Baby screams in pain when urinating - help !

[Mandwah]

My 5mth baby boy is v.contented in every way except when he has a wee when invariably he screams. Although since he started on solids there are fewer nappies I change nappy 10x a day. Can't ignore as works himself up crying real tears and all ok once fresh nappy on. Sometimes notice he cries before he has a wee. Doesn't always cry when on towel in garden but can wee twice an hour at times. Penis looks ok and doctor says ok but he really does squeal sometimes waking himself up if asleep. Have any other mums experienced this ? I don't mind changing so often as it's only time he cries and sleeps through night and everything (!) but I never leave home without 6-8 nappies and now use Tesco/Sain own brand as cost mounting up !

Does it smell - what colour is it?

I would think it's the concentration of his urine more than a dirty nappy, as you have said he's on solids. Is his urine brightly coloured? Does it smell? Do you give him water? My dh's cousins little boy did as you say and after a lot of perseverance the doctor had tests done and it turned out he had a slight blockage in his tube and this caused him to withhold a little urine which then set up a tiny infection in his bladder. Bear it in mind if it doesn't go away. How long has he been like this?

maybe worth collecting a urine sample for doctor - ever had cystitis? OUCH! Have you tried washable nappies if ds doesn't cry on towel - maybe the absorbency chemicals in disposables

All good ideas - i hadn't thought to get a sample so will endeavour to do this for doc appt! urine is clear to normal. always cried like this since birth and he has always drunk water even when breastfeeding. 20+ nappies when baby. went to cranial osteopath which reduced all dirty nappies to 2-3 poo ones a day. will see what doc says. thanks for responding...

mandwah - if you're still watching this thread...

One possibility is reflux or infection caused by reflux. Push the doctor about getting him checked out. My baby boy had a urinary tract infection and he had to be scanned to check he didn't have reflux (when some of the urine flows backwards). Happily he didn't, but the consultant told me that crying when they wee can be a sign of reflux/infection, and that often this is the only way it gets picked up. Reflux makes them prone to infection, which can lead to kidney damage. The doc can give you wee bags to stick on to collect a sample - so much fun. Any signs of temperature?

If he should turn out to have reflux they he will be on anti-biotics until it sorts itself out as he grows - which it almost always does.

My 2 year old has just had a UTI too and has to go through the same process. Don't believe any health professional who tells you that boys don't get them...

Dear Mandwah,
I have just found your post as my 2 month baby boy has exactly the same symptoms - very jolly wee boy and sleeps well, but cries in sleep and tenses and cries fat tears when about to or during weeing.
Please can you remember what the outcome was?
thank you...

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hope things are getting better for you children, mandwah and mandtk xxx

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The first step is definately the doctor to rule out any health problems.

My daughter has always got very upset when she had a full bladder. At first I thought this was due to the bleeding blisters (due to antibiotics and thrush following tramatic birth)on her bottom but even after they healed she continued to get upset and cry.

My doctor told me there was nothing physically wrong with her but that some children dislike the feeling of a full bladder and she should outgrow it, not that my DD did.

We had introduced a potty at 10 weeks, to help her have loads of nappy free time so her bottom healed and this seemed to help us with the full bladder thing too.

At 18 months old, if she wakes with a full bladder at night she is still slightly upset, but the moment her bottom touches the toilet she relaxs wees and smiles and I put her back in bed.

This is an old post but one of the first to appear when I researched having the same problem. My baby had always cried when having a wet nappy from birth but it became more apparent how upset he was getting at 10 weeks. First doctor said my baby boy was fine and maybe didn't like being wet when I explained the problem, I went for a second opinion who was more thorough and diagnosed balanitis and prescribed cream, within 2 days he was smiling while weeing. I would advise anyone else to see a different doctor until they are happy the problem is dealt with, as a Mum our gut instinct tells us if something isn't right.