After Delivery Unable to Pee

Updated on May 24, 2011
E.G. asks from New Smyrna Beach, FL
17 answers

A friend of mine is still in the hospital and can't go home unless she can pee without a cathiter (S/p) any suggestions for her? They have given her meds and jiuce galore and more suggestions?

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So What Happened?

Nothing has happened yet, but thank you for all the wonderful suggetions this was her third delivery and each time the unable to pee thing has gotten worst.

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S.W.

answers from Minneapolis on

I used the peri bottle with warm water to squirt on trick. It helped the stinging tremendously. I guess I didn't know this could be a problem and had never heard of a catheter being used....I learn so much on this site!

2 moms found this helpful
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S.T.

answers from Kansas City on

After my daughter I couldn't pee either they did a catheter and then I could still only pee if I stood in the shower come to find out I had a huge hematoma down there.

2 moms found this helpful

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B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

It's fairly common for things to get a bit bruised when you push a child through your loins.
It can take a little time for the bruising and swelling to go back to normal.
It's good they are not letting her leave till she's a little bit more healed up.

3 moms found this helpful
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T.N.

answers from Boston on

Did she deliver vaginally? Often times the swelling down there blocks things up and moms can't pee. If that is the case, ice and time. Also avoiding standing as standing will create more swelling in that area. The nurses will help her through it, it is an unfortunate, but common problem.

3 moms found this helpful
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B.H.

answers from Los Angeles on

Sometimes the baby's head compresses or kinks the urethra. Her doctor or an urologist can straighten or open it with a dilitation, passing a straight rod through it, while using local anesthsia so it doesn't hurt. She needs to ask her doctor for help with this problem.

3 moms found this helpful

T.B.

answers from Bloomington on

With my first the nurse had me smell peppermint oil. I don't know why, but it worked!! It's worth a try!

2 moms found this helpful
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H.W.

answers from Portland on

My one suggestion would be for her to take an herbal remedy with cranberry extract, to curb a urinary tract infection.

If she has relaxation techniques she can practice, might help too. I know some labor techniques were really helpful for me afterward, because we do have some anxiety about using the bathroom after having a baby.

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T.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

Heat helps. Try a thermacare heat wrap (the kind for your back) and lay it over the lower abdomen. Have also heard that warm salted water, no more than 1/4 tsp per 8oz of very warm tap water, sipped slowly, is very helpful.

2 moms found this helpful
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L.L.

answers from Topeka on

I hope she has her peri bottle filled with warm water then let loose & pee while she is squirting it on her vagina it stings hurts like hell to pee after having a baby,or take a shower after drinking all the fluids then see if she will pee in the shower,but since she has a cath in did she have a csection?I love iced tea,lemonade,slushies try them all...

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S.B.

answers from Redding on

Well, she's in the hospital so it's good they're looking after her. Not being able to pee is a big thing because it can lead to other problems she doesn't want to deal with.
I had problems peeing too and it might sound strange, but I was actually finally able to go by myself sitting backwards on the toilet, facing the wall.
I was so tired of trying and so tired of holding myself up that one day I just turned the other direction so I could hold myself up. I was able to relax and emply my bladder.
It's worth a try. Especially if she has trouble after the catheter is removed.

I hope things will be "going" well for her soon so she can go home.

Best wishes.

2 moms found this helpful
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J.M.

answers from Pensacola on

After my first child I couldn't pee either. Nurse begged me to pee so she didn't have to put in a catheter. I still couldn't go. Finally she told me to try peeing while I was still laying on one of those absorbent pads they keep under you. It worked. I couldn't relax enough to pee on a potty, but laying down in bed with no one in the room but a nurse and I finally let go. Then the nurse felt on my belly again and said with very big eyes that what she had been feeling a few minutes ago was not my uterus but my bladder. It had gotten so large that she couldn't tell it from my swollen uterus, then she promptly thanked me for not letting my bladder burst :) She was a great nurse. That first pee.... they never warn you, just wait til the first poo :( Ugh!

1 mom found this helpful
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D.B.

answers from Charlotte on

.

1 mom found this helpful

K.I.

answers from Los Angeles on

Ahhh, the first pee! One of the many things that nobody tells you about!

I am with the others for her to just relax and get taken care of by the nurses, maybe there is a problem?

I had to do the warm water in the squeezy bottle and it took me a good couple of tries and nothing was wrong, just the after effects of squeezing a HUMAN out of my coochie!

~This brought back memories! Anyone else remember what it was like when the shoulders first came out? Holy Cow! My sister could tell on my face and quickly told me what that sensation was...ugh that was gross!

1 mom found this helpful
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B.S.

answers from Miami on

I had the same problem with my 1st baby after a c-section. I agree with using the warm water in the peri bottle. But hopefully they are watching her very carefully...I was given the opportunity to try to pee and drank tons of fluids, but couldn't go. My bladder became extremely distended (probably would have burst if it had gone on too much longer) and then I had to be drained and then another catheter put in place for 1 more night. I was able to pee the next day and they did let me go home. However, I ended up with a bladder infection because of all the catheters. At 10 days I was still using the peri bottle to pee and when I went in a for a follow up with my OB they tested me for the bladder infection. So, just a word of caution that she be very diligent in keeping track of what's going on even after she goes home. I hope she gets it worked out soon. It's not fun!

1 mom found this helpful
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L.W.

answers from Miami on

I had that problem after my first delivery because I was so swollen. One of the nurses put ice packs on me to help with the swelling. But I still wasn't able to go right away. A big part of it for me was "performance anxiety" in a way. I was being watched, and monitored, and I was embarrassed. I was finally able to go on my own in the middle of the night when I was left alone and could honestly just relax.

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N.G.

answers from Miami on

I could not go to the bathroom after the delivery of my first son. I was actually sent home with the cathether. For the birth of my second child my OB immediately had the hospital give me anti-inflammatorys to reduce my swelling and that seemed to help because I was able to leave the hospital without the cathether.

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D.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

I've had 4 and reading all these answers hurts me! I think it also solidifies my decision to have no more lol
I had that problem also and the warm water helped.

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