Why do you need an enema before childbirth and is it necessary to do it?
During normal physiological childbirth, during contractions and at the time of pushing, pressure increases on the intestinal walls, as a result of which, when it is overcrowded, feces are released from the rectum along with the birth of the head. This is unhygienic and can lead to infection of the baby's mucous membranes and skin with E. coli. In addition, feces can create an additional barrier and prevent the smooth opening of the cervix and the movement of the fetus along the birth canal.
This cleansing procedure was perceived extremely negatively by women; moreover, as studies have shown, the effectiveness of the enema is questionable. A few days before the onset of labor, the body intuitively begins to cleanse itself, which is characterized by thinning and increased frequency of stools. In many women, with the onset of contractions, the intestines begin to contract synchronously, as a result of which the body cleanses itself perfectly on its own before entering the maternity hospital.
An enema helps cleanse only the rectum and lower parts of the large intestine, so it is ineffective and cannot 100% prevent the release of feces during a woman’s pushing; in many maternity hospitals this procedure is no longer performed.
Induction of labor
I decided to collect here all the natural methods of inducing labor, don’t blame me if you see a repetition. I just copied everything that was interesting:
PREPARING THE NECK FOR BIRTH
from 37 weeks no-spa 1x2r/d, from 38 weeks - no-spa 1x3r/d and suppositories with belladonna at night in the butt, from 39 weeks - no-spa 2x3r/d and suppositories with belladonna. or another scheme: from 38 weeks: - Suppositories with belladonna (or buscopan) 1 candle - 2 times a day - No-shpa 1t-3 times; (these are antispasmodics that will relieve spasms from the cervix and help it open, in addition, they increase the elasticity of the tissues of the perineum and vagina. - Inflate balloons (balloons) from 36 weeks to 10 times a day, because breathing during pushing is exactly the same as the muscles the same ones tense up. - It’s good to take unrefined vegetable oil - 1 tablespoon 3 times a day, which contains prostaglandins and vitamin A - which nourish the uterus - for good labor. - Stimulation of the nipples (you can ask your husband - natural oxytocin is produced) like this it is determined whether the body is ready for childbirth or not. If not, the body will not respond. Causes a contraction, the cervix is smoothed out better when suppositories are placed at this moment (belladonna, buscopan) - And of course, husband therapy, without protection, semen contains prostaglandins that soften the cervix( do not wash yourself for a while after this) - and in addition, sex massages the vagina, increasing blood flow to the genitals - and this will reduce gaps during childbirth.
+ physical activity: - Kegel exercises - tension and relaxation of the vaginal muscles (50-100 per day) - Deep squats (legs to the sides, you can hold on to a support) from 8 times a day; - walk more + walking on stairs from 38 weeks (helps lower the baby’s head into the pelvis and irritates the cervix).
Natural stimulation methods:
1) Sex If the uterus and fetus are ready for the onset of labor, then sex can become the mildest natural stimulator of the birth process.
This will be facilitated by the hormone prostaglandin contained in sperm. Achieving orgasm causes strong contractions of the uterine muscles, which can also “trigger” labor. 2) Nipple stimulation This is an old but scientifically proven method. At the same time, the body increases the production of oxytocin, a hormone that stimulates labor and largely determines the course of labor and its successful outcome. The main thing is not to overdo it, because during this period the nipples are easy to injure. 3) Increased physical activity can trigger the onset of labor - walking up steps, long walking, walking with knees high, picking up scattered matches from the floor, i.e. bending, dancing to rhythmic music, fast swimming, a set of stretching exercises. But just don’t be maniacal with physical. loads, do everything to the best of your pregnant capabilities! 5) Enema Make a large cleansing enema (using a heating pad with a straw) with cool water and you can add sea salt. Intestinal peristalsis has a stimulating effect on the uterus. By the way, drinking 150 grams of castor oil can also help with intestinal peristalsis. (an old remedy of our grandmothers). 6) Acupressure foot massage Each toe, the center of the foot and a point above the ankle on the inside of the leg are massaged. 7) Contrast shower. Traditional methods:
1) washing the floors What is important here is not the cleanliness of the floor, but the long movement itself - the woman stands on her knees and uses a wet rag to move from side to side with a large amplitude. This way you can go through the entire room and wash the floor at the same time. 2) Red currant juice on an empty stomach in the morning and for a 2-3 hour walk at a normal pace. 3) squeeze the juice of two or three oranges, add 50 ml of castor oil and drink. 4) drink beet juice or eat boiled beets. 5) drink tea from raspberry leaves 6) remove the curtains, wash the window and hang them again. 7) persuade the baby to be born
I came across this on some small website:
«»»Stimulating cocktail
Apricot juice - 1 glass
Dry champagne or brut or soda - 1 glass Ground almonds - 2 tablespoons Castor oil - 2 tablespoons (= 1 bottle 30 ml)
Beat in a blender. Drink slowly in small sips. Drink within 0.5-1 hour.
After 2-4 hours good contractions come!
If it’s “time”, the cocktail will help the contractions; if not, the contractions will subside. According to the course leaders, this cocktail is officially used in maternity hospitals in Germany. When I told a young progressive gynecologist about this cocktail, she became interested in its composition, and after listening, she became thoughtful. And then she quickly told me what was used in it and why. Those. agreed that such a composition (precisely as a whole!) could be justified. And I took note of it as interesting “””
And here’s another list I dug up:
1) Sex 2) 150 grams of castor oil (at the same time cleanses the body) 3) drink evening primrose oil (prepares the cervix well and generally prepares for childbirth) 4) eat beets (a mild stimulant due to the laxative effect) 5) go up and down the stairs 6) dancing 7) raspberry jam eating
walking with legs raised high; 9) load on the shoulder girdle (push-ups, dumbbells, etc.) 10) singing; 11) nipple massage; 12) raspberry leaves 13) Black Cohosh (in the USA) or Klopogon in Russian 14) spicy food 15) 25 ml of vodka. 50 ml of castor oil, orange juice. You can repeat it after an hour. It greatly stimulates intestinal activity, and this is very interconnected with labor. In any case, there will be no harm - at most, cleansing the intestines, and during childbirth this is very good, instead of an enema. Effective 4 hours after taking. The main thing is not to vomit)) 16) drink sunflower oil..... according to Art. spoon several times a day... 17) scatter matches and collect them 18) wash the floors on all fours 19) eat lemon. You just need a lot, about three a day... You can sprinkle a little sugar or rub it into a jar with a small amount of sugar and drink it with tea... 20) champagne can stimulate labor 21) do an enema 22) You need to eat properly, sit down and overeat. Some people are helped by 23) trying anal 24) eating a special spicy Indian curry 25) active swimming 26) going to the cinema (loud sounds) 27) fasting for a couple of days 28) brewing parsley root and drinking half a glass several times during the day 29) steaming your feet with mustard 30) massage the lower back with fists as for pain relief from contractions
How is an enema done before childbirth?
To carry out a cleansing enema, up to 1.5 liters of clean water at room temperature is required. A heating pad or Esmarch mug is used to introduce fluid into the intestines. The procedure is carried out as follows:
- The woman in labor lies down on the couch in a position on her left side;
- The healthcare worker carefully inserts a tip, lubricated with Vaseline, into the woman's anus several centimeters deep;
- Gradually, water is released into the intestines in small portions (if you pour in 1.5 liters of liquid at once, the woman will experience pain from overstretching the intestinal walls);
- During the introduction of water, to control the act of defecation, the woman in labor needs to breathe deeply through her nose;
- After all the liquid is in the intestines, the health care worker closes the valve of the tube so that no air enters the body.
A woman should lie on her side for 15-20 minutes; if she goes to the toilet right away, the procedure will be ineffective - all the water will simply come out of the intestines.
How to have an orgasm during childbirth
In our society, childbirth is usually perceived as a burden, as a medical problem. Meanwhile, this is a natural component of people’s emotional and sexual life. American Ingrid Bauer views childbirth as a sexual experience: “So much talk about how to avoid physical pain - and complete silence about the fact that childbirth can be filled with happiness... How can childbirth be painless? For me, this is the same as calling sex with a beloved man “painless.”
To get rid of tension and fears during pregnancy, we recommend reading her article “Childbirth is a wonderful joy.” The birth of her second child was the moment of greatest happiness for Ingrid, accompanied by orgasmic sensations. She does not deny pain, nor is she afraid of it: “I know that there are millions of women in the world whose births were painful and incredibly difficult, and I in no way want to discount the reality of their experiences. But now I don’t believe that pain is an obligatory companion of human life!”
Childbirth always reflects the inner state of a woman’s life. According to Ingrid Bauer, pain itself is an indicator that something is going wrong in life. And this is a reason to work with yourself: “As for long-term or chronic pain, in my opinion, this is a signal of suppressed or blocked energy. Physical, emotional, mental or any other. Something needs to be changed, revised.
Life force is blocked: in the body, in thinking, in some actions, in movements, in our communication with the outside world. Every time I feel pain, I thank it because it shows me that I need to change. And then I try to free myself, find a way for the Energy of Life, let it flow easily and freely. Once we identify our fears, remove blocks and obstacles (physical, emotional, any other) - our happiness is always with us, it awaits us...”
Childbirth is a continuation of the act of love and the natural conclusion of the intimate process of conception. A man and a woman unite in love, and two sets of genes, two genera are united in one cell, so that after 9 months they end in Childbirth - the miracle of birth.
Pregnancy itself is also part of sexual life: the child’s gentle touches on the inner surface of the uterus, his first pushes from the inside, his life in the very center of the mother’s nature. And finally, childbirth - the passage of a child through the mother's womb, mixed feelings of joy and pain, the torment of co-creation, the torment of separation of one human being from another... All these are manifestations of love.
In her book “The Paths of Female Sexuality: Finding Pleasure and Intimacy at Every Stage of Life,” midwife with 30 years of experience, Elizabeth Davis, draws women’s attention to the similarities between childbirth and ... orgasm: “Many components of these two conditions are the same. Think about the main components of the sexual act: it requires energy, vitality, concentration and relaxation.
Another aspect necessary for sexual pleasure is privacy. And since childbirth is influenced by the same hormones that influence sexual activity, privacy during childbirth becomes an extremely important factor.
Another important point is the romantic atmosphere, which is necessary for ecstatic childbirth. Many women dream of the comfort and intimacy of a home birth, but choose to give birth in a hospital out of fear that something might go wrong, not realizing how much the stress of hospital procedures can suppress birth hormones.”
Is it possible to do an enema before childbirth at home?
Some expectant mothers categorically do not want to be given an enema in the maternity hospital, so they try to do this procedure at home. This is, of course, inconvenient, but quite realistic. In order to administer an enema correctly, follow these recommendations:
- Prepare everything you need - an Esmarch mug or a heating pad, 1.5 liters of water, Vaseline;
- The water must be at room temperature, never hot!
- Secure a heating pad or Esmarch mug above head level, take a lying position on your left side;
- Lubricate the enema tip with Vaseline and gently insert it into the rectum;
- Gradually open the valve (clamp) on Esmarch's mug, supplying portions of water into the intestines.
After completing the procedure, you should remain in a lying position for another 15 minutes, so that the liquid is distributed evenly throughout the intestines, lie on your back.
Irina Levchenko, obstetrician-gynecologist, especially for Mirmam.pro
Is it possible to give birth without stimulation?
It has been known for a long time that a baby initiates labor, as well as the fact that a normal pregnancy lasts 38-42 weeks. Therefore, doctors resort to stimulation to induce labor extremely rarely, only if there are some serious indications.
The baby knows best when to be born and as soon as his lungs and adrenal glands are ready, he will inform his mother about this and she will begin labor. But there are situations when labor has already begun, but is not going as we or the doctor would like, when they talk about the weakness of labor and the need to stimulate labor with oxytocin? Many of these problems are caused by psychological issues, and we can influence them ourselves or with the help of a birth assistant.
Why do we want to give birth on our own, without the help of stimulation? Why didn't we like oxytocin? Indeed, there are certain disadvantages when using it:
- with it, contractions for the mother become painful, more intense and without breaks, and the baby receives less oxygen (after all, during a natural birth, the baby replenishes its supply in the intervals between contractions);
- Mom has to lie down all the time, because with an IV you can’t walk much and you can’t use good positions, and it’s harder for the baby to make his way to the exit without the help of gravity.
What are the difficulties during childbirth and how to cope with them?
1. The latent phase is often mistaken for weakness of labor.
Childbirth has three periods: the first is the opening of the cervix, the second is the birth of the baby and the third is the birth of the placenta.
The first period consists of three phases. The first is the longest
– latent: in it the cervix opens up to 3-4 cm, and it can last up to a day (especially if this is the first birth). Contractions at this time are quite weak with fluctuating (non-constant) intervals of more than five minutes and do not cause much discomfort.
Second phase
– active – the cervix opens to 7-8 cm, the interval between contractions is five minutes or less, the intensity of contractions increases. The duration of this phase is 2-6 hours.
Third phase
– lowering – the cervix opens completely, that is, 10 cm, and the baby’s head lowers. This is the hardest but shortest phase. When the opening is 10 cm, the second stage of labor begins - pushing and the birth of the baby.
During this phase, it is best for mom to rest and gain strength. Most often, the mother is still at home at this time and does not even know how the dilation is progressing, this helps not to concentrate on the birth, which is very good. Therefore, unless there are any special indications, it is best to stay at home until the contractions become more intense and the interval is reduced to 5 minutes. Rest or do some distracting activities. The main thing is not to get hung up on contractions (this is very tiring and exhausting).
If you are in the maternity hospital and the slow dilation bothers you, try to calm down and distract yourself (for example, read an interesting book), as soon as the cervix opens to 4 cm, the process will become more dynamic.
2. Sometimes labor weakens when a woman arrives at the maternity hospital.
The situation looks something like this: at home there were wonderful, powerful contractions, with good dynamics, and when they took shape in the emergency room, everything stopped. The dilation is already decent, and the contractions have ended or weakened.
This happens, and there is nothing wrong with it. The cessation of contractions in the emergency room was caused by the fact that the mother was frightened by the sight of the hospital, the white tiles on the walls, and the doctors in hospital uniforms. The hormone adrenaline is released, which stops the effect of oxytocin (oxytocin causes contractions). But this does not mean that you can no longer do without an artificial hormone. We just need to calm down, remember why we came here, switch to the baby, take a full breath and relax. As soon as mommy returns to the birth stream, contractions will immediately appear again.
The birth stream is a condition that accompanies childbirth, from the active phase until the birth of the baby. The woman in labor concentrates on the ongoing process, immerses herself in her experiences, and the outside world loses reality and significance. The brains “switch off”, thoughts, anxieties and fears disappear, leaving a powerful instinct that helps mother and baby achieve their goal.
Dimmed lighting and quiet, pleasant music can help quickly restore calm and a state of flow. To avoid such fear initially, you can go on an excursion to the emergency room of the selected maternity hospital and the delivery room during pregnancy.
3. Too smooth, slow dynamics of labor can also be confusing.
These are situations when contractions are going on and there is dilation, but it is progressing more slowly than what is written in books. Don't panic! If there are regular contractions, dilatation is underway, the mother is in the flow, the baby has a good heartbeat, then most likely this is just an individual characteristic of the body. Perhaps this kind of rhythm and dynamics suits this woman and her baby.
4. Fatigue can cause contractions to weaken or even stop.
This happens if the latent phase began in the morning, mommy focused on childbirth, actively tried various positions and breathing techniques, dad diligently timed the time between contractions, and in the evening, when the active phase began and they arrived at the maternity hospital, mom was tired and had no strength left. give birth to. The baby is tired and does not provoke a new contraction, does not turn his head.
The best thing to do in this situation is to go to bed, or at least just lie down. As soon as the mother rests, labor will continue on its own and wake up the mother. In order to prevent fatigue during childbirth, it is important in the latent phase, when contractions are still weak and at large intervals, not to focus on the fact that labor has already begun.
If any problem arises, the main thing is not to panic, you need to look for the reason why the normal dynamics of labor could be disrupted and eliminate it (frightened - calmed down, tired - rested, slept). If the cause can be eliminated, then the problem will disappear on its own. And we will be able to give birth beautifully, naturally and harmoniously, without artificial oxytocin, which is much better for both mother and baby.
Have an easy birth!
Yulia Piskunova,
perinatal consultant at the Center “Little Happiness”
