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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

catheter after birth? please read :(

43 replies

allchik · 14/01/2013 16:37

Hi,gave birth to a beautiful girl on the 10th,epidural n forceps.
12th i got discharged with catheter in cus although I cud wee I had 650ml left in bladder which I couldnt feel.
Went bk this morn for it to be taken out n bladder to be checked,again could do a wee but scan showed 290ml left in bladder.
Worth saying by this point i was heartbroken,couldnt stop crying.
Theyre now talking bout self catheterisation,getting refered to a specialist etc.
Asked if I could go home without one in n go bk at 7 to see if anythings cleared...thought the pressure of hospital might have been effecting my wee.
But in last hr or so ive had a cup of tea n half pint of squash n nothing :(
Think its gonna be bad news tonight,i just cnt stop crying n feel like this is wrecking everything,just wnt to forget bout hospital but so hard with a bag of pist strapped

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Original poster

allchik · 14/01/2013 16:39

Oops... To your leg.
It makes me feel sick n i just dnt know when it will all end.
Has this happened to anyone else? Please give me good news! X

OP posts:

CabbageLooking · 14/01/2013 16:40

Oh you poor thing. I haven't any advice but I hope your news is ok. And most importantly, congratulations on your baby girl. I had a very similar delivery to yours and I know how utterly ruined you feel afterwards. You will feel better though, I promise.

VivaLeBeaver · 14/01/2013 16:40

Bless you. Its only been 4 days, which I know feels like a lifetime when you have a bag of piss strapped to your legg.

Your bladder is probably bruised to bits. It should get better soon, hopefully on its own.

VisualiseAHorse · 14/01/2013 16:41

I don't have any advice, but I'm sure someone will be along soon.

It won't wreck everything - this will pass. It may be bad news this evening, but we are here to support you.

MaggieMaggieMaggieMcGill · 14/01/2013 16:46

I second it just being due to bruising, get someone to run out and buy you some arnica pills, which are homeopathy and mn is very anti homeopathy but anything that might possibly in any way shape form help, is worth trying.
xx

Loupee · 14/01/2013 16:47

Congratulations on the birth of your daughter.
My birth sounds similar, epidural, forceps and a catheter. I was kept in hospital for 4 days with the catheter which I hated, so can't imagine how much harder it is for you.
I don't have any specific advice I'm afraid. Do they know what has caused it? For me it was because anaesthesia didn't wear off properly, it seemed to linger making it difficult for me to realise I was peeing!
It doesn't help that the whole area will be fragile.
The numbers have being going in the right direction, so hopefully they will keep going that way.
Whatever happens it is probably just a short term blip. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you tonight.

sarahanneg · 14/01/2013 16:51

I also had epidural for forcepts 8 weeks ago and to be honest until recently I cud never feel when my bladder was full, just used to go to the loo regurlarly. That's what the anaethatist told me to do. In my experience it takes weeks to fully recover from epidural also in the bowel department. If u r constipated that cud be the reason for not being able to wee. But it does get better with time.

MaggieMaggieMaggieMcGill · 14/01/2013 16:51

Also try keeping a hot water bottle on your bladder region ( I know this might be hard if you are breast feeding) but it will encourage blood flow to the area which will help the bruising to heal quicker.

IslaValargeone · 14/01/2013 16:57

I was also told to go to the loo regularly in an attempt to retrain it so to speak.
Easier said than done at the moment,as it is hugely stressful for you and you are desperate to pee but try and relax when you are on the loo at first. I used to press on my bladder a bit too.

Emsyboo · 14/01/2013 17:01

Congrats on your baby girl
I have no help except echoing what people have said above, I have heard people rave about arnica tablets post c section they have to be worth a go? A friend had a similar situation she stayed in 7 days with catheter bless her but was fine week 2.
I hope you recover soon sorry couldn't help more x

BouncyPenguin · 14/01/2013 17:19

I had epidural, forceps birth with catheter after for DS2. Can sympathise with all the bruising. I wasn't right for quite a few weeks. For a week or to afterwards I could only wee whilst tipping myself to the side and covering that area with tissue so that I was almost weeing on my hand. I don't know why that was. I took arnica tablets and bathed in lavender and tea tree oil bath. Don't know whether this helped really as I then got an infection in wound. You will get better but it will be slow. If they have given you iron tablets I would recommend reducing the amount you are taking as they will only make moving your bowels worse and that's the last thing you need. My GP said You can take a lower dose for longer instead. I know how you will be feeling that this has ruined everything for you. Try to remember that your experience is not abnormal. Nobody has a "normal" birth. We all have our stories to tell. This is your birth story. Try to go easy on yourself. Accept and ask for help from friends and family.

PastaDee · 14/01/2013 17:50

I haven't had this experience but I know what a forceps delivery is like and how it leaves you feeling. For the record the tears would be there regardless so don't beat yourself up over that. I left a wet patch on a midwife's uniform when I was finding breastfeeding hard.... Not my usual style at all!

After my DD was born with low cavity forceps I had bruising extending all down my inner thighs. They were black and blue..... It makes sense that bruising in the opposite direction would affect your bladder. I agree with those who say its bruising and swelling and it will go down.

I took Arnica too and I am pretty sure it helped.

Get some rest if you can. Rest is so healing even if you can't get any decent sleep with your DD. Snuggle down with her and try to think about nice things for a few hours.

Original poster

allchik · 14/01/2013 18:07

Overwhelmed by all your replies...thanku..
Have spent the last hr sat in the bath relaxing n have managed to do 3 wee's (sorry if thats gross) so fingers crossed!
Will update later x

OP posts:

PastaDee · 14/01/2013 18:58

Not at all gross. Sounds like a good plan and as though you are making good progress. If there was something other than bruising surely you wouldn't be able to go at all?

Have an un-mumsnet hug from me and keep relaxing and trying not to worry.

littlebrownmouse · 14/01/2013 19:12

Hi, I had a 'natural' birth a good few years ago now and my baby was very big. I had a catheter for over two weeks after the birth as my bladder was apparently 'in shock' I didn't wee at all the whole time I was in hospital (4 days), I had scans and an 'in out' catheter and they could find nothing wrong apart from the fact that I had no sensation of needing to wee and couldn't do one when I tried. Initially I had a catheter for 24 then 48 then 72 hours. I was then sent home with a 'leg bag'-nice! And told to come back in a week. After the week I still wasn't working so was sent home again and had to go back a week later to the regular ward. I spent a day on the regular ward with the catheter out, had regular amounts to drink and by the end of the day, I could go again. Nobody knows why I couldn't go or indeed why I then could go, all the specialists simply said that my bladder was I shock, needed a rest and that time was a great healer. My absolute worst day was four days after the birth when I was feeling really hormonal, they were going to keep me in another night and then said I could go home with a bag of wee on a drip stand. Luckily DH is medical and insisted I went home with a leg bag or that he would do the in out catheter. It was grim but it all turned out right in the end, it was a normal but traumatic birth with huge stitching etc and my system just needed a rest. Chin up, try to go home if you possibly can and hopefully, your situation will end up positive like mine did.

VivaLeBeaver · 14/01/2013 19:20

Btw, are you taking lots of codeine? Urinary retention can be a side effect.

PaleHousewifeOfCumbriaCounty · 14/01/2013 19:36

Its really normal, pet! Ive had three natural easy deliveries but each time i had no sensation for weeing for at least a few weeks. Just keep going and having a try. I always thought it was because the weight and pressure of the baby being gone had taken the urgency away. It comes back, i promise.

stickybean · 14/01/2013 23:00

My sister had a catheter with a leg bag for about 10 days after her forceps delivery. She was fine after that but like you (understandably) was extremely worried about the future. She was supported over the phone and in person by the incontinance nurse. Perhaps you could ask your midwife / gp for a referral?

Hang in there lovely, in the meantime do NOTHING but rest and feed your baby. Nothing else!

RoLoh · 14/01/2013 23:13

I feel for you. I also had epidural, episiotomy and forceps. I was in hospital for a week and had a catheter for 2 days. But when they removed it I weed myself everytime I stood up but I couldn't feel it. This lasted for about 5 days so I assume that I still had pee remaining in my bladder too.

As it wore off gradually I assume that my insides were still numb from the epidural and also I was majorly bruised.

So don't worry, I'm sure things will get back to normal for you very soon

inadreamworld · 14/01/2013 23:17

How awful for you - I agree with the others that your bladder is bruised and you will be rid of the catheter soon. I didn't have a catheter but after I had DD (21 months) I found it v difficult to squeeze the wee out (2nd degree tear, natural delivery) - all the other Mums were complaining that they couldn't stop the flow but I was the opposite. I didn't need a catheter but went to GP who said everything was bruised down there and to come back if it got worse. Luckily it got better and you will too but loads of sympathy as must be horrible.

nicelyneurotic · 15/01/2013 09:30

Hi there,

Just say not to panic and you will be ok! I ended up wearing a catheter for 2 and a half weeks afterwards (at home) to give my bladder a rest. The bladder can get bruised during the birth.

It was awful because I thought it would be damaged forever and hadn't heard of it happening to anyone else, but I was fine when they removed it. It was a pain looking after a newborn with the catheter but they gave me a mini one so I could shower etc which made it slightly more bearable. Hope you dont have it as long as me, just wanted to let you know it happens to other people who make a full recovery.
Good luck and hope everything heals soon x

lakeofshiningwaters · 15/01/2013 13:47

Hi also here to say don't panic. You only gave birth 4 days ago. No wonder your bladder is still bruised and in shock.

I had a similar delivery to you with ds, went home from hospital with a catheter for 2 weeks. After that, I saw the specialist nurse and had to keep a chart of how much liquid was going in and how much coming out (weeing in a measuring jug!) for a week.

After this my bladder was much better, but if it hadn't been, the next step would have been self-catheterisation. My cousin has to do this every night since a car accident 9 years ago, and she says it's very easy and not painful at all ( a piece of piss if you will...).

I remember how upsetting it can be when all you want to do is be with your lovely new baby, but take heart that it is very early days yet, and that help will be there if you do need it. let us know how you get on.

squidkid · 15/01/2013 15:34

You poor poor thing. As if birth isn't hard enough.

This happened to my sister recently, after a VBAC with a long labour. She had the catheter in (at home) for 2 weeks after delivery. She was also heartbroken after 1 week that a trial without catheter was unsuccessful. But everything was fine after 2. I do hope for the same outcome for you, and hopefully sooner.

LovelyWeatherForDucks · 15/01/2013 17:34

I feel your pain - I had a bladder injury (c section - cut it open) when I had my baby and had a catheter for three weeks until it healed. Really horrible - when you just want to enjoy your baby. I spent the whole time worrying about it and counting down the days until it was out (and regretting wishing my baby's first few weeks away). When I had it removed, and they scanned me and I was retaining around 200mls (ie not emptying fully) but they said that was a 'normal/acceptable' amount following trauma and it would sort itself out - which it did. It took another few weeks for the 'urge' to return too. But was assured that bladders heal very easily, and I've got no ill affects now, 3 months on. Good luck - it will get better!

katiecubs · 15/01/2013 18:00

I'm so sorry for you :( hope you are managing to get a bit more out now.

I also had a similar problem but they refused to let me out of hospital until i had an empty bladder - i spend the first three days of DS's life sobbing it was horrible. I got there in the end though - you will too!

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