10+5 weeks pregnant - difficulty fully emptying bladder

[Joppi]

I’m 10.5 weeks pregnant and recently finding it hard to fully empty bladder:

• I need to go shortly after having already used bathroom, but not a massive quantity coming out - almost like residual urine?
• it’s not a UTI as I was tested last week
• Before being pregnant I had v good bladder control and this is the first time experiencing this
• No pain while urinating or blood in urine

i know frequent urination is to be expected but does this sound normal at this stage of pregnancy?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

I was certainly like this. I think it's your womb putting pressure on your bladder so it feels fuller than it is. I also found sometimes I didn't feel as though I'd emptied. It did get better in the second trimester as baby moves up, but I'm 34+2 now and it's back. It's very rare I get a good wee :/ xx

@Joppi I was like this- learn forward as you are weeing it really helps.

Yep, lean forward or put feet up on a stool. In my first pregnancy I was convinced I wasn’t emptying so had a catheter put in. Nothing came out, it was just the sensation of the womb pushing on my bladder that made it feel like there was still something in there. It’s horrible, 28 weeks and it’s just starting to ease a bit

Thanks, that makes sense! Glad to hear it may go away in the 2nd trimester 😅 but sorry to hear it’s back in the 3rd. It’s not the worst pregnancy symptom but can be v frustrating! Xx

Thanks for the tip! I’ll definitely give that a go!

You’re right - it can be a really frustrating/horrible sensation! I was expecting frequent urination but not this 😅thanks for the tips - I’ll give them both a go. Glad things are easing for you now x

I used to stand up and then sit back down, or lean forward and back. The joys of pregnancy!

I have this constantly and I'm 17 weeks, I have found that rotating my torso while sat on the loo helps to release any 'pockets' of pee that may not have fully emptied. I go to the toilet 35-40 times a day because I hate the feeling of needing a wee

You don't always get pain with a urine infection. In my first pregnancy I had the symptoms you're describing but as there was no pain I left it and it almost travelled to my kidneys! Give your midwife a message, or give your go a call so they can do a test, better to be safe x

Sorry missed the part where you said you had already been tested for uti! Baby brain !!

I had this too, I’ve already been tested twice because it felt so similar to a uti! It comes and goes but makes me feel soo uncomfortable 😢

Thanks all, appreciate the advice. Sounds like moving forward/around to get any remaining urine out is the way to go!

No worries - I think I’ll definitely keep getting my urine checked regularly just in case though as have read about the spreading to kidneys thing which sounds v scary!

You’re right it’s v similar to uti feeling, that’s why I got tested but came back negative. Hopefully it will ease up soon - it’s not painful, just uncomfortable as you say

Yeah you're not wrong. It's infuriating! I'm so mad when I wake up in the middle of the night 'bursting' for a wee and it's just a trickle 😂

I had this around the same point and remember it being infuriating. It did pass within a week or so though, so fingers crossed yours eases up soon too!

I have had this since day 1 of finding out and I am now 25 weeks

@Joppi OP has this now gotten better for you? I’m 11 weeks and have had this for last few weeks. Have to really shift around and then push the last bits out of my bladder, which I know is really bad for pelvic floor!

I have this and find I can only pee when I squat. I think a lot of it is to do with constipation, too, as it eases after managing to go...

I’m 33 weeks and it’s no better for me really. I’m also very constipated so potentially linked to that. But every wee since about 8 weeks has been a struggle! I actually have piles from pushing to wee, not pushing to poo grim! I’m now taking lactulose which has helped with the constipation but I said last night to DH I can’t wait to have a nice satisfying low effort wee after birth 😂

@Cuppasoupmonster that sounds just like me but I’m only 17 weeks so looks like I have a long time of it to go 🤣

Hi there - yes it got better for me after a couple of weeks thankfully! I tried the trick other posters suggested of leaning forward. Hoping it doesn’t make a reappearance again!

What lactulose do you take? The constipation has got bad for me in the last week so i think i need to try this! I’m still drinking a cup of coffee a day, and eating lots of prunes both of which pre pregnancy would do the trick but to no avail now!

I just asked for a bottle from the pharmacy, it just says ‘lactulose’ on the front. Totally safe, give it a try! It was a fiver I think