Water Birth Mamas: Will you/did you have an enema?

[lynsage]

Our midwife recommends giving yourself a saline enema to prepare for a waterbirth if you don't want to poo in the water.

Now, that doesn't sound to me like it would be a fun or comfortable thing to attempt while I'm in labor (I'm just imagining here, this is my first baby), but I'm all for nobody having to fish floating poos out of the birthing tub with a net while I'm in there!

Did you have or are you planning on having an enema? What are the pros (besides, obviously, the whole not pooping in the tub thing) and cons? Did you poo in the tub anyway?

For those of you who did have one, did your partner or midwife administer it, or did you do it yourself?

[raynelady]

I did not have an enema with Julia (who was a planned waterbirth), nor do I plan to have one this time (I am planning a waterbirth again). Neither of my midwives has brought up the issue. There was a little bit of poo in the water with Julia--the midwife got it out, not a big deal at all. I was in the water for HOURS with Julia, and can't imagine having gotten out for an ENEMA. I mean, please, labor is uncomfortable enough! I've also read somewhere recently (don't remember where, but look it up if you're really considering it) that enemas during labor can have negative repercusions (infection or something I think).

I am, honestly, rather surprised your midwife brought it up. It's something I associate with old-school dr's who don't want to deal with the human mess birth creates.

Good luck either way you decide. Birth plans are so personal, everyone has to make their own.
Karen

[Eman'smom]

Riley was a semi planned waterbirth, emema's were never brought up, I never pooed with either kid, prelabor my intestines pretty much cleaned themselves out.

I too am surpised by the midwife, that is something that I didn't think was done anymore.

[Jemper]

Wow, I consider enemas old-school also ~ right along with shaving the pubic hair!

My m/w never brought it up. They had a little fish net to pick up the few floaties I had with birth #2 (first waterbirth). Frankly, I feel the natural labor process usually flushes out your bowels long before you reach the pushing stage. What little is left isn't worth an enema in my mind. I was too busy pushing to even notice when they fished stuff out.

[momto l&a]

My second was a water birth and with this baby we are planning on another waterbirth. I havent nor will I be using an enema. I think they will more ensure you having a bowel movement during birth than going with out one. Our bodies pretty much clean themseleves out before birth.

[Lisashepp]

With dd I had a lot of diarhea before birth in early labor. I am hoping I have the same experience with this one, but even if I don't I am not going to have an enema.

[Quirky]

Well, I might have an enema, depending on how things go....with my first I did NOT get cleaned out ahead of time and pooped a LOT during pushing. I was not so far gone in labor land that I wasn't embarrassed. I'll have to talk to my midwife, though, and see what she thinks. This will be our first waterbirth. (With ds I labored in the birth center hot tub but had to get out to push.)

I had a pretty big episiotomy the first time around (thanks medwife - NOT!) and gave myself a couple of enemas when I got constipated after birth just to ease the pain....I found the cleaning out to be pretty much instantaneous afterwards, not delayed.

[milk4two]

I did not have one with my waterbirth. I've never heard of it before, truthfully.

[SaraC]

Didn't have one with either of mine. My intestines get real clean during labor. :LOL

[2+twins]

It was never brought up to me and like the others have said, the intenstines tend to do a pretty good job at cleaning themselves out at the beginning of labor anyway. There were no poopies in the tub.

[Lula's Mom]

I don't know why some of us feel such horror at the thought of pooping during labor... it's natural, right? But I do! :LOL Last time I was so anxious about it. I can't remember for sure if I had diarrhea in early labor, but I think so. I didn't have an enema and it turned out that I did not poop in the pool, thank goodness.

This time I am less anxious. I have a different partner who is not fazed by anything about my body, and I'm not having a midwife, so no relative stranger to be embarrassed in front of. I still hope I don't poop, but I'm not giving myself an enema either.

[pamamidwife]

I've had clients whose fear of poop during the birth was so great that I feared it would interfere with their pushing (holding back, etc.). I have told women that it's ok to have an enema if it would make them feel more comfortable.

I think it's all about what will make you comfortable. However, poop IS part of the birth process - and it's a part of life. I've dealt with so much poop (and hey, guess what? I poop too!) and I dont' think it's a big deal.

I agree with Kristi - we do have such an issue around it. And I feel for women that they spend time at the birth apologizing for it. It should be the last thing they need to be worrying about.

[Changed]

I'm oly planning my first water/homebirth but did have an enema with DD#1's hospital birth. It was actually a good thing. It helped my labor along really well, gave me great confidence in pushing without fear of pooping and I had no trouble with pain or constipation post partum. By the time I needed to go I had healed a little. I plan to have one before my waterbirth this time. I think it would be a mood killer. Besides, DH is a total germiphobe and isn't thrilled about waterbirth to begin with. I can just see the look on his face when I attempt to push our baby out into poopy water.

It's not all that uncomfortable and It made me feel better to do it. I had an old fashioned doctor but it worked out well.

[darsmama]

Poop

Going along the lines of what Pamamidwife said...
I only responded to this thread because POOP is one of my fave words (-;
okay, guess I have to add something of substance here:

I personally, pretty much KNEW the assistant midwife was fishing mr. Hankey's out of the birth pool while I pushed-but you know what? For all my worrying about being embarrassed beforehand- I could have gave a flying poo less at that moment.

I don't know how many poops she caught or even if there was any, (it felt like it) but I can't imagine getting an enema during labor. No thanks.

[hunnybumm]

My last birth was in a hospital but I am planning a home water birth for the next one. I will probably be getting a enima. I pooped 3 times that I can remember during my first labor, I wasn't the least bit embaressed. I was in so much pain that I didn't give a flying poop. However, my DH has a very light stomach.

I can see it now... (fade to me in labor) DH is sitting by my side, telling me I can do it, I am going to be ok. Then a poopy floats to the top of the water. My DH starts dry heaving then throws up on the floor. In the process of trying to fish the poop out, he throws up again. In the process of cleaning up his own throw up be throws up again. All the while I am laboring on my own and our son is born, DH still trying to clean up his own vile.

Sad thing is this isn't an over exageration. When DS poops (on the floor or diaper) DH will gag and throw up as he is cleaning it up. So enima would be the best bet for us if I end up in water at home.

[Silliest]

Ugh!

No *way* <LOL!>

I pooped on the table during my first (hospital) birth, and didn't notice or care
I pooped in the tub during my second (home/water) birth and didn't notice or care...

My husband didn't notice either, the midwife was very quick and subtle about distracting him while "going fishing". She only even mentioned it because I *asked* her later <LOL!>

It's really no big deal. Just part of the process and all of that

[plantmommy]

Gena, my dh retches over kid poop, too, (or emptying old stuff out of the fridge, for that matter) but meanwhile remained totally together while in the pooped birth tub with me, and even caught the baby.

While I was pushing, the kids asked what was that in the water, and dh chimed in saying "nothing!"; I burst his denial bubble in the interest of honesty and reality and told them it was poopies, that the baby wasn't the only thing my body was pushing out!

He was pretty retchy over emptying the tub afterwards, too, which amused me no end. I thought it politic to NOT mention that he'd been in it! But during the event, he did remian retch-free.

[hunnybumm]

plantmommy - that sounds very promising. During my first labor my DH saw a poopy or two and didn't seem to care. He even touched the placenta (which I only found out about a month ago, I was way out of it). BUT if it was floating in water he was going to be in or put his hands in I dunno. And I don't want to have this baby alone, KWIM? He also gags when emptying the fridge, doing dishes older then 5 min, taking out the trash (which is his household job, so every few days I get to hear it), or anything that smells bad.

If we were to get a doula would she take care of floaters? We probably won't be able to get a midwife, but a doula is within our price range.

[MamaAllNatural]

Wow, I am really shocked that a homebirth midwife would recommend something like that! Unless it's a situation like Pam described, usually the whole point is to let things go naturally with no interventions, kwim? It makes me wonder if your midwife isn't all that comfortable or experienced with waterbirth.

My midwife always has the mother buy a fish net as part of the birth kit so she can easily scoop out any "foreign objects." As a doula I'd say *a lot* of women poop in labor. It's really not a big deal. Most of them have no idea they even did. The midwives are usually so good at wisking it away the second it comes out.

[GruppieGirl]

Nope!

My midwife had a little fishing net to fish it out. She seemed to be "fishing" a lot, but since I was in labor I really didn't care. Even my (also in the water) hubby didn't seem to notice or care what was going on.