Midwife told me to reuse urine pot due to shortages

[igotbills]

Has anyone else been told this? I was given a pot to takeaway from my booking appointment with the instructions to sterilise at home and reuse when I need to bring in future urine samples.

I may be a bit embarrassed as it's my first pregnancy but it also has to be first morning urine meaning it's going to look dehydrated when I pass it over (sorry for that image) but is this something you just get over? 🤣

And I suppose they just empty it and pass it back for me to pop in my handbag!

Put it in a ziplock bag then?

Good luck with your pregnancy @igotbills. Time to grow a thicker skin though. Pregnancy and childbirth get a lot “ickier” than that!

I got told this at my recent appointment too. I did not. It’s disgusting and unsanitary imo

Do you not take your wee to the appointment in a pot? Is it taking it back home which you think is unsanitary or tipping it down the loo and swilling it out in the bathroom sink?

How do you get your sample to the hospital then?

We were never given sample bottles, we had to bring our own. A washed out aspirin bottle was what I used, you used to get bigger jars back then if course, still quite small I suppose but it was plenty big enough and had a screw top. It was just emptied washed and reused.

By the way, it doesn’t have to be first morning wee each time you go to the midwife. That’s not a thing.

You seem to have already made your mind up. If you struggle carrying a pot of a little bit of wee urine home (despite having had to take it to hospital and despite having the option of tipping down the GP/hospital’s toilet please bear in mind childbirth and babies, toddlers and children means you will be covered in blood, mucus, urine, faeces, and vomit at times and you have to deal with that. Also there’s times you have to take a dirty nappy home in your bag. Unless you’re going to be one of those people who just chuck them on the floor outside and litter.

Put it in a bag separately

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sterilin-Sample-Specimen-Container-Printed/dp/B00RVSZUVS/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3D5J1PYQFD5TY&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.5fVd2FDO82eHedtnDmxEAzpYKJLwXC_qX45rnrbzjXBFyaJ5ObIoKGmxEmP0X5jPSPdhvGNSfRPOv6wevEKEXD73UlpakLi_pEZ0kVFmOhgLr_OTfYtqKWg8TjfdbzKGbsmOLuBQ5BXb4EsM_GkpcHDMEmsacC5vOp56NY-mSBdBL-rEn--aqjC0HwhCnnuuWS5Vno86aLg7ajfivG4ryRgp-BL7xOB4gzY_nlwxyman9f_PrVFTSeFVD_1vf1_JWhWgJVOqcwkq0y47KQ1Xz1-8Z5ihGVGqVbFqZW9Zvmc.sJDD30zjz3iszaVQMcaMx0BOnzBJNQAaujIZh42TksQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=urine+sample+bottles&qid=1761501559&sprefix=Urine+%2Caps%2C150&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

You can buy enough for your routine appts for less than £7 😀. If anyone really doesn’t want to rinse and reuse you could but some.

It was a lighthearted musing from my first midwife appointment :)
I've clarified that far too many times. I never described a struggle, but rather surprise that it's the 'norm'

Id rather be a bit more original - perhaps a vintage perfume decanter? Might need some clingfilm

It is standard practise. My son's 11 and I used the same pot throughout my pregnancy.

25 years ago we were given pots to pee in at the appointment, we didn't bring them in!

My midwives use cardboard pots, so you wee in it there and then sit holding it while you wait for your appointment. Much less embarrassing to have it discreetly in your bag 😂 but yeah, you’ve got way more embarrassing things to come.
although I notice your tone has changed and embarrassment isn’t actually your issue but putting the pot in your handbag. I don’t understand that issue tbh.

Have you been living under a rock?! The nhs is on its knees, they don’t have time to be doing things they can ask patients to do. Why is this such an issue for you?!

Yeah that is pretty much what you do as a mum 😂😂😂😂

fyi I carry my kids dirty nappies around often, (pee and poo) to put them in the bin at home depending where we’ve changed them. I would have no issue at all with putting an enclosed pot with the remnants of some wee in it into my bag.

being a mum does just de sensitise you to most disgusting grim things. That’s why the thread is full of people not understanding the issue.
yes it will all become less disgusting to you.

I think a woman’s view on what’s disgusting genuinely changes pre and post birth because there is ZERO dignity in giving birth. It’s all hangs out and what you’re squeamish about is such a non issue once you come out the other side.

I don’t mean that in a patronising way, but post birth you’ll look back on this and think “Christ now I’m storing poonami clothes in my bag to sort when I get home! If only it was a rinsed out pee pot.”

Good luck with the pregnant OP! Exciting times!

In a few months time you will be handling urine filled nappies and soaking yellow poop stained clothes in bowls of napisan on a constant basis. Get over it. Your car, bed, carpets, sofa etc will all get urine on at some point. Urine is not as gross as poop or sick by a long shot!

I think this is true. I remember looking down whilst breast feeding and realising I had a little poo on my foot / leg. It must of dripped down whilst dealing with a poonami a couple of hours before. I was a bit meh and tidied myself up with a baby wipe.

There’s no way pre parenthood I’d of reacted calmly to having faeces( thst wasn’t even mine) drizzled down my leg!

If you need something larger to pee in, buy some paper party cups, they work great. Then pour it in the bottle and throw the cup away.

I never had this, had my baby in 2024 and when I walked into reception there was always a stash of pots - you picked one and went to the loo, then sat down and waited for your name to be called.

Yes I had this and I'm glad because it's less wasteful. They just empty it and hand it back to you. If you feel a bit embarrassed you can always wrap it in some tissue, they won't be bothered though, they see it all the time.

UPDATE

Took a sample today, not only did the nurse rinse the cup our for me in the sink with water, she also wrapped it in plenty of tissue - after asking if I was happy to take the cup back to reuse it

10/10 customer service