How Does Mom Decide When to Give an Enema

With two grown daughters now in their 20s, I gave enemas when they were little only rarely and only when it was a last resort if they were constipated. In their teen years and as they became young women, if they were unusually sick and uncomfortable with a fever or GI flu, I may have suggested an enema but usually we "talked it out" first if daughter felt that she could tolerate it. I wonder how other moms approached this question with your kids.

My daughter is going to turn 30 in September and she got a few enemas growing up. Certainly she got one if constipated. When she was young that was easy to keep track of, but later on I would occasionally ask her about her bowel habits and sometimes she would admit to being uncomfortable. When she was a teen and I'd ask if she wanted an enema and we would agree. I don't ever recall us deciding that she would not get one although that would have been possible.

It may seem strange to some but my mother still gives me enemas from time to time when I am severely constipated due to meds taken daily. I am now in my late thirty's but she knows when i am having difficulties.

Janet S

I am blessed beyond measure that my daughters and I had such a loving and trusting relationship while they were growing up. Both my daughters are quite capable of taking care of themselves – and they do 24/7. However, even today, in the event of illness, injury and whatever need they may have, if I were asked, I would be there. If I were asked to give an enema, and she couldn't do it herself, I would help. A Mom should never stop caring.

...I think my mom did it to us when she had PMS! It was truly at random times and not well correlated to need.

I only received enemas when I was quite young. I never knew why I was receiving one. I didn't feel sick or under the weather in any way. But she would call me into the bathroom and tell me to take off my pj bottoms. Over her lap I'd go, and in went the soapy water with the red bulb syringe. I think my mother was just being dutiful according to the "wisdom" of the forties!

She had some very simple ways to decide if an enema was in my future. One was constipation. She would ask almost daily if I had a BM. The second method was the slightest sign of a fever. If it was a questionable situation she would say it won't hurt, better to give an enema than not.

After about age 10, she would always ask me first. "You look a little pale, honey. Would you like to stay home from school today and I'll give you a nice, warm, enema?". Almost always said YES!

When my sister and I were growing up at our grandmother's house, There wasn't any "decision"...we both got enemas twice weekly. We both knew that Wednesday night and Saturday mornings we would be getting at leasr two SSE"s and a plain rinse. As we got older and grew, the volume increased from a pint to a quart to two quarts a eventually four. We never thought anything odd about it. She gave them to us in her bathroom, together, draped over the rail of her clawfooted tub. She had a guest half bath, and when we were allowed up to release, I had to waddle down the hall to that toilet. We hated those enemas until one day when Sis was about 14, she told me she liked the way that they made her feel "down there". She asked if I was begining to like them, and I realized that I was. Soon, we were giving to each other when Mom and Grandma weren't around. I think that they figured out what we were doing, but they never said a word...

My two sisters were 5 and 8 when I was born. By the time I was 5 when they were 10 and 13 we all were getting enemas for even complaining of a tummy ache or if we got a fever that was the first thing. Out came the enema can and tubes all over her bathroom. There was no "talking it through" we took them and that was that or they came with as many spanks as she cared to dish out. My grandmother was in the picture business so both my mom and her sister lived at a convent a hour or so from Los Angeles and I think that is why they were so stern.

My sister really loved enemas and my oldest sister hated them. I totally got addicted to them and was always figuring ways to get them. My aunt was the easiest to get them from because she was really into giving them to me. When I was 11 my parents went to Texas on business that my Dad had and my aunt gave them to me almost every day of those three months when she stayed at out house. My oldest sister always figured a way to get out of it but my middle sister and I took them joyfully, ha ha. Actually, I think I am quite healthy because of it.

At any sign of illness, or just being out-of-sorts, mom would say "Looks like I'm going to have to give you an enema." I soon figured out she liked giving them, and I'm sure she had figured out I liked getting them, because when I got older she would ask if I wanted a "bellywash?" I'm trying to remember if I ever said no! I think my mom thought an enema was the cure for anything from bubonic plague to a hangnail! In the mid-50's during the polio scares enemas were very frequent as both my mom and the mother of my female playmate felt that enemas might reduce the chance of contracting polio... we both loved enemas, had figured out to say to get them, but for a couple of summers we never had to ask.

If you looked the least bit UN-comfortable, if you felt warm, or were pushing your food around on your plate and not eating. Two ways to find if you were clogged up..brown streaks on the rectal thermometer after it came out, or if she shoved her finger in .

My mother had a sixth sense when it came to my bowel health. If I was acting sluggish or not wanting to eat she would ask when I last moved my bowels. She never hesitated to get out the syringe and take action to remedy the situation.

This may well be one of life's true mysteries. My mother knew without asking if any of us needed an enema. Of course in my younger sister's case she would come right out and ask for one, but that was not something I was about to do. My mother probably made mental notes of who was in the bathroom, which wasn't all that difficult in our tiny house. She probably noticed who picked at their food, too. Other than that, it had to be strictly intuition. Being a guy I don't have that and remain amazed.

She gave them for everything so I think it wasn't much if a decision

Our neighbor girl, having grown up with our kids, knows what goes on here. While in nursing school, she was full of questions. Now that she is employed the questions have all gone. No longer in the neighbor hood, but stopped by to talk to the wife the other day and asked about me and if she ever needed any help. I had to use two clothes pins, just to keep my mouth shut. If I say anything, it will scare them away, I think.

But this kid thinks I'm ready, already

I remember one year mom came home with something new to try. She knew at that age we hated enemas, so the next time we needed a cleansing we got a choice. Stay with enemas or try this new medicine. I chose the medicine. I dropped my pants and bent over. After swabbing my cheek with alcohol, i felt the needle. Soon after i felt tingly all over. She said it was fast acting and would last for awhile, sobto ensure i didnt make a mess on the way to the toilet, i would have to wear a diaper and just let her know when i needed changing. About 20 minutes later i started cramping and shortly after i filled the diaper with poop and pee. This lasted till that evening. One shot settled ir for me, i decided that enemas were pretty nice.

It was Tuesday night and Dad was bowling lol

Lucky girls, as for me, my opinion did not count!

For mom it was easy every week till I was 13 three each time from the open top red enema bag

I remember one year mom came home with something new to try. She knew at that age we hated enemas, so the next time we needed a cleansing we got a choice. Stay with enemas or try this new medicine. I chose the medicine. I dropped my pants and bent over. After swabbing my cheek with alcohol, i felt the needle. Soon after i felt tingly all over. She said it was fast acting and would last for awhile, sobto ensure i didnt make a mess on the way to the toilet, i would have to wear a diaper and just let her know when i needed changing. About 20 minutes later i started cramping and shortly after i filled the diaper with poop and pee. This lasted till that evening. One shot settled ir for me, i decided that enemas were pretty nice.

Can anyone hazard a guess what was in that injection? The only thing I can find is a veterinary laxative called Peristaltina, containing pilocarpine chlorohydrate, arecoline bromohydrate and eserine sulphate (see http://www.tornel.com/ingles/products/peristaltina.html : note poor translation from Spanish).

@one-eyes It might have been this stuff called Relistor. But, you'd need a script.

It could hardly have been Relistor. Methylnaltrexone (Relistor) was only approved in 2008, but the incident described by DLW must have taken place around twenty years ago, guessing from his age in his profile. I don’t know how long Peristaltina has been on the market, and it may not have been that exact product, but of its constituent active substances at least arecoline has been used in veterinary medicine since the 1920s.

Relistor® is NOT a laxative. It is a compound of naltrexone, a potent opiate antagonist, that cannot cross the blood-brain barrier. As a result it can block the effects of opiates outside the brain. Opiate receptors in the bowel effectively stop peristalis of the bowel in the presence of opiates. Relistor blocks the effects of opiates in the bowel without interfering with the Central Nervous System effects of opiates (pain relief).

Relistor® is NOT a laxative. It is a compound of naltrexone, a potent opiate antagonist, that cannot cross the blood-brain barrier. As a result it can block the effects of opiates outside the brain. Opiate receptors in the bowel effectively stop peristalis of the bowel in the presence of opiates. Relistor blocks the effects of opiates in the bowel without interfering with the Central Nervous System effects of opiates (pain relief).

Thanks mattheww50. Another reason why the injection could not have been Relistor.

Hi my mom gave me weekly enemas from age 5 till I was 19 yrs old .When I was 7 she had my older sister help and give many of them .Mty sister and I still sare when we can . Mom gave for any reason more of them if got cold or any triublr or if she felt I need more . It was a great time for all.

My mom would ask me how long it had been since I had a bm. If it was more than two days I usually got an enema or sometimes Fletcher's Castoria. On some occasions when my father and both brothers were out of the house, and my mom had the time, she would give me an enema as a preventative measure. I was very concerned over privacy in the bathroom and she knew that as long as we were alone I would be ok with it. Eventually I came to enjoy them. I never received them on a regular schedule like some folks talk about. I got about 2 to 3 a month usually.

In short, Mom's familiar enema can came off the shelf automatically if even a small complaint about a stomach ache or crankiness signaled constipation. There was rarely a chance to talk her out of the treatment once she had the "irrigator" in hand.

For me I was cared for by a nanny and boy she knew everything about me and my habits. I really think she had some sort of computer chip in me and got a daily readout.

Cody

When she felt like it