The procedure associated with an enema is not particularly pleasant and I do not want to apply it to a child at all, but there are situations when it is impossible to avoid this, and then everything must be done correctly so as not to harm it for sure.
An enema is given to a baby in case of constipation or when there is a need to inject drugs rectally. In the second case, such a method of treatment is always prescribed by a doctor, in the first, self-medication should not be addressed either. The fact is that in pediatrics there is no clearly established rule about how often a child should defecate. So the first precaution is not to use an enema for no reason. What seems like constipation to an inexperienced young mother may be a very common natural course of things.
If the baby has not pooped for several days, but behaves calmly, the tummy is soft, and the gases go away freely, this only means that the food that he eats is ideal for him and is absorbed almost completely, because he grows very quickly during this period of life. Alarming symptoms can be a hard tummy, no farting, crying when touched, and bent legs. In this case, you should immediately contact a doctor at least by phone.
The most important precaution is not to be nervous. The procedure is not too complicated and the main thing is not to forget or confuse anything.
When the decision to put an enema is still made, so as not to harm the child, you need to follow a fairly simple algorithm of actions. First of all, the "pear" must be boiled for disinfection and the hot water must be carefully drained from it. Before starting the procedure, organize the process so that everything you need is at hand: a container with warm boiled water, a clean diaper, oil or baby cream.
The bed or table must be covered with oilcloth, put a diaper on top. Then you should thoroughly wash your hands with soap, undress the baby (only below the waist so as not to freeze) and wash his ass, paying special attention to the anus area. It is necessary to place the child on the table, laying it on the back, lifting and slightly bending its legs. It is better if someone from the family will entertain him with a rattle.
It is very important that the water in the enema is neither too hot nor too cold.
It is necessary to release air from the syringe and draw boiled water into it (warm, but not more than 28 degrees). For a baby, 40-50 ml is needed, for a newborn, 20-30 ml will be enough. Now the child's anus and the tip of the "pear" are thoroughly lubricated with cream or oil, then all the air is released from the enema. With gentle screw-like movements, the tip is inserted into the anus by 2-3 cm, spreading the child's buttocks with the other hand, and the liquid is slowly injected.
When all the liquid is inside, the syringe is slowly and gently pulled out, bringing the baby's buttocks together so that the water does not leak out. So you need to hold it for about five minutes, then you can put on a diaper and wait for the effect, which will appear after a while: from an hour to several hours.
It is possible that at one time the baby will not cope with all the stagnant feces, therefore, after the first bowel movement, he should gently stroke his tummy clockwise, at the same time checking whether it has become soft and whether the baby is experiencing negative sensations.
