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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Why can some women not pee during/after childbirth?

21 replies

rubles · 20/07/2007 16:46

When I was pushing with dd for over an hour the midwife asked if I needed a pee as that might have been obstructing the exit for the baby...I said that I didn't think so and I couldn't imagine holding one in at the same time as pushing hard.

Is it really possible to push and not empty the bladder at the same time? Another post in a childbirth thread has talked about not being able to deliver the placenta because of a full bladder that needed catheterisation - I can't get my head around that. Does anyone know why this might happen?

OP posts:

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tiredemma · 20/07/2007 16:49

My bladder was LOADED during labour with ds2.
I had an epidural and obv could not feel a thing, I had to have a catheter and as soon as I was emptied, My delivery became much easier.

Dont know why you dont pee though.

lulumama · 20/07/2007 16:51

probably due to bruising, as it were, as the baby moves down...?

tiredemma · 20/07/2007 16:57

all it says in Myles is that the sensation of the need to pee is reduced, especially if the woman has had an epidural.

vole3 · 20/07/2007 16:58

I couldn't pee when I arrived on delivery suite, but that was because head so low he was blocking the outflow.

Pee'd for ages afterwards. Such a relief!

lulumama · 20/07/2007 17:00

i think some opiates can affect the ability to wee. or block the sensations

i felt like i needed to wee every 10 minutes, and after various trips to the loo, and the intensity of the contractions when i sat down, i decided i would wee on the floor instead!!

as it happened, i didn;t wee again until after DD was born !

SlightlyMadSpider · 20/07/2007 17:00

After DTDs I couldn't deliver placenta. They asked me to pee and I couldn't (on a bedpan though I thought my bladder was a bit shy with the 7 MWs/Drs in the room). I was catherterised and the MWs were shocked that I had held at least 800ml. I ended up in theatre for tretained placenta and had a proper cathetre for the next 24-36hrs.

After DD3 I delivered the placenta fine. But I tried for 90mins after being sorted out to pee and I just couldn't. I tried running water, dowsing my bits with cold water, peeing in the bath - I just couldn't do it and ended up with a temp catheter again relieving 800-1000ml (panicked the MW when her bowl was nearly full!!!). The annoying thing was that I needed to go. For the next few days I had to consciously force myself to empty regularly and really push it out of me. It did take 2-3 days to get back to normal.

Waiting for knowledgeable answers as to why I am one of the ones that has had this problem...

SlightlyMadSpider · 20/07/2007 17:01

Oh and I had no epidural (except for retained placenta) and no pethidine.

SlightlyMadSpider · 20/07/2007 17:03

I guess I didn't pee for the past 4-5hrs of labour either. That was more to do with having more important things on my mind//being straped to monitors than not being physically able.

Dinosaur · 20/07/2007 17:11

This happened to me with all three of the DSs. I don't know why, just some weird quirk of physiology I guess. Had to have a catheter each time.

SlightlyMadSpider · 20/07/2007 17:13

AT least I am not alone...

SpookyMadMummy · 20/07/2007 17:15

Most of my labour with dd2 I spent in the loo! I felt I needed to go constantly but was trickling. My waters were still intact until I was pushing. I remember with dd1 hough needing a wee and having to use a bedpan... most undignified and uncomfortable. Its surprisingly difficult to use one!

americantrish · 20/07/2007 17:28

it took me about 7 or 8 hours after ds was born to wee. the midwife kept checking me and making sure i drank a lot of water. once i started weeing, i had to go a lot

elibumbum · 27/07/2007 09:45

I couldn't pee during the pushing stage - MW emptied my bladder for me - which I was a little worried about because at our antenatal classes the teacher advised us to ask for this post epidural if we were having a c-section - so I thought it would be unbearably painful but it just stung a bit. I also hadn't had any opiates. Had been trying to push for 1.5 hours so either the head of DS was pushing on some thing or bruising/swelling caused it. I was peeing loads the next day though. I have to say I don't think I went for a pee often enough earlier in the labour (didn't want to leave my G&A!).

growingbagpuss · 27/07/2007 09:51

Don't know the mechanics of it - but having had a homebirth with DS, I ended up in hosp, as my uterus couldn't contract as I had gone into urine retention. Catherterised for 24 hours, then escaped.

My back is dodgy, and I have had problems before - but I thought I'd been peeing the whole time - turns out there was about a litre in there getting in the way!!

Original poster

rubles · 27/07/2007 10:18

I asked my midwife about this and she said that in second stage the baby's head will be pressing down and blocking the bladder. Then after that all the bruising from the head may prevent the bladder from working.

That is why you should be reminded to wee earlier on when the head is higher.

OP posts:

SkittlesAreFruitGroup · 27/07/2007 10:26

Thanks growingbagpuss for posting my story for me - I had same deal except for home birth - ooooooo the relief of the catheter, 1000ml in 40 minutes and a VERY suprised duty midwife pooping in for a quick check of the bag only minutes before things could have gotten quite damp about the edges......

MrsFish · 27/07/2007 10:29

I had real problems peeing after ds was born too. I wanted to go really badly but just couldn't, and yes those bedpans are very uncomfortable, I think that was the main reason I couldn't go.. that and other people in the room. I'd also had an epidural, that could have caused it too. In the end I had to get out of bed and stagger to the loo, it was the only way my body would let me relax enough to go.

Miaou · 27/07/2007 10:35

rubies that was me you mentioned in your OP - this time when I was in early labour I made sure I went to toilet as much as possible!! . However it was several hours after delivery this time round before I could wee and three days later I still don't know when I need to go - so I just go every couple of hours to be on the safe side! Funnily enough I was the same after I had my appendix out last year - took about a week before I got my bladder sensation back.

NineUnlikelyTales · 27/07/2007 12:02

I had nerve damage with DS which meant I couldn't pee or poo for days. Once I got the sensation back I had to concentrate very hard to wee, and even harder not to poo myself the minute I knew I needed to go. Not very glamourous I know, but I'm happy to say that both cleared up after a few weeks as the nerve repaired themselves.

Spink · 27/07/2007 12:34

I forgot to wee from the point at which I got to hospital (about 5cm dilated) til I was about an hour into pushing. At which point the MW asked if I wanted to get out of the pool and try to pee on the loo.. I did try, for HALF AN HOUR, and not only did I not manage it, but it completely slowed my contractions down finally MW used a catheter to empty me out and we were off again...
I was on gas & air in the pool (nothing whilst on the loo!!) so don't know if that effects weeing?

littlerach · 27/07/2007 12:41

I didn't relaise that i needed to pee after dd2, the MW poked my abdomen and told me I nneded to go. It took ages fo rme to be able to actually go. And yes, my bladder had held a lot in!
That was a completely drug free brith also.

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