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Childbirth

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

Original poster

Self Catherterising after labour as urine retention!

19 replies

Sezwasezwa · 22/04/2016 01:02

Hi everyone, I am new to this site and I'm looking for some advice and reassurance.
I'm 24 and had my first baby 16 days ago, I had a long labour which ended with a forceps delivery. Since then, I have had problems emptying my bladder, I managed to wee by myself 1 week after my son was born but wasn't emptying my bladder completely. I was sent home with an Indwelling catherter to give my bladder a rest. That has been removed today and I have been taught how to self catherterise. I feel as though no one is giving me awnswers as to why this has happened, and when it will get better. I want to enjoy my little boy but feel so uncomfortable and do not want to stray too far from home. Has anyone had similar problems?

Thank you in advance!! Smile

Sarah

OP posts:
QforCucumber · 22/04/2016 01:22

I had my baby 1 month ago and had to go home with a catheter which was removed after 5 days. I asked why I was having problems weeing myself (I wasn't feeling anything at all and not passing a drop) they told me it was due to really bad bruising down there from the forceps delivery and until the bruising cleared I wouldn't feel very much.

doraexploradora · 22/04/2016 01:45

had the same problem after my first and had to stay in hospital (not uk) for a week. The feeling and capability of emptying my bladder gradually returned.

with my second Inwas closely monitered and after a huge effort I managed to produce my first wee (I was crying in happiness that this time Incould go home). It took me another week to restore the feeling of a full bladder

with my third (uk) I had leas problems but still had to concentrate really hard the first couple of days. I also drank a lot of water!

My gynecologist (eu) explained me that the baby had stretched the muscles and numbed the nerves that control the bladder while going througj the birth canal. Something that can happen with bigger babies or particular baby positions.

Please call your midwife or doctor for help as this needs solving before you start to get infections!

Good luck

Original poster
Sezwasezwa · 22/04/2016 23:28

Thank you for your replies! I did wonder if this would happen again if I was to go on and have more children. I am glad that you both returned to normal after a week or so! I have been self catherterising for 1 day now and I am finding it uncomfortable but manageable. However, I do have a bladder infection now which doesn't help!!! I am nearly 3 weeks down the line and feel like there is some improvement! Fustrating not knowing how long exactly it will take! xxx

OP posts:
Coldest · 23/04/2016 16:30

I had acute urinary retention not related to childbirth. It did get better but I used the self catch for a couple of weeks I think. I too got a raging UTI from it. If u have any problems ask for an urgent referral to urinary specialist nurses. They are a God sent and so so amazing at this. I was extremely depressed by it but the urinary team made me feel much more positive and hopeful, the gynae team was pants and didnot know anything

ElspethFlashman · 23/04/2016 16:37

Totally agree with the above, it's a urology issue now, not a gynae one.

I'd ask for a referral anyway tbh. You don't have to use it, you can cancel it if it sorts itself out before then. But the urologist will be able to do a Trial of Void and all that stuff.

scaredofthecity · 23/04/2016 16:44

I had the opposite problem and kept weeing myself cos I just couldn't feel my bladder, so I guess it must be for similar reasons.
It took about a month to get better but I did get feeling back, and a year down the line I am completely fine.
Hopefully it'll be a similar outcome for you

Coldest · 23/04/2016 17:01

I agree with elpsteth get the urology referral. I really had to fight for mine. The gynae team didn't know what to do and also refused to refer. Was a nightmare.

Junosmum · 24/04/2016 03:19

I'm the same as scared and have incontinence as I can't feel my bladder and my muscles and nerves have been damaged. Although sensation has sorted of returned, after nearly 4 months I'm still incontinent. I've been referred to the uro- gynae team. I really hope yours clears up before that.

verymerryberries · 24/04/2016 15:04

I can totally sympathise with you, my little girl is now 11 weeks old but after a forceps delivery I came home with a catheter for three weeks. It's horrible and nobody understood how low it made me feel. I was under the care of a urologist and I had regular hospital visits to keep checking my bladder, after the second week of withdrawing the catheter and still not been able to wee, they really wanted to show me how to self catheterise. However, after a really traumatic birth I didn't think I could do this and so I had to fight for an indwelling catheter. I think after a while it became a bit psychological, I was under so much pressure to go for a wee, I just could not relax. I seem ok now, things slowly improved and I've gradually been able to empty more of my bladder each time (although not completely, I have more appointments next week to check on my progress) But like you, not much has been explained and I feel like I've been left to figure things out on my own. Wishing you a speedy recovery!!

jazz45 · 25/04/2016 20:25

I had acute retention (to the extent that it was a serious incident and there was a review of procedures) and spent 6 weeks with an indwelling catheter post birth. I also could face self catheterisation. 9 months on I am nearly back to normal and have been since dd was 3 months. After I had the catheter out I had to retrain my bladder going regularly and 'double voiding' it for several weeks but it didn't take long to be back to normal. I am now waiting for physio (which I would push for if possible).

I was under the care of an amazing urogynae nurse who really knew her stuff and helped.

The first 6 weeks were awful and made a tiring time even harder. It was hard to see that I would ever get back to normal. I hope you recover quickly and manage to enjoy your new baby.

chocomochi · 25/04/2016 20:38

Congrats with your newborn!

I had an epidural with DD1 and natural birth with DD2. Had urine retention with both.

With DD1, had catheter removed after a week and reinserted as I still wasn't having a full wee and urine still left in the bladder. More or less recovered after the second week.

With DD2, had catheter in for a week and then self catheterised for about a month! It was horrid and painful, but there is an end in sight!

In both cases, it was weakened bladder and muscles not working properly to go when I need to go.

flamingoshoes · 26/04/2016 21:13

congratulations on your lovely new baby.

I'm 4 1/2 months post forceps delivery. I had a catheter at home for 2 weeks and even though I now have some sensation back I still leak and just empty without warning. I'm under physio but still doing the same exercises from a month post birth as I haven't progressed enough to move on which is a worry. The first few months were the hardest so be very kind to yourself. I found short trips out where I knew there would be toilets were the best and I gradually built up confidence to get out more.

TreeHuggerMum1 · 31/07/2016 23:20

How did you get on in the end?
I'm self Cathing following surgery and would love to see an end in sight....

olympicsrock · 31/07/2016 23:43

Hello I went into retention following epidural with ds1 emcs and spinal with ds2 elcs. Luckily I never needed recatheterising but I did have chronic retention for a few months after ds2 in that I did not have the sensation of needing to pass urine as the bladder had stretched. It just took retraining myself to go even when I did not feel I needed and double voiding. Everything is completely back to normal it took a few months.

kiki22 · 03/08/2016 09:13

I'm not sure if this will be any help but after I had ds by forceps I found peeing a struggle just dribbles I took arnica tablets for the bruising and put 3 drops of 100% peppermint oil in the toilet before going. Some peppermint in a bath can also help though you might end up going in the bath.

Tra06 · 24/04/2023 15:35

Hey- how are you doing? I’m a year postpartum and just been told I have residual of 20-40mls. I never feel ‘story’. How do I learn to double void? I try rocking and I try pushing but nothing comes

Akazkaz · 10/10/2023 04:24

Hey - hope you are fully recovered! Wanted to follow uP on yout journey on this. I had my little one last week with vacuum delivery and cannot seem to pee unless I push super hard, like labour type of pushing.

i had catheter the whole time and it was removed for one night as I did some leftover urine tests which I failed all apart from one where I convinced it’s because I did not drink enough that day anyway.

I’m nos heading back to hospital to get catheter refitted but have no idea what awaits ahead or how can I retrain my muscles 🤷‍♀️

TreeHuggerMum1 · 10/10/2023 06:37

I self catheterised for two weeks, it all slowly came back of its own accord. I think time is a great healer. I’ve had no problems ever since. Good luck.

Akazkaz · 10/10/2023 09:56

Thank you so much for sharing! I’m in Sweden and so far they have not mentioned an option of self categorising so didn’t even know it was possible!

just one more question - did you also do pelvic floor at the same time?

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