Does everyone wipe themselves front to back?

[chicaguapa]

Bit of a icky subject but DD(5 yo) has a urine infection and GP is going to refer her for further tests ie ultrasound on kidneys etc.

Anyway mil says it's because DD wipes herself back to front. This is beginning to annoy me because my mum taught me to wipe BtF and DD just copies me. Although I know the advice these days is to wipe FtB but I can't change the way I was taught and I have NEVER had a urine infection in my life.

I wondered if I was really as scummy as my mil seems to be making me feel. BTW mil has two boys and no girls so has never had to teach anyone how to wipe themselves. I don't know how she does it herselves as we've not gone that far in the conversation.

[JillyBeansOnToastForDaveNW]

Front to back for me. It's how I was taught my my mum.

[SparklyGothKat]

You should never wipe back to front, as it can introduce bugs from your bottom to your front, and can cause infections.

[MrsBadger]

I must say I never ever got this directional wiping malarkey despite the fact I know it should be front-to-back.
I kind of dab - direction never comes into it.

[Cloudhopper]

I think the reason it is front to back is to avoid spreading germs from the back passge to the front.

Urine is pretty harmless to the body, but faeces can have all kinds of nasties.

I've suffered from urine infections my whole life, so I am meticulous. It takes very little to trigger one. I think it is one of those things where you either have a tendency to get them or you don't.

Your daughter probably has that tendency, so might need to do front to back, just because she is more likely to pick something up.

[greenday]

Definitely front to back. Afraid your MIL is right there, althoug I'm sure she didn't mean to make you feel scummy. It's a hard habit to change, but worth considering for your dd's sake.

[scatterbrain]

I'm a BtF girl too - that was how I was taught and it feels natural to me ! I didn't even hear about the FtB advice until a few yaers ago ! I have also never had an infection down there !

The thing is - is you wipe properly and completely you get all the poo off anyway surely !

DD does wipe BtF - but I am trying to encourage FtB - but it feels odd !

You're not scummy at all !!!

[NbgsYellowFeathers]

I've had lots of urine infections in the past and it was only when I was in my teens that they looked into it.
I had a scan and it turned out that I had a Duplex Kidney. Basically instead of having 1 tube that goes from my kidney to my bladder, I have 2 that join into one and that causes infection apparently.
It doesnt cause any problems and in fact, since the scan I've never had another infection (touch wood)!

It could be something like that rather that infection from wiping.
Get her to drink lots of water and Cranberry juice does help too.

[morningpaper]

OK I am a back-to-front girl

I have tried front-to-back but I am not sure EXACTLY how to do it without getting in a mess

I don't know how to teach DD to do rfont-to-back because I am not very good at it myself

Have never had infections either

Please tell me EXACT procedure

[fannyannie]

another back to front girl here.....heard the front to back advice years ago - but have never really got to grips with it.....so just stick with what I know........thankfully no girls to teach the 'correct' method to so I shall just continue being scummy

[scatterbrain]

Hoorah - I am liking all the Back to Front girls coming out of the closet !!!

[morningpaper]

the thing is, my arse is too big to get back arm round that way

so do I approach from the front or what?

[scatterbrain]

I don't know either - have never managed to work it out and suspect my arse also too large unless I become a contortionist !!!

[FirstAtForty]

Urine is sterile (unless infected), but however well you wipe your bum with loo roll the area ain't never gonna be sterile, hence the ftb advice I guess.

The tube into the bladder is relatively short, so open to bacteria from the 'outside' travelling up it.

[FirstAtForty]

but yes, getting arm, erm 'round the back' can be extremely challenging on occasion. Have resorted to 'approach from front' before

[BandofMothers]

I wipe the front then the back. As an adult surely it's fairly easy not to connect the two!!
It's not just urine infections but also thrush from wiping your bum first then your (what's the word on MN?)fanjo?
Haven't got to point of teaching dd1 (3) to wipe, I still do it. Agree it's quite tricky to get kids to do it, esp when they've pooped!!

[NbgsYellowFeathers]

I'm back to front too

Just remember that some people actually drink their own urine. So it cant be that bad.

[scatterbrain]

Hmmm - thinking about it now I don't think I sweep through from bum to front - I think I sort of stop and do what Mrs Badger said - go round a bit - sort of dabbing !

Stands to reason you don't want poo in your fanjo really !

[noddyholder]

Wiping back to front is one of the main causes of kidney infections and thrush etc

[morningpaper]

yes but there is drinking it and then there is getting it all over your sleeve at work

[BandofMothers]

I got a kidney infection cos didn't realise I had a urine infection.
Bloody knew I had the kidney infection though, AGONY.

[MrsGoranVisnjic]

you must wipe Front to Back so that faeces do not get moved forward into your vulva / uerethra

this is not optional

[scatterbrain]

But the point is that some of us don't and can't !!! Ststing the obvious is not so helpful !

[Whoooosh]

I know it is supposed to be wron but I am a back to front girl.
However,it is more back then front for me-I wouldn't want to introduce anything from my rear end into my fanjo

[MrsGoranVisnjic]

the only reason you can ever say 'can't' is if your arms are too short

you start at the front you wipe towards the back .. you may have to rewipe towards the back

[BandofMothers]

Wipe the front from the front, and the back from the back.