Help! I can't pee!

[LiLStar]

I just birthed my baby about 5.5 hours ago. No tears, but I'm told I'm very swollen and bruised down there (I haven't checked it out myself!) So, save for maybe a 20 minute catnap, I've been awake for nearly 24 hours now. I really need a nap, but I simply cannot sleep if I need to pee. Help? I'm taking arnica, I took 800mg ibuprofin right after birth, I applied sitz herbs (the earth mama angel baby ones) I've tried "cueing" myself (pssss) visualizing, standing in the shower, just pushing like crazy, holding toilet paper that I wet with the sitz herb "tea" to my urethra while trying to push.. Is there anything else I can try? Topical arnica? (we don't have any but i will totally send dh out to the store for it!)

[kltroy]

I would contact your MW asap on this. It's probably a case of the nerves arounf your bladder getting a bit beat up, but if your bladder is very full she may want to briefly catheterize you to drain the urine so you don't end up with a UTI. I had this same problem during the last part of my birth and they drained about 500 ml of urine, which was preventing me from effectively pushing. Congrats on the VBAC!! Enjoy your baby

[Mrsboyko]

I too had this issue. i had to be cathed 2x during my labor becaue i just could. not. pee. for anything. Call your MW or you need to go to the ER. This is probably not jsut an issue of swelling either. Nerves in that area can get injured during labor and delivery. I know, mine sure as heck did.

It will be fine, but it needs to be taken care of. Congrats on the birth of your baby!

[LiLStar]

I talked to her right after posting. She had a couple other suggestions for me to try, so I'll give myself a few more tries then if I'm not successful, she'll come and cath me. I was able to pee during labor, and peed all over the place while pushing. my bladder isn't painfully full yet, just uncomfortable.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

Your bladder can actually get so full it will bust so yeah if you dont pee soon get your mw there to do a cath.

I hope you get relief soon you dont want to mess your bladder up.

[AutumnAir]

I think I"ve read that some drops of peppermint essential oil in the toilet can do the trick if you've got some there. Hope you feel better soon and congrats on the Hbac!

[LiLStar]

my mw is on her way. I'm terrified of the cath! I had one with dd, after getting the epi. And I had one when I was 10 and I think I screamed when it was put in. And I wasn't even all bruised and swollen down there then, eek! Well, I guess it can't be worse than pushing that big boy out! He's 10lbs 2oz

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

She will use a thin tube that isnt quiet as big as a cath that you keep in and wear. It will probably be uncomfy but better than the alternative.

[LiLStar]

well, thats good news at least!

[herbanmama]

If your MW is on the way, you'll probably have this resolved soon, but I found that a warm bath made me pee. At the end of my herb bath, i let loose in the tub, had a nice pee. I think the warm water relaxes you and creates less of a shock to your poor bottom as you release. I have heard about pep. oil in the toilet as well, never tried it though.

[jecombs]

This happened to me too! I did end up getting cathed... it wasn't that bad. And I was able to pee on my own a couple of hours later. I have since read that the bladder can become paralyzed after birth, which makes sense to me because I didn't even have the urge to pee. I felt nothing.

Hope you get things "flowing" soon!

[Asher]

[Therese's Mommy]

I had some problem peeing after my second. It helped to stand for some reason. I peed in the shower a couple of times. I didn't really push, it was more like relaxing. I hope it is all resolved soon

[Qbear'smama]

FWIW, I had that problem, too. I think the area was just too swollen to let the pee out even though I was relaxing the muscles. I ended up pushing gently against my abdomen from the outside for a few days and that worked well. I assume the problem has been resolved by now if your MW came, not fun. But so worth it, congratulations!!!:

[LiLStar]

Whew! okay the cath wasn't as bad as I was expecting. I guess midwives are justs extra gentle Sure, its been 12 years, but I remember being cathed as being horrible! Anyway, thanks to traffic it took my MW an hour and 15 minutes to get here (plus she had to call her babysitter in before leaving) and during that time my kidneys decided to wring themselves out a few more times. I'm glad I didn't delay calling her any more than I did! By the time she got here I was much less worried about the cath hurting, lol. Just get all that pee outta me! 1600+CCs (there was still some in the tube when she measured) Anyway, I was sooo bruised and swollen that she had truoble even finding my urethra at all, and was worried she'd have trouble getting the cath in at all (it wasn't too difficult, thankfully!) So she decided that a foley would be better than straight cath, so I wouldn't have to call her back in a couple hours to do it again. She's going to take it out tomorrow. I don't really mind though, because after months of near constant peeing day and night, it will be nice to not have to get up to pee at all! If I keep a few dipes near the bed I won't have to leave bed at all the whole night..bliss!

[MidwifeErika]

I am so glad you called her and got that done. Now it sounds like you will be able to rest much more comfortably. Congrats on your big baby boy!!!