Do you remember pre childbirth enemas?

I had the enema and the shave in 1979 for my first baby; that was a forceps delivery.

I think they were worse nellenoxin!😆

Personally, I think the enemas were a good thing, it was cleaner and more hygienic to have a baby without pushing anything else out. As for the shaving? the jury is out on that one.

I was a rebel, I refused the shaving and the enema!

Fflaurie

Personally, I think the enemas were a good thing, it was cleaner and more hygienic to have a baby without pushing anything else out. As for the shaving? the jury is out on that one.

Re shaving - there was a study done at Northwick Park hospital about post partum infections and shaving which indicated very clearly that there could be a link. I have horrendously sensitive skin, so I could foresee problems.

I am very glad I had my daughter late in life . No enemas or shaving in 93 thankfully

I remember the enema with my second quite clearly. It took effect so fast that I went running down the corridor. I didn’t even think about the back opening nightgown and always wonder if the male visitor walking behind hd an eyeful I’d behind!

First labour 1969, a home birth and very overdue. To get things going my GP performed a "sweep of the membranes". Gloved fingers inserted into cervix to loosen amniotic sac. I then spent the rest of the afternoon sitting in a hot bath drinking castor oil. That did the trick. Second labour 1971 was a hospital delivery and I was given an enema. I remember the indignity of pooing during the birth and the anxiety of wondering how my baby might be affected by this gross lack of hygiene.

I remember having enemas on both of my children I’ve never heard of the 3 H’s though, I don’t think my midwife had either on my first I had hardly any water in the bath and what was there was Luke warm.
Two years later I had my second which was a planned home birth, I had an enema but I think it was one of those in a bag which was much better didn’t have to have a bath though, this was 48 years ago.

I think they were supposed to eliminate the poo-ing at point of delivery. It didn't work.

Yes, I definitely had an enema for my first child, I can't remember with the second, 7 years later.

I also remember, before the enema was administered, being shaved by what I assume was some sort of nursing assistant. She left the curtains round the bed partly open and when I asked her to close them properly because I felt exposed and embarrassed, her reply was "Don't be silly, we're all girls together here". (We weren't because there were porters and other staff entering the ward, but that's beside the point anyway).

Oh yes…..quite barbaric when you think back…..I had them when I had my children…..1968 and then again in 1972…..both times the nurses administering them were very bossy……obviously insinuating I was being uncooperative!

yes oh my goodness what an experience that was, and of course she shaved me too with one of those flick knife type of blades, I was even too scared to breathe in case she cut my clit off! especially as she was not paying attention or watching what she was doing and chatting to a mate over her shoulder, SCARY!!!

Definitely High, Hot and Hellava lot!
Funnel, rectal tubing and a pint of green soap!

I remember the “bath” after the enema! A high ceilinged Victorian bathroom, one dismal light, freezing cold (January) and two inches of water - then moved to the Labour ward for a forceps delivery! My, those were the days!!

I knew someone who was shaved and given a pint of olive oil and orange juice prior to hard labour - to help baby slip out! This was in 1982/3. Luckily that had disappeared by 1986 when I had my first :D

🤔 such dignity and respect was shown to women then at a most vulnerable time; NOT
…on the plus side though I think the hospital and maternity home was extremely clean and fully staffed…and it was all plain sailing after that really.

Treetops if that was true then it displayed a worrying lack of knowledge about the female anatomy😧

In the words of the old song.....Yes I remember it well !

I had an enema and shave in 1969. Castor oil ( in Guinness ) in 1972 and nothing at all in 1989. The difference in 20 years !

I'd had a curry a few hours before! My son loves curry!!

No recollection of the 3 H's but remember the shave and the enema - yuk!!!

And, ironically, the enemas that still haunt us, ....people actually pay good money for that nowadays, rebranded as 'colonic irrigation', and yes, I've had several. Makes me feel better now than it did back then too!

My eldest was born in 1962. So I was given the enema and vaginal shave as routine. Although no one thought to tell me about it in advance. After the enema had done its job, I was left on a table until a doctor came in with a group of students. The sheet was pulled back and the doctor exclaimed “ Here we have a natural red head” before a nurse arrived to shave me.

I chose the hospital for the birth of my children partly because my sister-in-law told me that they didn't bother with either enemas or shaving there (Queen Charlotte's). 1978 and 1980. By the sound of this thread I feel I had a lucky escape!