Bladder management during pregrnancy

fairytale · 09-04-2010, 09:07 PM

This is a question that women who have become pregnant after injury would be able to help me with.

If I am posting this question under wrong forum, pls feel free to move it to appropriate one.

I am a T4-T6 paraplegic (complete). I am 9 yrs post injury now.

Good news is that I am 22 weeks pregnant. Have a good number of anxieties/questions around the changes to body hapening during pregnancy.

Well, one of the important questions is -

Will I be able to continue to do self cath during late pregnancy because of the size of my belly?

I plan to continue to go to my work until 36 weeks. So far, I have not faced issues in terms of visibility to do self cath.I do self cath on my wheelchair - scoot forward, stretch and fold my legs, keep mirror to help me with the cath.The question is will my belly in the subsequent weeks inhibit visibility to determine where I need to put in the cath. Have you seen/heard this issue before? Pls advise.

SCI-Nurse · 09-05-2010, 12:19 PM

Have you tried to use a touch technique for cathing so you don't have to use a mirror? It will get harder and harder to see as your pregnancy progresses. Some women resort to an indwelling catheter or having someone else do their caths during their last trimester even using this technique because reaching can be a real problem.

Hopefully some other women will chime in here!

(KLD)

rollinprincess3227 · 09-05-2010, 06:19 PM

First off, CONGRATULATIONS!!

Second, I am a T5-6, not preggers, but I also cath on my chair with the whole scoot forward and fold legs. I don't use a mirror anymore though, I stopped probably after about a year post. I am going on 6 years and have to get up in the night to cath and don't even have to turn on the light cause I go by feel. I'm sure being preggers now, going by feel would help you a lot once you get bigger and bigger (your belly that is :*) Hope this helps some...Please keep us updated on your pregnancy, I am very curious about ALL of it

I want to get pregnant one day, so I like to know about stuff so I know what I am getting into..Good luck

keps · 09-05-2010, 06:31 PM

Congrats from me too.

Definitely try doing caths by touch, as suggested.
I learnt doing caths by touch after years of using a mirror.
It might take a little perseverence, but it is certainly possible.
By the way, my injury is complete too, so I'm completely relying on the info from my hands. It took some practising, but now I never need a mirror, and it does make cathing simpler.

(It's thanks to CC that I even learnt about touch cathing. It was not mentioned in my rehab.)

fairytale · 09-06-2010, 02:56 PM

I will try taking this route to cath to avoid dependency during late preg.

I understand it takes practice and probably cannot be taught but if there are some helpful pointers worth sharing that I can learn, pls pass it on.

thanks!!

SCI-Nurse · 09-07-2010, 12:43 AM

Check out these posts:

http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/showthread.php?t=3870

http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/showthread.php?t=56674

These are pretty old posts. Ignore the information about cleaning and reuse of catheters. That is no longer recommended.

(KLD)

Chelley03 · 09-09-2010, 12:05 PM

Congrats on the pregnancy! =)
I am 36 weeks pregnant and still self cathing. I have to cath on the toilet b/c I will leak as soon as I start trying to cath, which makes it a little messy but I wait until Im done and then start cathing. I have to use the feel technique b/c I cannot see anything down there. Once you get use to not using a mirror, its really easy to find. Just keep everything very clean so you dont get anyt infections and you'll do fine! =) Good luck and if you have any questions you can message me. Only a month left until my lil guy is here!!

fairytale · 09-11-2010, 01:03 PM

congrats Chelley. I will start exploring 'feel option' for cath. tried a couple of times. was not successful :-(

jody · 09-11-2010, 01:09 PM

I used a foley in late pregnancy, and It was before the accident, so before I was obligated to cath. I still do by feel though, because who can actually see the hole anyway?

jody · 09-11-2010, 01:20 PM

If you get very large, I will be difficult to get the correct angle due to the belly. when I was in a chair and using a foley, I used a belly bag with longer tubing and just tucked it behind me in my chair. I put it in a drawstring gymbag to hide the thing.

09-04-2010, 09:07 PM	#1
fairytale Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Waukesha,Wisconsin Posts: 14	Bladder management during pregrnancy This is a question that women who have become pregnant after injury would be able to help me with. If I am posting this question under wrong forum, pls feel free to move it to appropriate one. I am a T4-T6 paraplegic (complete). I am 9 yrs post injury now. Good news is that I am 22 weeks pregnant. Have a good number of anxieties/questions around the changes to body hapening during pregnancy. Well, one of the important questions is - Will I be able to continue to do self cath during late pregnancy because of the size of my belly? I plan to continue to go to my work until 36 weeks. So far, I have not faced issues in terms of visibility to do self cath.I do self cath on my wheelchair - scoot forward, stretch and fold my legs, keep mirror to help me with the cath.The question is will my belly in the subsequent weeks inhibit visibility to determine where I need to put in the cath. Have you seen/heard this issue before? Pls advise.

09-05-2010, 06:19 PM	#3
rollinprincess3227 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Granite Bay, CA Posts: 345	First off, CONGRATULATIONS!! Second, I am a T5-6, not preggers, but I also cath on my chair with the whole scoot forward and fold legs. I don't use a mirror anymore though, I stopped probably after about a year post. I am going on 6 years and have to get up in the night to cath and don't even have to turn on the light cause I go by feel. I'm sure being preggers now, going by feel would help you a lot once you get bigger and bigger (your belly that is :*) Hope this helps some...Please keep us updated on your pregnancy, I am very curious about ALL of it I want to get pregnant one day, so I like to know about stuff so I know what I am getting into..Good luck __________________ unsinkable ships,sink.....

09-06-2010, 02:56 PM	#5
fairytale Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Waukesha,Wisconsin Posts: 14	thank you for the responses I will try taking this route to cath to avoid dependency during late preg. I understand it takes practice and probably cannot be taught but if there are some helpful pointers worth sharing that I can learn, pls pass it on. thanks!!

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09-05-2010, 12:19 PM	#2
SCI-Nurse Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: USA Posts: 41,301	Have you tried to use a touch technique for cathing so you don't have to use a mirror? It will get harder and harder to see as your pregnancy progresses. Some women resort to an indwelling catheter or having someone else do their caths during their last trimester even using this technique because reaching can be a real problem. Hopefully some other women will chime in here! (KLD)

09-05-2010, 06:31 PM	#4
keps Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 5,347	Congrats from me too. Definitely try doing caths by touch, as suggested. I learnt doing caths by touch after years of using a mirror. It might take a little perseverence, but it is certainly possible. By the way, my injury is complete too, so I'm completely relying on the info from my hands. It took some practising, but now I never need a mirror, and it does make cathing simpler. (It's thanks to CC that I even learnt about touch cathing. It was not mentioned in my rehab.)

09-07-2010, 12:43 AM	#6
SCI-Nurse Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: USA Posts: 41,301	Check out these posts: http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/showthread.php?t=3870 http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/showthread.php?t=56674 These are pretty old posts. Ignore the information about cleaning and reuse of catheters. That is no longer recommended. (KLD)

09-09-2010, 12:05 PM	#7
Chelley03 Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 36	Congrats on the pregnancy! =) I am 36 weeks pregnant and still self cathing. I have to cath on the toilet b/c I will leak as soon as I start trying to cath, which makes it a little messy but I wait until Im done and then start cathing. I have to use the feel technique b/c I cannot see anything down there. Once you get use to not using a mirror, its really easy to find. Just keep everything very clean so you dont get anyt infections and you'll do fine! =) Good luck and if you have any questions you can message me. Only a month left until my lil guy is here!!

09-11-2010, 01:03 PM	#8
fairytale Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Waukesha,Wisconsin Posts: 14	congrats Chelley. I will start exploring 'feel option' for cath. tried a couple of times. was not successful :-(

09-11-2010, 01:09 PM	#9
jody Moderator Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: east o the southern warren Posts: 7,791	I used a foley in late pregnancy, and It was before the accident, so before I was obligated to cath. I still do by feel though, because who can actually see the hole anyway?

09-11-2010, 01:20 PM	#10
jody Moderator Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: east o the southern warren Posts: 7,791	If you get very large, I will be difficult to get the correct angle due to the belly. when I was in a chair and using a foley, I used a belly bag with longer tubing and just tucked it behind me in my chair. I put it in a drawstring gymbag to hide the thing.