Did your Mother discuss your enemas with neighbours and other relatives?

Many years ago my mother would sometimes talk to my grandmother about enemas that she gave or was going to give to me. Since then her sister was the only one she talked too. Her sister though had a friend who lives very near me who is also a nurse and she discussed my constipation problems with her and my need for enemas. My aunt has brought her along with her when she came to give me a series of enemas and has asked her a couple of times to do the job when she could not make it. Diane, the neighbor, is quite capable and when she leaves I am completely cleaned out, whether that takes two enemas or a laxative and a series of enemas.

Janet S

The enemas I received from my mother were part of a very special relationship between us, and she never mentioned them to anyone, even to my father. That's possibly the reason I'm shy discussing about them.

My mom would sometimes mention to my grandmother that I had gotten an enema. One time she told a lady friend I had gotten one while I was standing beside her - very embarrassing. I had told mom I needed to go really bad.

My mom would always tell the neighbor, they would have coffee at least 4 times a week. Mind you the neighbor had two girls and would also tell my mother. They both would talk about if it was used for Discipline, cleaning or if sick. My mom would also tell her friends on the phone only IF they would call during the actual enema, she would never make a habit to call them to tell. Still was embarrassing with neighbor and her girls all knowing .

My mom would discuss my enemas with everyone in our family. I was always embarrased as she would tell family members how she had to give me an enema for having disobeyed her or my stepdad. My step aunt would always get mad at them. She would always give me enemas if I asked her for constipation. She was very caring and helped me alot as a young girl.

My mother would mention it tangentially when discussing my health with her sisters. Words to the effect, "He is feeling much better now that he had an enema," when replying to them asking about the state of my health (I got colds often as a child.)

I don't count the times enemas came up in discussion with the pediatrician, either on the telephone or during an office visit.

When I was little mom used to have coffee with a few neighbor women. One of them was an avid enema taker and would mention needing a "physic" that morning. This pronouncement would sometimes generate a conversation on the merits of regular enemas.

My mom did offer advice on the subject. I once overheard her tell a friend with a child my age that the problem [this woman had] was that because she didn't give her son enemas often enough, what did she expect when he really needed one and he put up a fuss.

My father's older sisters were enema takers too. One liked to go for colonics and would sometimes mention it when we visited. This was done in the kitchen while the women did the dishes. Dad's other sister sometimes would announce at family gatherings that she was bloated and needed a "good physic". This embarrassed her two grown daughters who would titter upon hearing it.

I found out later in life that my Aunt did share my suppository and enema sessions with her neighbour. The neighbor had a little girl about the same age as me and would ask for advice on how best to work on potty training. It seems quite a few kids on that block listened to my aunt and were given either enemas, suppositories or both.

There were times when my mother would mention enemas with some of the neighbors and why they were needed. Sometimes discuss with grandmother. I remember being in bed one night and my mother was playing bridge with her friends and the topic came up. My ears wiggled listening. Found out who else in the neighborhood got them.

Yes for sure. Sometimes before and after my mom would call our neighbor next door and my aunt. I learned a lot from listening in to their conversations. Sometimes I would find out if it was me or my sister that was getting one and got info on neighbors daughters and cousins. What I learned was how many people I knew got enemas and whether the fussed or took them quietly.

My mother discussed my enemas with my grandmother, aunts, and neighbors and would not think twice about it. I, of course, was mortified by this. Mom was oblivious.

Growing up in as the only male in an enema-friendly family, I was party to frequent conversations about enemas. My mother, aunt (who lived next door) and grandmother were all klismos who talked openly about their enemas. My sister, cousin, and I were often the topic of conversation, and also talked about them. The two girls loved discussing the effect they had on my penis. While I never had any inclinations toward my sister, this knowledge paid off with regard to my cousin. Since enemas were such a common topic, I was never embarrassed, and I don't think the two girls were, either. In our mid teens, the three of us would plot enema sessions when either our house or my cousin's were going to be parentless.

This happened often with one time in my vivid memory when mom was talking in the kitchen and I was in the living room listening. I was only 3 or 4, but clearly remember my mother telling aunty that I was to get an enema after lunch. Wow, what a way to spoil the afternoon.

Buddy55 (124) - I just remembered I once overheard a conversation like that on a London bus. A family where the kids (esp. the boy who was probably about 5 yo) had been making a bit of an exhibition of themselves, and just when the mum finally got them to calm down, she said to her friend (or was it the grandma?) that the boy had been constipated lately. Reply: "are you giving him the medicine up his bottom?" Yes, she said, he really doesn't like that, it takes two of us to hold him down...That's where it stopped. I didn't say anything, More importantly the boy was silent, presumably stricken with fear re: what would happen when he got home. This was probably 4 or 5 years back.

Soapy321 (134) - Well I've been that helpful neighbour once, it would never have happened if I hadn't been talking to the mother of my daughter's ex-friend-turned-enemy, who "somehow" had heard that constipation was an issue for our family.

Yes. I remember her discussing one with a neighbor with the neighbor's daughters present for the conversation. Very embarrassing.

I don't think it was ever discussed with neighbors, and I don't know if it included enemas, but I do know that my bowels were discussed with the extended family. My grandmother knew to check when I was staying with them, and I know I got at least one Dulcolax suppository from her.

I had forgotten until recently when my grandfather was discussing his bowel issues and that he was having to use enemas now and didn't like them. At one point he added "but you know all about that - you've always had problems." Evidently it was discussed often enough to stick around in people's minds. I didn't know what to say in reply so I made some noncommittal response. My issues have always been functional, his at that time were from cancer.

No, my mother never discussed enemas to either me or my sister with our neighbors. As I've stated in other posts, enemas were the last resort for constipation in our home , while growing up. Milk of Magnesia was always the first line of "offense". When that didn't work , which wasn't very often , then the bag came out of the bathroom closet. And that ALWAYS worked ...LOL Granted, there were times when we got enemas other than for just constipation, but again that was also rare. Once in a while she would give me an enema when I was very ill with a severe cold or respitory flu. She would say on those occasions that she wanted to stave off any bowel problems since she worried about the cold / flu meds I was taking. She always said that I would feel better if she gave me the enema before I got too constipated then if she had to do it when my bowels got clogged up. That way I wouldn't feel sick or my stomach wouldn't hurt on top of the illness I was feeling from the cold / flu symptoms.

However, my mother did discuss my and my sisters enemas with my aunt (who lived one street over) and my aunt discussed enemas she gave my cousin also . My mom and aunt met almost daily for coffee at one or the other's house and they talked about everything.

I once heard them talking , when my mom asked my aunt if she had an extra enema hose clamp because ours had broken and my aunt said she'd look and thought she did. The next day my aunt came over and gave my mom an old metal clamp she said was the best of the two extra she had. Their discussion centered around how "one shouldn't throw anything out...you'll never know when a spare part will come in handy"

Lesson learned !!!!!!!!

My mother was a private person and never discussed enemas with anyone, as far as I know. In a family of eight, there surely must have been other recipients than me. But when I stayed home from school sick, I always got an enema. It was a taboo subject, so I never heard the word uttered even among close family members. I picked up on that and am embarrassed to mention the word to my sisters or brother to this day.

Both my parents were easily embarrassed about anything personal or intimate. I overheard my father sharing with my mother that my grandfather who was in the hospital at the time had gotten an enema from the nurse. Apparently, it made him feel a lot better, or so he confided to my dad. Reporting that incident made my dad laugh. I could tell he was self-conscious about it, but he could never pass up the chance to make fun of someone.

My mother did not discuss my enemas with our neighbors, etc, but she would regularly discuss them with the nurse at the pediatrician, which made me shier and more anxious than I was to begin with. She would tell her that she felt I needed a good cleansing, so I would be regularly given enemas to keep me regular. I accepted them, but it was not easy especially as I got older.

I did hear my mother talk about enemas with my relatives and my grandmother who lived next door. Usually overheard on the phone I would be warned when I heard her say that I needed an enema today. Then I'd make myself scarce.

And if my sibling brothers acted up or fought she'd ask if they needed and enema in front of cousins or friends or neighbors. This was usually just a threat. Unless she asked you to come to her so she could feel you tummy. Then you could end up in the bathroom with the enema bag.

I did hear my mother talk about enemas with my relatives and my grandmother who lived next door. Usually overheard on the phone I would be warned when I heard her say that I needed an enema today. Then I'd make myself scarce.

And if my sibling brothers acted up or fought she'd ask if they needed and enema in front of cousins or friends or neighbors. This was usually just a threat. Unless she asked you to come to her so she could feel you tummy. Then you could end up in the bathroom with the enema bag.

It's not mom, but two visits to the in-laws ago I knew that they were worried about what on Earth was going on with me (I didn't look good, but I wasn't exactly shouting out my whole history to the world). Fast forward to the next visit and they had got me my very own big bottle of Metamucil for my visit :-\\ . Someone close to me had obviously been talking, though I think they were giving her the works (they just did it to be helpful and so I wasn't feeling as bad during the trip, so I'm not angry at them about it).

I don't think the whole story came out because they didn't have a bag, bottle of Bronners and a butt-towel laid out for me in the bathroom.

Enemas were indeed discussed with neighbors, and relatives (mostly on the phone or if I was going to be in their care that day). My parents knew I hated them, so I think part of the discussion was to remind me of my place.

I remember one time when I was around 9 that I was mad about something and told that it was time for an enema. As soon as some of the solution was inside me I pushed it back out all over the bathroom. Mom stripped me naked, threw me in the shower, and went to get the paddle. I sat in the shower contemplating, and she came back to pull me out of the shower, bent me over her knee, and gave me quite a spanking. It hurt for days. That was the last time I resisted the enema, and both the enema and spanking were discussed with the neighbors and family.

Part of the reason I still like getting an enema is because someone discusses it like at the doctor's office that you need to take one or two before coming in for the procedure . I grew up with a next door neighbor lady Dianne that knew everything about our family and my mom knew the same I would hear things from time to time and always listened for that magical word enema😃

When I read your messages, I'm glad my mother (who tended to discuss our illnesses with her mom and her older sister, and sometimes friends of her) did not give enemas.

Bendandtakeit, I don't blame your mother for spanking you, but since you expelled the enema prematurely (off the toilet - vandalistic msss-making) surely she should've also given you another one (just a plain salted-sterilised-water one maybe).

Yes mom felt it was a normal thing to do

Many of us that grew up in the 50's know that enema discussions were as common and as matter-of-fact as discussing the weather back then. Enema equipment was openly displayed drying out in the bathroom after use, not hidden away like today. Drugstores devoted a significant amount of shelf space to rubber goods of all shapes and sizes. And who doesn't remember the Sears and Wards catalogs? I found enema conversations between mom and others both embarrassing and titillating at the same time. I even felt proud when mom would comment to others about what a good enema I take. All those crazy mixed up thoughts as a kid about enemas is what ultimately led me here.

My mother was also a 'talker' about our enemas. At least to family, there were several times when my aunt or grandmother(s) where at the house after an enema had been given and asked how one of us was feeling. I also distinctly remember a time when my grandmother left the house and said something like 'well, i know you have some things to do so i will get going' shortly after that I could hear my sister screaming bloody murder in the bathroom while she got an enema

My mother was also a 'talker' about our enemas. At least to family, there were several times when my aunt or grandmother(s) where at the house after an enema had been given and asked how one of us was feeling. I also distinctly remember a time when my grandmother left the house and said something like 'well, i know you have some things to do so i will get going' shortly after that I could hear my sister screaming bloody murder in the bathroom while she got an enema

It sounds like a better, more understanding, better explaining and empathetic bedside manner needs to be instituted.

Not clear on your point and considering I am Commenting on events that are over 30 years ago speaking in the present tense about changes needed is illogical, but not surprising