none!

Every Wednesday an Saturday, I was given an enema all the way from maybe around 5 until I left for college. Both my mom and grqndmother felt enemas were what kept you healthy. It seemed to work for me as I was almost never sick or felt poorly. They were also use in occassion for correction of a bad attitude or following a spanking if felt to be warrnanted. I will let zity members do the math as to how many growing up!! lol. Deniwe

Enemas were not a thing for me growing up I don't remember getting any given to me I was probably in my teens when I started occasionally exploring on my own.