Collecting urine samples from babies - how?

Does anyone have any pearls of wisdom, we have a hospital appointment next week with a urologist and the letter says to bring a urine sample. Do I just left him with nappy off time and hope to get a sample?

(I'm a vet nurse and we have non absorbant cat litter which works, why hasn't someone invented a nappy that collects urine for samples )

Dove:

Do I just left him with nappy off time

Yep, I would get a 'clean catch' specimen - take his nappy off and give him a good clean with cotton wool and water and wait...  sometimes tapping where the bladder is seems to encourage them to wee, but it's a case of waiting.  If you have a spare pair of hands, feeding time is likely to be weeing time too.  But it shouldn't take too long, babies tend to do small, frequent wees.  Your GP practice will have a pot you can use (or work?!). 

Hi there

I had to collect a urine sample from my LO when she was about 7 weeks old, and again only a couple of months ago when she was just over 2 (still in nappies). Both times, I was given a pack from our GP which contained 2 sterile pads (like sanitary towels) which are slow at absorbing urine, a syringe and a sample pot. The idea is to place one of the pads inside the nappy, and keep checking it every 10 minutes or so. When the pad is wet, remove it from the nappy and use the syringe at an angle to draw out the urine (this can take a few times to get a good amount!) and transfer into the sample pot.

It's actually easier than it sounds, but the hassle is keep checking the nappy until they have wee'd and also, if they soil the nappy, you have to start again!

So it may be worth asking if your GP have these packs

HTH

Jen x

Thanks ladies - in the early days he peed on me quite regularly but I haven't seen a 'stream' for a few weeks now !

WSS - give your GP surgery a ring

We were given a little bag thingie that taped over the appropriate parts and by some miracle caught enough to make a sample.  You could attempt  a home made version with a small bag and some surgical tape not sure how successful it would be tho.

wScivers - every time we've had to get a sample they've given us a small plastic bag with the appropriate adhesive opening for his bits. Worth asking your GP if they have one.

Thanks ladies for all your suggestions

Hi there we have had to catch so many wee samples off georgina as she has kidney reflux first was when she was just weeks old.

We have had  the bags that stick over the area and catch the wee which are great but when we didnt have them we made up our own version. Just cut down to size a freezer bag and used white tape to tape it on (surgical tape) and it worked majority of the time.

There is a pad that jefna described we use them at work ( im a nurse ) and it is just a sterile sanitary towel that you suck the wee out off.

When you go for the appointment is it at a clinic as when we have gone for georginas when we get there they have always weighed her and put a bag on to get a sample. So if you dont manage just say when you get there and they should help. Also ask for some wee catching bags while there if you need to do this again as our gp altough great with everything else couldnt get hold of any for us so we got them from hospital