Water Birth Mamas: Will you/did you have an enema? - Page 2

[BusyMommy]

NOPE
Really, I'm surprised she even mentioned that.

I thought I'd care, but did not. Not at all. I vaguely remember a little fish net thingie for my first son. EIther didn't happen, or I didn't notice, w/my 2nd. We're not the first ones to go through labor; ie. nothing we do will surprise or shock them

[lynsage]

Originally Posted by 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.

a lot of people seem to be saying this, so i just want to let y'all know that she has lots of waterbirth experience and she loves waterbirth. she just recommends the enema
if you don't want to poop in the pool. she doesn't care if i poop or not, and she has a fishnet for poopies on the birth kit list too. she's fine with poop! i'm just trying to decide how i feel about it and if it's worth an enema to me to not poo in the pool.

thanks for all the great replies.

[carlasher]

I know what you ladies mean about it being natural and all, but I think poo belongs in the or in a diaper, not floating with me in the tub. It is hard to think about. :Puke

Besides we are having a UC, so no midwife to "fish" anything out. My DP will be too busy with me to fish out poo. NO way am I pushing out a baby in poo-y waters. It would probably stop my labor. It would be nice to prevent that in the first place.

Originally Posted by 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.

[PapayaVagina]

I personally, pretty much KNEW the assistant midwife was fishing mr. Hankey's out of the birth pool while I pushed

hehehehehe and I thought I was being so stealth about it.