*ahem* strange question...

not sure how this even got into my head but here goes - can you pee when you are in labour? I mean if you are in labour and reaaaallllly need to go for a wee do they let you? or do you have to hold it in? what if you are in labour for hours? Sorry for sounding so naive and as I said I have no idea how that popped into my head but I am really curious now....?

Mrs Frantic I was thinking that exact same thing the other day, so thanks for asking and thanks for answering becca

to be quite honest I dont remember even wanting to go??? Hmmmmm......

But I am sure you can at the early stages...and I am sure your body will switch off that side of things when you are about to push out your baby.....not to be too gross but when you are pushing other things can come out...and that is normal! (I am sure you did not want to know that!) LOL

I never needed to pee but my labours were both pretty short. Afterwards though, my midwife made me pee, and I couldn't. She threatened me with a catheter. Anyway, after trying and trying I coldn't but then as I was satnding near my bed, I could and went everywhere. It was uncontrollable. Luckily I was in the hospital and a lovely lady mopped it up. I was super embarressed, and hid in the loo while she mopped.

I dont remember needing to pee at all but spent most of the first stage on the toilet with both ends going at the same time (sorry TMI) imagine how hubby felt! then when i had an epidural they put a cathetar in which was one of my big no no's I was adament I didnt want one but to be completely honest I didnt even notice and totally forgot about it.

lol, yep you can pee. :) they send you to empty the bladder regularly so it's not all full and in the way of bubs coming down and out, and afterwards your body usually makes you pee heaps to get rid of all that extra fluid you had been carrying in pregnancy that all of a sudden you just don't actually need any more.

When you are pushing, because baby's head usually will be pushing towards the back of you as its descending and turning, if you have anything in your bowel that might be pushed out too, but midwife will just cover it up and discretely dispose of it and you won't even know - and most women usually get a bout of diarrhoea a few days before they go into labour, or need to go heaps before then anyway.. so less likely for it to happen if you've had that - seems to be your bodies way of cleaning out ready for having bubs.

funny how everyone has the same fear until after you've had bubs, then ya just don't really care any more.

When it comes to motherhood and giving birth you leave your dignity and your draws (pants) at the door, lololol

MMmmmm interesting. I never thought about that.

Okay so this is really stupid but how the hell do you empty your bladder?? Gosh i couldn't imgaine what I would be like if i learned to do that, I would be able to drive to work and not be busting to pee when i got there!!   

Oooo Liz... that reminded me of how little control you have over muscles "down there" once you have given birth. I would have to run to the toilet and hope like hell that the surfboard maternity pads were as absorbant as they looked.