Catheter removal after c section

[Writerz34]

How long after your planned c section was catheter removed? Hate the idea of not being able to shower asap!!

No, I do know that. I am a midwife. The eyeroll was more to do with how strict the policy is. I was in agony with mine and asked at 3am could I have it removed. You have 6 hours then to pass urine so I figured it'd be day shift when the 6 hours were up and we'd be following policy. But I was denied this and it really bothered me. Might not be the same everywhere, but where I am the policy is that way so that a urodynamics specialist midwife is available for input and care plan, not just the midwife to recatheterise.

Mine was nearly 30 years ago so policy and suchlike has probably changed - first section was emergency after a two day labour and my insides were really battered whilst trying to get the baby out so the catheter was in place for three days. Think my bladder had been badly bruised or something. Had a bed bath from two lovely ladies who were just like my mum. Midwives did a huge amount to help which I didn't realise until much later was because I'd had a really rough time in surgery!
Second section was also emergency but much faster labour and the catheter was in for a couple of days. Had a bed bath from a much younger lady and it felt excruciatingly embarrassing for both of us (I was 28 at this point and felt ancient). Still had quite a lot of assistance from the staff in looking after the baby before leaving on day 5
Third section was elective and catheter was only in for a day - they left all the baby care to me, even when I'd been walking the ward until 3am on day 2/3 desperate to get baby to sleep and sit down/sleep myself as my incision was agony. Was told 'its your third baby you should know what to do by now'.

The policy where I work is catheter out 6 hours post delivery if all straight forward.
Elective sections are in the morning, catheter out before tea, wee by midnight, home the next day

Mine was out 12 hour after the section - had it at 3pm and they took it out at 3am (lol I was awake anyway cos not like you can sleep on the postnatal ward!). Make sure you keep drinking water and get up regularly to go to the loo once you are able to. When you stand up take a big breath out because relaxing will help you get moving. I was home exactly 24 hours after the op so you might not have chance to get a shower if all goes well, plus a shower in the comfort of my own home was absolutely heavenly

Eh I went home with mine in. So u can def shower with it (not ideal though).

First time section it was out about 12hrs later. Delivered at 1am out at lunch time but they wanted it out earlier. I went to the toilet no problem. I think I actually done a bowl movement (and had no issues, no pain getting it out) a bit tender on your wound.

Second time they kept saying they wld get it out but I think forgot. I had baby at 11am and I kept asking from dinner time to get it out. They eventually got it out about 11pm. I cld not go to the toilet. It was the weirdest feeling. They then made me drink 2 large jugs of water through the night and basically overfilled my bladder. I still cldnt go and was in agony, I was bursting. They then had to put it back in which wasn't pleasant 😭 To be honest it was a relief at the time. They had to change the bag pretty instantly!

They wanted to keep me in again another night, I refused so went home with the bag. Left hospital the Friday evening and returned Monday afternoon to get it out. They had to scan my bladder to check it wasn't damaged because of what the midwives had done. The doctor I saw was very clear they shouldn't have made me drink so much and I was lucky to not have any lasting damage. Bladder was fine and I cld pee no problems. So no lasting issues but having a pee bag for days on end is pretty grim.

Interesting. Can't see what they'd offer at that stage tbh as failed twoc is likely just spinal induced rather than actual pathology. All LWs I've worked just go home with a catheter and 2/52 op twoc clinic. If uve got capacity that's crazy refusing to remove it!

They perform the post void bladder scans when time to remove, bladder care education to women and ensure normal function is resumed. They wouldn't send home with IDC insitu if possible. And in cases of ongoing retention they educate on catheter care and follow ups in urodynamics clinic. In rare cases teach intermittent self catheterisation also. They're so knowledgeable to have around. Everywhere is so different isn't it. Yes, really frustrating to refuse as I was in a lot of pain with it.

I had an EMCS at 5pm, very smooth sailing and catheter was out after breakfast the next morning (I had tried to get out of bed as soon as the feeling in my legs came back but DP reminded me I was attached to the bed via my 'wee bag' 😁). I was worried it'd hurt/feel horrible but I didn't even notice she'd pulled it out (she made me cough as she did so). I then did the biggest, longest wee ever in the history of wees. I had been drinking lots of cold water as the ward was so hot, despite it being the end of October.

First time about 24 hours (emcs).
Second time about 12 hours (elective). First time I didn't have a shower for a few days but the second was a breeze and I had a shower just after it was taken out. I was also discharged after 24 hours so only one noisy night in hospital

It's probably because the role probably doesn't add much acutely (100% they're amazing and essential for longer term bladder issues). But we get exactly the same post spinal opiate retention in all the other ops we do (in fact it's far higher in blokes sue to the prostate so we consent that may go home with catheter) and it just resolves with an extra 12h anyway... so the trusts will focus such ppl that have long standing "actual" issues from prolapses/3rd n 4th degree tears etc