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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be a bit disconcerted in having piss in my handbag?

66 replies

YanknCock · 14/04/2009 16:33

Does everyone just take it as given that you are expected to take your pee home with you so you can reuse the container?

This is my first pregnancy, am 21 weeks. Last midwife visit, I was given a bottle and told to produce a urine sample. After she finished doing protein and sugar tests, she screwed the cap back on (I'm not sure how well!) and just leaned over and stuck the bottle of piss into the side pocket of my handbag, saying 'now just take that home to empty and wash, and bring it back next time.'

What if it had leaked? Couldn't they at least give you a sealed plastic bag in case? Or better yet, just give you a fresh container?

As it happens, I won't be using that one again. I completely forgot it was in there until three days later. Then took it out and noted that it seemed to have gone all cloudy and frankly a bit chunky. On seeing it, I had to quickly go barf in my kitchen bin (because EVERYTHING still makes me sick), then DH got rid of it for me and threw away the bottle.

The idea of carrying urine around and reusing containers seems awfully unhygienic and gross. Is this just a normal cost-saving measure I was previously unaware of? AIBU if I just ask for a new clean one each time? Should I bring a plastic baggie with me and intercept the midwife so she doesn't put it directly in my handbag?

OP posts:

nickschick · 14/04/2009 16:36

I used to just pop it in a plastic bag rinse it in the loo at the drs and then it was ready for next time.

nickschick · 14/04/2009 16:37

hey by the time your baby is 1 trust me you will have had much worse in your handbag ....

louii · 14/04/2009 16:39

Its only wee, you will shortly be covered in all manner of baby fluids, puke, piss, snot, poo. A tub of your own urine will not seem so bad then.

You could not have been that bothered about it as you forgot about it for 3 days.

Just bring a wee (no pun intended) bag to put it in next time.

stoppinattwo · 14/04/2009 16:39

lol i read this as having a piss in my handbag...my first thoughts were, resourceful

knickers0nmahead · 14/04/2009 16:40

Put it in a food bag next time.

Just think how many of those got thrown away before they told people to reuse them.

stoppinattwo · 14/04/2009 16:40

was thinkink you had been on a night out and got caught short

pginthecloset · 14/04/2009 16:41

Don't ask for a new clean one each time - it is wasteful.

I would ask the midwife to empty it out for you though - doesn't she have a sink in her room? If she won't just do it in the toilet as nickchick suggests.

Incidentally, don't you carry the urine sample in your bag when you are going to the appointment?

Kayzr · 14/04/2009 16:42

I was always given a new bottle except by my consultant who used to ask me to take it home as it was unhygenic to dispose of it at the GP surgery. Despite my MW disposing it at surgery.

Numberfour · 14/04/2009 16:42

yes, i also read it that way, stoppinattwo! i thought op may have had a drink too many and been caught short!

OP, it is a bit revolting, but as has been said above, it will only get worse. I remember holding out my cupped hands for DS to be sick in them when we were in a restaurant a few years ago. yuck!

poshwellies · 14/04/2009 16:46

Tip it down the loo when you get home and rinse and if you want to be extra clean,swill a little bit of just boiled water into it and empty..

Sod buying urine sample bottles each time,just remember to empty it out!

LIZS · 14/04/2009 16:47

Go to the toilet at the surgery and dispose.

Original poster

YanknCock · 14/04/2009 16:48

Nope, didn't carry it there as I only got the container when I arrived at the clinic.

Honestly, I am no stranger to bodily fluids! I used to do personal care for people with disabilities, and have had all manner of piss, shit, drool, and puke splashed on me. However, I have a much more sensitive gag reflex these days, and the thought of a urine soaked handbag made me retch a bit (it's not even a nice handbag).

My preggo brain completely forgot it was in there, so I guess you could read that as 'not bothered'....but the vomiting proves otherwise!

OP posts:

MuffinBaker · 14/04/2009 16:48

YABU

It is your urine. Not some random person off the street. I am sure the lid was put on properly and you need to stop being precious as pregnancy is all about gloop and bodily emissions.

Just take a plastic bag next time to put it in.

trixymalixy · 14/04/2009 16:53

There are always extra in the toilet at the maternity clinic so I just take one from there if I'm not given a new one.

Failing that i wash it in the loo at tha mat clinic and use a nappy bag to keep it in.

mrsgboring · 14/04/2009 16:56

I really hate this too, though agree that this is unreasonable of me. I took mine in once and it needed to be sent off to culture for infection. Was asked if I'd kept it in the fridge at work before bringing it (erk no! And besides they disciplined a couple of people at work for keeping glue in a fridge as against H&S so what they would have done to me I don't know)

My lovely GP always used to chuck the bottle away and give me a fresh one at each appt. Now thanks to cutbacks he chucks the bottle away and er doesn't, which is a right pain then trying to find a suitable container for the next appt.

And that is far more than I ever thought I would write on the subject of carrying round one's own wee.

PinkTulips · 14/04/2009 16:57

how utterly bizarre

over here they clean the container for you after they dip the urine and dry it off for you with some paper towels before handing it back to you.

why on earth do they give them back to you with the pee still in them?!

mrsgboring · 14/04/2009 16:58

I prefer that to the tip it out all over the place (not very tidily for MWs in my experience have a high tolerance for bodily fluids) and then give you the slightly dripping empty container.

Agree carry plastic bags.

MuffinBaker · 14/04/2009 16:59

Maybe they just don't want to swill lots of bottles of wee down the sink in their rooms?

It's only wee. Some people drink it, you know.

jeminthecity · 14/04/2009 17:01

My midwife always used to empty it down the sink, rinse the bottle and give it back to me.

Original poster

YanknCock · 14/04/2009 17:06

MuffinBaker, have mercy! Still in the grip of morning sickness remember!

OP posts:

Poppity · 14/04/2009 17:15

Stoppinattwo I thought that too, in comparison, this is far less gross.

I hated it too, but just think of the waste otherwise. She could rinse it though, mean aren't they? None of mine seemed to have any sympathy with the nausea (everything ok? no I feel siiiiiiick! Yes dear, never mind...)- guess they'd seen it all before.

Or use a jam jar each time and tell her to put it in the surgery recycling mwahahaha!

TigersEasterchick · 14/04/2009 17:16

I used to empty it out in the loo before leaving the docs - especially as I wasn't always going straight home.

This has reminded me of a story my MW told me ... that someone she'd seen earlier had arrived without her sample despite being certain she'd put it in her bag. She mentally retraced her steps and then looked horrified as she realised where she left it ... she'd called in at the local shop on the way to the docs but couldn't find her purse so had emptied her bag onto the counter ... oops. She didn't think it had her name on it

stickylittlefingers · 14/04/2009 17:18

I was going to say YABU but then read the "chunky" description. Didn't know wee did that! Fascinating stuff.

I always thought it would be funny if my handbag got stolen on my days at the drs - they'd get about 3p and a tub of wee!! That'd serve them right

I do remember being mortified when I had an infection and was asked to pee in a cup in the surgery loo, then bring it back through the waiting room to the dr's room - with all those onlookers looking at my rather bloody protein filled cup'o'wee. Oh the shame!

JRocks · 14/04/2009 17:21

My midwife tips it down the sink in her room, but if she didn't I'd probably tip it into the toilet on the way out. Have sympathies with your sensitive gag reflex though!

hoochymama · 14/04/2009 17:31

total sympathy with the gag reflex as well. mine was horrendous for the 1st 16 wks.could have been disastrous to find a 3 day old tub of pee in my bag!

at my antenatal appts, they always tipped it down the sink. I never got the container back, they always gave out new ones at every appt. obviously flashing their cash around!

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