Do you remember pre childbirth enemas?

Ha1 Eva 0- I remember those well. I think the saying was high, hot and a helluva lot if I remember rightly!

Heinous?

Sounds right recklessgran! I'll await further responses. My , you Grans are quick off the mark!

NO-why would I want to?
Some things are definitely best forgotten!
(In any case I think it was a suppository, but I’m happy not to know)

I remember the enema for first one but not the 3 Hs.

RosiesMaw

NO-why would I want to?
Some things are definitely best forgotten!
(In any case I think it was a suppository, but I’m happy not to know)

Forty-nine years ago, mine was definitely an enema, RM. Euuuurgh. Once had, never forgotten!

Yes I had enemas but never heard of the 3 H s

Humiliation? My enema caused quite a rapid reaction on a large scale. I was giving birth to twins at the time in a teaching hospital so there were a lot of students in the room watching. I often wonder if any of them gave up there and then!

Oh, sorry, RM. I've just realised you said you're happy not to know....

Omg, why do discussions on GN always bring back past memories - some of which haunt me to this day? It was my "job" (1980) to administer enemas to ladies who came onto the ante natal ward in a London hospital prior to going into labour. I had to shave the area first, then warm up the enema and insert. I was actually thinking how good I was at it until one day a lady presented with such bad piles I couldn't see what I was doing and I didn't want to hurt her. The trouble was I couldn't leave her on the table to go and get assistance in case she toppled off. I think I eventually accosted someone passing in the corridor to fetch the sister. Embarrassing.
I reckon it was High, Hot and Hope for the best from the operator's pov, but maybe High, Hot, and Horrific for the patient.
Sorry TMI.

Oh yes Eva3 I remember having the enema with my 1st in 1975.
That was awful. I don't know which was worse, the labour pains or the gut ache.
I remember the shave as well and all the itching when it was growing back.

And they use to shave all your pubic hair off and it itched like made when growing back

1975
Enema tick
Shave tick
Pain tick never forgotten
3 Hs no recall at all

Oh yes, the shaving for hygiene reasons. Great idea until they cut you, which happened to me! The enema I had just resulted in some interesting musical farts! 🤦‍♀️

I was a midwife in them there days..
The three Hs were high hot & a helluva lot.

I can remember woman turning up the hospital door requesting the three Hs in the hope they would go into labour ‘naturally’

Yes thank you, And shaving

All so undignified. When did the practice cease?

I seem to have escaped this (1985).

Thank you all! As you say , some things best forgotten but we all remember the pain. My query has been answered. So thank you!

Joseann

All so undignified. When did the practice cease?

My 2nd was born in 1978 and didn't have the shave and enema then thank goodness

1981 had an enema, 1983 no enema but
Wished I had, the birth was quick along with everything else

I had the enemas just before my labours. Would the midwives please explain to me how , nowadays, it's considered not to matter if the babe arrived soiled by faeces?
One of the enemas did not empty me properly and my horrible husband complained to me about the smell!

I had enemas both births, 1974 and 1976.

The second one was administered in anticipation of being ‘started off’ later, as I was a few days late and hospitals seemed very keen on induced births back then.

The enema propelled me into labour whilst still on the loo. I can still recall the midwife sister coming to check on me( back on the bed by then), summing the situation up at a glance, then manhandling my bed down the corridor into the lift on the way to the delivery room. I said “ Will you give me any pethidine?” “No time for that” she replied.

Our son was born about 5 minutes later, no time for DH to come or anything.

My first sign of labour was always diarrhoea, despite that, I always had to have an enema too.