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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Something you should know if this is your first time

21 replies

phdlife · 05/02/2009 11:36

You need to wee during labour - at least once every two hours.

If your bladder is full it gets in the way of the baby's head descending and may even stop it coming out - may also be damaged, and (apparently) make it more likely for you to bleed after.

Something I wish I'd known beforehand, might've saved me having an emergency section, so I pass it on to you.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

mrsbabookaloo · 05/02/2009 11:39

Gosh phdlife: your midwives must have been useless. Poor you.

It's a really strong memory from my labour, my midwives keeping track of when i weed and making me go every couple of hours. I hated doing it: it was really painful to sit on the loo, but it's all there in my notes, them prompting me to go and me going.

Had an EMCS anyway, but nothing to do with not going pee pee!

Original poster

phdlife · 05/02/2009 11:45

all the MWs here are that they didn't make me wee

I am trying to remember, it might not have made a difference, but ... then again it might have done!

OP posts:

georgimama · 05/02/2009 11:50

Also, try and do a poo. Then you won't do one when pushing.

reikizen · 05/02/2009 12:02

Although I wasn't there at the time and so have no idea what really happened, I am not so sure that a full bladder would lead to an emergency section. If it did, it would not be the midwives you should be angry with, but the doctor who made the decision to go to theatre on that basis. It is one of the first things any carer in labour should think of if there is a delay in the second stage. If the head was far down enough for the bladder to be in the way of delivery, I would have thought forceps or ventouse would have been attempted (following catheterisation). Having said that, bladder care by your midwives as you say is very important, especially as I assume you had an epidural and were unable to take yourself to the toilet. And, as I say, you were there, not me!!

EssieW · 05/02/2009 12:11

Surely they could have used a catheter to drain the bladder (happened to me after very full bladder spotted - couldn't go cos DS head in the way)? Did make a difference in terms of descent but not enough - was taken into hospital for eventual forceps delivery

belgo · 05/02/2009 12:14

Good tip phdlife. The midwives should actually remember to tell you to wee, and if you have any kind of drip, that will add to the fluid in your bladder.

It's possibly a reason why I had a hard time with dd2, and I bled a lot afterwards.

But with ds I blad as well, even though I made sure I wee'ed just before giving birth.

wasabipeanut · 05/02/2009 12:14

I got made to wee every couple of hours even hooked up to my synoticinon drip. They just took the heart monitor off for a minute.

It was horrid.

Original poster

phdlife · 05/02/2009 12:16

don't worry reikizen, I'm equally mad at all of them, while continuing to remind myself it might NOT have made a difference

just seemed to me to be useful to know if you are expecting, rather than rely on carers

OP posts:

MrsTittleMouse · 05/02/2009 12:25

I was encouraged to wee in the birthing centre. So I staggered off to the loo dutifully in the first stage. But when I was told to go again in the second stage I had to admit that I thought that not all the clear liquid on the floor was amniotic fluid.

MarlaSinger · 05/02/2009 12:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

phdlife · 05/02/2009 12:47

well of course they COULD have catheterised me and it might have helped, but clearly no one thought of that until I was in theatre

this time round, I know it might be an issue and dh will be reminding me!

OP posts:

Rhian82 · 05/02/2009 12:52

DS was a ventouse delivery, and the doc catheterised me just before doing the delivery. Would have thought it's the obvious thing to do if your bladder is full and in the way!

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 05/02/2009 12:55

I thought you'd had dc2 then!

NancyAnnSeancy · 05/02/2009 12:55

Hmm.

Well I had a wee during transition, and still had to push for half an hour, and still bled afterwards (pph) so not entirely convinced! Of course it might have been worse if I hadn't

Original poster

phdlife · 05/02/2009 12:59

hi Iwish, how's you? still 8 weeks to go

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StealthPolarBear · 05/02/2009 13:01

I thought I'd missed something!
Was thinking about you the other day, so 8 weeks to go. How have you all settled in?>

Cocodrillo · 05/02/2009 13:01

I didn't do a wee in labour either time (couldn't for some reason), so was given a quick in/out cathether just before baby came out. Don't think lack of wee has to mean EMCS.

bluebump · 05/02/2009 13:02

I wasn't made to go to the toilet, I dont' think I went for hours and hours. In fact the only time I thought I better go for a wee was when they said I was going to have an emergency section and I said I better have a wee and they said don't bother as they were going to put a catheter in.

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 05/02/2009 13:49

Not to bad thanks phd.

Loving the snow even if it does make getting ds1 to school a bit hairy!

Original poster

phdlife · 06/02/2009 03:10

ooh, didn't know you'd got snow Iwish, assumed it'd be the usual case of "everywhere other than where we live(d)"! now I am of you too!

hiya spb, long time no see We are settled I guess, but dh's job search and me being hot and pg is, shall we say, a fairly tense combination. Luckily gcse is loving every aspect of it all.

As for the wee business - as I said, it may NOT have been THE factor that led to the emcs. Otoh, it definitely didn't help to have a very full bladder in between ds and his exit route, and someone should've made sure that that obstacle was clear, one way or another. If they had, MAYBE he would've come out vaginally; MAYBE I wouldn't have bled, and MAYBE I wouldn't have needed some bladder repair. In my case, it was probably more of an issue than for others, given that ds was quite large and I am not. We'll never know.

Others MAY benefit from either remembering to wee, or asking for a catheter. Better to know than not, is all I'm saying.

OP posts:

MustHaveaVeryShortMemory · 06/02/2009 13:16

Strangely I can't remember if I wee'd or not last time but I will certainly remember this for next time. Seems obvious now you say it. Better luck next time phd.

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