How to give an enema to a newborn at home: 10 simple steps

Before giving an enema to a child, you should study the technique of performing it and become familiar with the rules of such a procedure. Let's start with the fact that there are several types of enemas.

Cleansing. It is recommended for constipation, bloating, and also if the baby is poisoned. For it, use water at room temperature, not hot.
Laxative. In this case, Vaseline oil or glycerin is administered with an enema, which should be diluted with a small volume of saline solution. The procedure in question is recommended for use in cases of constipation; it is especially effective if the child has hard stool. The oil will make it softer and help it leave the body.
Hypertensive. If constipation is prolonged, then for an enema they take a special solution of table salt, which is called hypertonic. Typically, this procedure is performed only by doctors and nurses in a medical facility. For those who want to prepare the composition at home, we note that it is important to mix it very thoroughly. Otherwise, salt crystals will cause irritation to the baby's mucous membranes. The water, as in the case of other enemas, should be warm.
Siphon. This enema is not done at home; it is indicated if the baby is poisoned or has fecal blockages.
Medicinal. With its help, you can introduce the drug into the body. It cannot be done independently, only on the recommendation of a specialist.

Selection of the optimal volume of cleansing enema for an infant

The amount of liquid used directly depends on the age of the baby. If he is less than two months old, then 30 milliliters will be needed. For a two to four month old take 60 milliliters, and for a six to nine month old take 70 to 100 milliliters. At the age of nine to twelve months, 120-170 milliliters of liquid are taken for an enema, and for a one- to two-year-old baby - from 200 to 250 milliliters. Finally, between the ages of two and five years, you will need 300 milliliters, and for children between six and ten years old, the amount varies from 400 to 500 milliliters.

Remember that you cannot do an enema without the doctor’s permission, and in case of acute inflammatory bowel diseases, rectal prolapse and intestinal bleeding, such a procedure is prohibited.

What is an enema and what can it be?

What exactly is an enema? An enema is a medical procedure that involves injecting a liquid (water or medication) into the rectum.

I distinguish several types of enemas, depending on their purpose:

Cleansing. Indicated for constipation, bloating, food poisoning, and for emptying the intestines of stool and gases. Performed using chilled boiled water.
It is very important that the water is exactly 24 - 26 ° C (room temperature). If you use hot water, you can cause a burn to the intestinal mucosa. Also, hot water dilates blood vessels and is well absorbed into the bloodstream, and the rectum is very well supplied with blood. Entering the bloodstream, water will pull with it all the toxins accumulated in the stool. “Fecal intoxication” may occur. The most terrible condition that can develop with this complication is cerebral edema.
Therefore, before performing an enema, always consult a doctor, or even better, entrust the procedure to specialists.
Laxative. Vaseline oil or glycerin is injected into the rectum with an enema. You can dilute them with a small amount of saline solution. This enema for an infant is indicated for constipation, especially when the baby has a dense consistency of stool. The oil solution softens the stool and helps the intestines empty.
Hypertensive. The enema bulb is filled with a hypertonic solution (2.5%, 5% or 10%) of table salt.
This type of enema cleanses the intestines very well during prolonged constipation and is most often performed in a hospital setting by medical workers. The salty solution draws out the intestinal contents well. If you decide to prepare a hypertonic solution at home using water and salt, you must mix the solution thoroughly! Undissolved salt crystals can cause damage to your baby's intestinal lining. It is also necessary to observe the temperature regime of the solution.
Siphon. Such an enema is performed only in a hospital setting and is a purely medical procedure. A large volume of solution causes high intestinal lavage. Indicated for poisoning or fecal “blockages”.
Medicinal enema. This is a method of administering a drug. Performed as prescribed by a doctor.

How does an enema help with constipation?

An enema for a child works exactly the same as an enema for an adult. In the fight against constipation, cleansing names are most often used, which allow you to simply remove feces from the intestines along with water. The main indications in childhood are conditions such as flatulence and constipation.

Please note that some other varieties can also be used:

Hypertensive microenemas are used to provoke independent cleansing of intestinal receptors. To prepare it, a strong saline solution is used, for example, with the most common salt.
An oil microenema that has a relaxing effect on the walls and muscle structure of the intestines. To combat constipation, the oil should be warm. In this case, olive or sunflower oil is used, or pharmaceutical vaseline can be used.
Microlax is another type of enema for a child with constipation, which is a viscous solution of sodium citrate, sorbitol solution and other components. The advantage of the product is that it is not addictive and has a positive effect on the child’s body.

In childhood, a cleansing enema is most often performed. How to do this will be discussed below.

What volume of cleansing enema does a child need?

In addition to the temperature regime, you need to know how much solution can be administered to the baby. When administering a cleansing enema, the amount of fluid administered directly depends on the age of the child. The younger the baby, the less solution is needed to empty the intestines. There are standards for the volumes permissible for performing an enema on a child.

Up to two months	30 ml
2 – 4 months	60 ml
6 -9 months	70 – 100 ml
9 – 12 months	120 – 170 ml
1 – 2 years	200 – 250 ml
25 years	300 ml
6 – 10 years	400 – 500 ml

Contraindications and precautions

Inflammatory pathologies located in the rectal area should be considered absolute limitations. In addition, contraindications include:

bleeding from the stomach or intestines;
neoplasms in the gastrointestinal tract;
rectal prolapse;
acute surgical pathologies, acute pain in the peritoneum.

This list also includes diagnoses such as massive swelling in the baby, rehabilitation measures after gastric and intestinal operations, and anal fissures.

In addition, when telling a 2-year-old child about enemas for constipation, pay attention to some precautions:

Water temperatures should be between 25 and 27 degrees. It must be remembered that the higher they are, the more pronounced the laxative effect will be.
A child over the age of two years can have enemas no more than once every 48 hours. At the age of four months to two years - from one to three times a day.
The volume of the enema also varies: from one to two years, its volume can be no more than 200 ml. If the baby is already two years old, but not yet five - 300 ml.
Concentrated solutions - table salt, soda, soap composition - should not be used. Plain water, a mixture of glycerin and vegetable oil are best. In the absence of allergies, chamomile decoction can be used.
If you need to find out how an enema is given to children at school, then only contact a specialist. In a medical center, the child will be provided with all the necessary equipment for the procedure, a couch and access to the toilet.

What is needed to perform a cleansing enema?

First of all, you need to prepare the place for the procedure.
On a flat surface (changing table or crib), you need to lay an oilcloth and put a clean diaper or sheet on top of it.
To perform an enema for a child under 4-5 years old, use a syringe. A syringe is a pear-shaped rubber canister with a rubber or plastic tip. There are different volumes of “pears” - from 30 ml, for the smallest children, to 360 ml. You can buy a syringe at any pharmacy; its cost is on average 100 rubles. For children over 4 years old, an Esmarch mug is required to perform an enema. This is a rubber cylinder with a volume of 2 liters, from which comes a silicone tube with a removable plastic tip. The cost of such a system in pharmacies is 200 - 500 rubles.
Before performing an enema, you should prepare an enema solution, petroleum jelly or baby cream. For children older than one year, it is necessary to prepare a potty in advance.

How to put a baby to bed?

An oilcloth is laid on the couch and a towel is placed on top.

The child should be placed on his left side, knees bent and tucked towards the stomach. In this position, inserting the enema tip will be the most painless.

The baby is placed on his back, his legs are raised and slightly spread to the sides. The edge of the oilcloth should hang down into the basin.

How to perform a cleansing enema on a baby?

First of all, before giving an enema to a baby, you need to prepare everything you need so as not to be distracted during the procedure.
Before performing an enema, you should wash your hands.
The syringe is boiled for about 30 minutes. Then we wait until it cools down.
We squeeze the can to release the air, then slowly unclench it and draw in the required amount of solution.
The tip of the bulb is lubricated with Vaseline, vegetable oil or baby cream to reduce the risk of intestinal trauma.
The baby lies on his back, his legs are pressed against each other and raised slightly upward. Children older than one year can be placed on their left side, pressing their knees to their stomach.
We spread the buttocks with our fingers and carefully insert the tip into the rectum to a depth of 2 - 4 cm.
Slowly squeezing the bulb, we introduce liquid into the intestine.
Carefully remove the tip and squeeze the buttocks for a few minutes.
After defecation, we wash the baby, and thoroughly wash and dry the syringe.

In what cases should an enema be used for children 2-3 years old?

An enema for children with constipation is sometimes the only option to combat constipation. It is used when tablets, solutions and other laxatives and cleansers have not proven to be sufficiently effective.

The advantage of any enema is its direct effect on the intestines, as well as the gentle and rapid removal of feces. That is why many parents prefer to use them, replacing standard options with microenemas. However, before engaging in such treatment for constipation, it is strongly recommended that you familiarize yourself with the contraindications and precautions.

Performing a cleansing enema for children over 4 years of age

To perform the procedure, we use Esmarch's mug.
The solution is poured into a rubber container. The volume depends on the age of the child. We also make sure to observe the temperature regime.
We release a small amount of the contents of the pear to displace the air from the tube.
The balloon should be fixed 1 meter above the level of the lying child to ensure a downward flow of fluid.
We connect the tip to the system, lubricate it with Vaseline or vegetable oil. Plastic tips can be disposable. Then we take it out of the sterile packaging and throw it away after the procedure. If the tip is reusable, it must be boiled before use.
The child lies on his left side with his knees tucked to his stomach.
The tip is carefully inserted into the rectum 2 cm towards the abdomen, and then 2 - 4 cm posteriorly, towards the tailbone.
The clamp on the tube opens and the solution enters the intestines.
The tip is removed, and the child must lie down for another 10 minutes until the unbearable desire to defecate.
Then the child is seated on the potty or toilet to have a bowel movement.

If you experience frequent constipation, you should not abuse enemas. Consult a doctor to determine the causes of the disease and solve the problem. Frequent use of cleansing enemas can lead to addiction and disruption of natural bowel movements.

In addition to cleansing with liquid, an enema has an irritating effect that stimulates intestinal motility, which helps with bowel movements. But stool does not always come out after an enema. It is necessary to ensure that all the liquid introduced into the intestines comes out. Sometimes emptying does not occur immediately, but after 30 - 50 minutes.

A correctly performed procedure is harmless and alleviates the baby’s condition. If you are not confident in yourself, you should not undertake manipulation. Contact your pediatrician who will examine your child and help with performing an enema.

Rules for giving an enema

An enema for newborns at home is given only if the following instructions are followed.

Watch the amount of water. A large volume of fluid can cause excessive stretching of the intestinal walls, which will cause pain in the newborn. But if the amount of water is too small, the mechanism for cleansing feces will not start. A single dose should be limited to 5–10 ml with repeated administration of the same volume after 5–7 minutes if the laxative effect does not occur.
Introduce water correctly - slowly and gradually, so that a strong stream does not cause pain to the newborn or injure the intestines.
The enema temperature should be within +34…+36 °C. Warmer water will be absorbed by the intestinal walls, while cold water will cause severe spasticity and pain, and can also provoke inflammatory processes in the newborn’s intestines.

In addition, it should be remembered that the effect of the enema occurs no earlier than after 5–10 minutes. But the newborn does not yet know how to retain “foreign” fluids, so after the water is introduced, squeeze the baby’s buttocks. This will help keep it in the intestines for the time necessary to achieve the desired result.

Up to contents

Device design and types

In the time since its invention, the design of Esmarch's mug has not changed. It consists of three elements:

directly mugs, containers, in the standard form having the shape of an ordinary rubber heating pad;
soft tube, about 1.5 m long;
tip with a clamp, loop or small tap.

Conventionally, different types of products can be divided into two large classes. Disposable ones are disposed of after use. They are in sterile packaging and cannot be reused. Reusable ones are designed for long-term use and must be disinfected after each use.

Depending on the material used by the manufacturer to make the bowl, rubber, plastic, silicone, glass, and metal products are found. But most often the division is based on the volume of the device’s capacity: No. 1 (up to 1 l), No. 2 (up to 1.5 l), No. 3 (up to 2.5 l) and so on.

The tip of the Esmarch mug hose can be rigid, plastic, like the tip of an enema, or flexible, rubber. Soft tips are used when performing manipulations with a child, when an inflammatory process occurs in the intestines, when douching the vagina, and in other cases when particularly careful, careful handling of the patient is required.

How to make an enema using a pear?

The pear is completely filled with water to remove air from it. The end of the pear is lubricated with Vaseline, soap or cream. The pear is carefully inserted into the anus to a depth of 3–5 cm. In order for the liquid to enter the intestines, you need to slowly squeeze the pear. The slower the water flows, the more painless the procedure and the longer the water will stay in the intestines.

If the water does not come out of the pear, they push it back a little and wait for the intestines to relax.

Having finished administering the liquid, lightly squeeze the buttocks so that the liquid lingers in the intestines for at least a few minutes to sufficiently soften the stool.

If after 15 minutes the water does not come out or comes out without feces, the procedure is repeated.

Staging technique

Performing the procedure is not so difficult if you know the nuances and follow the rules. Care must be taken when handling a newborn. The correct volume of solution is selected, the syringe is boiled, and the tip of the Esmarch mug is disinfected.

Newborn

Carrying out therapeutic manipulations for an infant can be carried out after medical consultation. The doctor prescribes a solution and volume.

Constipation in children under one year of age does not always occur due to a disordered digestive process. Pathologies of a surgical nature cannot be excluded. Then colon cleansing is strictly prohibited.

Correctly performed enema technique is the key to achieving your goal.

A cleansing enema at home for children under 4 years of age is performed using a syringe; it is advisable to choose a device that ends with a soft rubber tip. Before starting the procedure, the mother should wash her hands thoroughly with soap. The pear must first be boiled (half an hour). Next, the syringe is compressed until the air is completely released and lowered into a container with a solution; it must be drawn inside. Before insertion, lubricate the tip of the device with Vaseline.

If a child is worried about atonic constipation, then the temperature of the liquid should not exceed 20 degrees. If the baby has a spastic type of constipation, the violation is eliminated with a solution of up to 38 degrees. The effectiveness can be increased by mixing 2 tsp. vegetable oil with water or adding liquid with glycerin.

Algorithm of actions. The baby is placed on an oilcloth covered with a diaper. The legs are raised up. A baby over one year old should be placed on his side with his legs tucked under his chin.

Air is released from the bulb so as not to cause discomfort to the baby. The buttocks are carefully spread apart, the lubricated tip is inserted into the anus, the insertion depth is up to 2 centimeters. By gradually squeezing the pear, the solution is introduced into the intestines.

The solution should be ingested by the infant only upon inhalation. While the child is crying, it is advisable not to manipulate. After emptying the syringe, without unclenching the device, the tip is carefully removed. Try to keep the solution inside for two minutes.

Next, try to constantly change the position of the child to distribute the medicine evenly in the intestines. Continue this way for ten minutes. Then sit the child on the potty or put him on a diaper to defecate.

When the emptying is complete, wash the baby, and boil the pear and hide it.

If a child cannot calm down, you should turn his attention to toys.

Child over 4 years old

To perform enema procedures for boys and girls over the age of four who are studying at school, a device is used - an Esmarch mug. The tip of the conductive tube must be inspected for damage, boiled and lubricated with Vaseline.

The required volume of liquid is poured into the rubber container, with a temperature of no more than 30 degrees. The clamp is opened slightly and the air is released. The child lies on his side and presses his legs to his stomach. The tip is inserted in two stages. In the first, the injection occurs in the direction of the navel to a depth of two centimeters. At the second stage, the tip moves towards the coccyx, the tube moves another 5 centimeters. The tip is installed, the clamp opens and liquid begins to flow.

Carrying out an enema should not cause discomfort to the baby, therefore, if discomfort occurs, the procedure is stopped. Allow a little rest and continue administration at a slower speed. After the solution is finished, the tip is removed, and the child continues to lie, sometimes changing position.

The effectiveness of the process depends on how much liquid remains inside the child’s intestines. For the correct process of defecation, the child must be on the toilet with his legs. The position allows you to compress the intestines as much as possible in order to squeeze out feces.

Indications and contraindications for use

Most often, Esmarch's mug is used as a product for gynecology and obstetrics and in proctology. Vaginal douching is used to treat symptoms of thrush, relieve various inflammatory processes, and so on. Forced bowel cleansing is used not only for constipation and as a method for normalizing weight or removing toxins from the body, but also in a number of other cases:

before childbirth;
before carrying out planned operations;
before examining the intestines (colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy);
for introducing certain medications into the body;
for the introduction of nutrients after severe intoxication, poisoning, and so on.

However, in some cases, administering an enema can worsen your health and lead to complex, dangerous complications. This should not be done in the following cases:

weakness, headache, dizziness;
for pain in the abdominal area, which may be a manifestation of acute appendicitis, peritonitis, perforated ulcer, and so on;
for diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems;
for hemorrhoids with bleeding;
for intestinal cancer;
in case of gastric and uterine bleeding;
with prolapse of a segment of the rectum;
at elevated body temperature;
during breastfeeding and so on.

If an enema is used too often to cleanse the intestines, the so-called “lazy bowel syndrome” may occur, when the bowel “does not want” to empty itself without assistance. Therefore, you should not carry out the procedure too often, without prior consultation with a medical specialist.