Childhood Enemas - Equipment used on you

We had a brown lidded box that contained a red ribbed rubber hose, an adapter for the hot water bottle and 4 black nozzles. I remember the nozzles being surprisingly heavy. I think they may have been Bakelite. They were wonderfully smooth but not shiny. Mom explained that the smallest one was for babies, the middle ones for grown-ups and the largest was made especially for women... she didn't elaborate. I'm fuzzy on this but I think it was from Sears and had the words 'Personal Hygiene' on the lid.

Hi Bottylady. You might like to read my posts under What started me off, in reply tp emma as the experiences are very similar to yours. 😃

I never got a bulb enema, even when I was very young. My mother just used less water in the big white enema can and the smaller "baby" straight pipe. And instead of hanging it from the bathroom shower rod, she place it on the counter and held it up to get the water flowing. And the position was always the same, legs apart, toes pointed in, bending over the toilet with my hands on the closed lid.

Jae

A white enema bock , a red rubber tube and a black ebonite nozzle , and of course a red/brown rubber sheet.

Nice , very nice memorys.

I was never given an enema with a bulb syringe. My mother gave me enemas withan open top douche bag. I have to give you an enema was her favorite expression when I became constipated. I'm sorry but the enema will make you feel better. Take off all your clothes and come in the bathroom. Lay on the newspapers and spread your legs. Take a deep breath I'm going to insert the enema nozzle now. Here comes the water let mommy rub your tummy. If enough poop doesn't come out I'll have to give you another enema. Tell mommy when you can't go potty and mommy will give you a nice warm water enema. You'll feel better after your enema.

My enema introduction started when I was 12. I got sick and then constipated from the medication. My mother called and the doctor told her an enema would fix the problem. My mother had never given me an enema before but she must of known about them. I was introduced to the red bag and small nozzle. I remember it hurt but I felt great after it was over. 😄

Here and offline I find how how surprisingly often to me was the use of an enema can vs. a rubber bag. Based on the bags I saw in friends homes or heard from them I thought getting my home enemas from an "irrigator" was very unique. Of course, cans were the equpment of choice in hospitals.

I always thought somehow that cans proceeded bags. I never actually researched it, just assumed it, but if bags and cans coexisted at the same time, any ideas on why some families chose one over the other? And why did hospitals prefer cans?

Jae

Probably preferred cans because of their life. They were also pretty easy to clean!

Jae, I once saw a Sears catalog reprint from the 1920s that showed both bags and a can on the same page, so they co-existed at least back as far as that.

Since cans are easy to clean and are durable, they were a favorite enema device of hospitals and also some moms for home use.

My childhood enemas were always from a Davol 4oz bulb except for the one time that I requested the bag because it was ths "adult enema equipment". I felt the need to be treated as an adult but found out that the bulb felt better.

I received an enema in the hospital from a can (about 12 years old) and experienced what a hospital enema was all about.

My enemas began before i could remember, both my mother and her sister told me i was constipated as a small child and they both gave me enemas over their laps. i first recall enemas when i was 5. i remember they didn't hurt, just some discomfort from the mild cramping. always ivory soap was used for a better cleansing according to them. i continued to get the bulb syringe and the small hard nozzle until i was 7 and then i "graduated" to the white enamel can and a soft rubber rectal tube and lying on thick towels on the bathroom floor. the "uniform" for my enemas consisted of being totally nude since clothing might have constricted the flow. it seemed as if any excuse or no excuse was needed for either or both of them to get out the enema equipment and tell me i was going to have an enema or enemas. a weekly enema was usually given because an enema was "good" for me and if i was ill with anything, it was time for a series of soapy cleansing enemas.

I was always over my mothers or grandmas lap as they used a 4oz bulb syringe. As i got older they just increased the # of squeezes.

I always got mine with a thin pink open top bag. She would hang it from lamp or coat rack by her bed. The first few were with the small enema tip but i soon graduated to the "big boy" nozzle the white douche

Don't remember when they started, but when little used to get from red enema bulb with black nozzle,3oz enema. When i was 7 i was sick at home for week that's when mom introduced the enema bag. Red davol enema, with long red hose, cream colored nozzle and metal clamp. Enemas were always given nude over the lap. I got to know that Davol enema well, at one time i scribbled over the instructions, i guess i thought she wouldn't know how to use it. Boy was i wrong.

I grew up with three styles. The red bulb with the small nozzle. Later on, the red or blue bulb with the large douche nozzle, Then, the red bag and long nozzle. All proved to be successful in their task. I still love them all.

From the start I got enemas from the red comfy open top enema bag I was about five and from them on I got enemas weekly till I was 15. When I was around 12 got my first enema with a colon tube scared me half to death. Mom then found a Bat shaped tip that she used on me from then on

My first recollection is that of a red bulb syringe with a black nozzle. I'm sure it was small, perhaps 8oz., however it looked huge to me. It was always over mom's lap, with her clothed, and me, with just a tee shirt, or PJ tops on.

Later, I was graduated to the fountain syringe, that doubled as mom's douche. By that time, the enemas were not frequent at all, as mom had become more the diet expert, limiting junk foods and making sure I had plenty of fruit and juices.

As a child of 7 when I first got my enemas from my mother. She used a small red bulb syringe that held 2 oz. with a black nozzle. Do to the size she would have to fill it several times. To give me a good enema. But she used this on me till I was 12.

Ronald...

I do recall my mom refilling the bulb from the bathroom sink. I'm pretty sure she had filled the sink with warm water and some sort of soap.

Have learned later that Ivory flakes could have been used for that. Do you recall anything similar? ???

Connie

When I lived in the Panama Canal Zone, our house was 8 feet off the ground on Posts to protect it from termites. It was a climb up the stairs to the bathroom and I was lazy so I always withheld my bowel movements as a kid, mom always knew when I did this and bro't out the Red Bag, Red Hose and black nozzle. Several glassfuls of warm water in the bag, a bit of Vaseline on the nozzle and anus, and the warm enema would begin. I didn't mind the enemas at all, and later learned to LOVE them. Any time I was constipated, that was the treatment of choice! I was 4 years old, and remember it all very well!!

My mom wasn't a big fan of giving enemas when one was needed she always went for fleets. My first was a fleet mineral oil at about age 10

It seemes most people were started out with the bulb then the bag, it was just the opposite for me. I always got the pink open top bag for the first few years. When i was around 15 i would sometimes get a bulb douche enema first if i was getting a soap suds enema then a rinse with the bag

I was introduced to enemas when I was 11 and in hospital for an operation. On the morning of the operation 2 nurses awoke me early and after closing the curtains proceeded to set up for my enema. The warm water was held in a 1 gallon enamelled jug, a red colon tube was connected to a hose and at the end was a enamelled funnel. A red rubber sheet was placed under me and I remember how cold it felt initially, the Sister lubed and feed the colon tube into my rectum, I felt it work its way far inside. With one hand Sister held the tube in place and the other held the funnel, the nurse then slowly pored in the enema solution. After having to hold it in for as long as possible I was then sat on a cold enamelled bed pan. And that is how my love for enemas, nurses and rubber came about. 😁

The nurse that injected me always used a metal syringe first to clear my lower part as she called it. Then moved onto the Higginsons syringe. The nozzle was changed from time to time. Sometimes a long red rubber one others it was a black plastic thing with a bulb type end that was supposed to help me hold in the injection. The big plastic I could really feel when it was in me for every second, but the rubber one it was as it was being moved in or out when I could really feel it.

It was the bulb syringe at an early age, but mom (I was one of four kids) said it was taking too long when all four of us got enemas at the same time, so by the time I was seven or so, I got enemas with the bag, but always a small nozzle.

I must have been 5 or 6 yrs. old, those are the first enemas I remember. My mother gave them to all the kids for what, I have no idea. She used a 2 qt. bag and hung it from the shower curtain rod with us kids kneeling over the edge of the tub. That's a lot of pressure for a little kid to take. I recall my father carrying my brother in for his enema and he was kicking and screaming, I never really minded them.

As a youngster mom or dad gave me my enemas with a red bulb syringe with a black nozzle.At about 5 yrs. old from a white metal enema bucket.By the time I was 6 or 7 yrs. old from a red rubber open top enema bag that usually was hanging in the shower.Fond memories.

My mother had a green enema bag with a green hose and black nozzle. I have never seen a green bag in ebay ads etc so wonder if they are uncommon. Anyone else get one from a green bag. Only ever got two but they were pleasant. Cyklopps

Cyklopps...there is no shortage of the green combo or fountain syringes. Most major brands like Davol, Rexall, Faultless, etc. carried them up through the 70's. I have four bags in the green color(light and dark) and do still see them on ebay now and then.