Are enemas safe during pregnancy?

What is the best enema for constipation?

Enema is a simple method you can use for treating different colon-related health problems, including constipation. In this method, you need to introduce water into your rectum by passing it through the anus. At times, you could mix other substances into the water too to enhance the effectiveness of an enema. While there is no best enema for constipation as such, there are several different types of enema that you can choose from, which include:

• Soap enema
• Coffee enema
• Epsom salt enema
• Milk and honey enema
• Lemon juice enema
• Phospho-soda enema
• Fleet enema
• Yogurt enema
• Tap water enema
• Barium enema

There enema recipes for constipation may vary and many of them are easily available through various resources. However, you need to make sure that you the recipe you use is from a reliable source and the enema consists of the right ingredients or else, you could suffer from serious side effects. You may want to try using a plain water enema first, to gauge its reaction on your body, before trying the different types of enema. You also need to ensure that the enema is sterilized properly before it is used, to avoid any serious infections. In case you suffer from rectal bleeding, irritation, inflammation or other similar problems, you need to inform your doctor about it right away.

Submitted by P T on September 21, 2011 at 07:41

Enemas In Pregnancy

Pregnancy often causes severe constipation, diarrhea, acidity and heartburn. These gastrointestinal conditions are brought on by the fluctuations of hormones within a pregnant woman’s body. Very often women resort to medications to treat these problems but as the medications are very strong they may only end up aggravating their problems. Women who are constipated may opt for strong drugs which would definitely help to treat the problem but which may cause them to suffer from bouts of diarrhea instead. This often leads to a vicious cycle wherein several medications are necessary every few days which can have a tremendous impact on both her health and the health of her unborn baby. This is why doctors generally recommend home remedies for constipation in order to treat this condition. It is only when these remedies are not effective that the doctor may recommend an enema. An enema generally causes excessive straining which in turn could have serious effects and can even cause early contractions and may force the woman to prematurely go into labor. Make sure that you do not use an enema unless your doctor specifically tells you to use one.  

Home remedies for constipation during pregnancy would include natural remedies that help to bulk up the stools so that they can be easily eliminated from the body. Foods, especially fruits and vegetables that are high in fiber and high-fiber cereal are also re commended. Carrots, romaine lettuce, broccoli, beetroot and cucumbers are only some of the vegetables that are considered to be high-fiber vegetables. Fruits like apples, peaches, and melons should be included in a pregnancy daily diet plan. Unpolished rice is another healthy option as it contains water-soluble fibers that help to form a gel like substance which allows fecal mater to pass easily through the intestines. Iron supplements can also cause constipation but make sure that you do not discontinue any supplements without first consulting your doctor as you could land up doing more harm than good. Drink plenty of water throughout your day and have plenty of fruits throughout the day as this will provide you with plenty of nutrients, fibers and fluids which will help to prevent constipation. Prune juice is another excellent natural cure for constipation and so you can have a glass of prune juice every morning to help prevent and treat constipation. Psyllium husk is an excellent bulking agent that you can use as it is a completely natural product that contains several types of fiber.   

If you are going to use an enema during pregnancy, make sure that you do not choose one without consulting your doctor first. Certain enemas may contain ingredients that may be harmful to either you or your child. Even herbs such as mistletoe and sassafras can have serious and lasting effects on your child’s health.
 

Submitted by P T on May 27, 2010 at 01:25

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