Can you get a bladder infection from holding your wee for a long time?

[jennifersofia]

DD1 totally resists going. She never has an accident, but will hold her wee and insist she doesn't need to go for 10+ hours at a time. I aim to be as relaxed as possible about it, but sometimes I do insist she have a try ("I don't need to I don't need to....said while weeing). Will this holding make her susceptible to infection?

yes, dd has had uti twice from doing this. Don't let her, make her go a bit more often.

How much is she drinking? Most kids can`t hold on that long without having an accident.

yip it certainly does, and can cause urine to relux into the kidneys. Cranberry juice stops bacteria from sticking to the wall of the bladder and the urethra.

Well, she does resist drinking too, though it is always encouraged. Again, I try to be non-neurotic about it! I would say she has between 16-24 fluid ounces a day (3 reg. sized glasses).
bidibidi - do you know why and how the wee holding caused the uti? Is it because it places undue strain on the bladder?

Try to make her drink more

If you agree with bibery, a chocolate button each time she does a wee often increases production and frequency

Ah, this is helpful Chapsmum - what happens when it does relux back into the kidney? Does it then develop bacteria? Roughly how often should I insist on her going? I don't want to give her a complex, but I also don't want her to have to deal with the pain of an UTI!

4-6 times a day is good

DD is having a bit of support about this atm

Something my mum always did (which is bad) is say "we're going out - try and do a wee" - I find myself saying it even tho' I know it's wrong

DD is supposed to go
AM
Mid morning
after lunch
Mid afternoon
After tea
Before bed

I do try and get her to drink, offering all different sorts of things (diluted juice, juice with fizzy, herbal tea, etc.) but she just doesn't have any attention for it. We did the chocolate smartie thing when she was potty training and it was somewhat effective but I don't want to be bribing her ad infinitum. Maybe I should try it to get a habit going. She is 5, btw.

She might never get a UTI as long as when she does go she empties her bladder properly. It might be worth to start with to get her to go toilet at regular times of day to get her into habit of going loo i.e., before going out, before meals and bedtime. But if she is not having accidents don`t worry too much. If you try to badger her too much she will resist more.

Exactly tanbal, she will get herself into a hysterical tizz about it (esp. at bedtime) and it seems a silly fight. On the other hand, I feel uncomfortable thinking that the last time she went was at 8:30 in the morning! How do I know if she has emptied her bladder properly?

If she just does a quick burst then jumps off the loo, cances are shes not emptying her bladder properly. But if she is only drinking 2-3 cups of fluid she is not going to wee much more. You sound like your trying your best. I know what its like with stubborn children I have 3!! Just explain why she needs to go. There are people that do need to go toilet just twice a day. She just might well have good bladder control. As long as she isnt holding on to her wee overnight hopefully she should be ok.

sorry!! the reflux does not directly cause infection. but holding urine in the bladder for long enough far baceria to develop can. reflux can cause pain and alows a path for infection to spread to the kidneys.
sorry but couldnt see, how old is she?
good measures are to up the fluid intake, the more dilute the urine is the less likely to develop an infection she is.
some children go through a stage of holding their pee and poohs in, freud wrote a few theories on it. They usually grow out of it, but sometimes they come from a fear of toilets outside the home and this should be addresses with some play and chat.

HTH

I would phrase your request to go to the toilet with care.
I suggest 'it is time to go to the toilet, go now' ( and even go with child if there is any resistance)
Rather than making it a request. Already shown a preferance to hold urine, ( perhaps life is too full and exciting? LOL! )
Eventually new habits will form, and will require a quick ' have you been recently' as you leave the house.

I have a large family, and so does my sil, taking large groups of children requires timed 'pit stops' so its a case of ' go now' or you cant while we are in the car!!

We have opposite problem now, if one child wants to go and asks , they all have to go!!