# 4 yo crying after peeing because of 'drips'



## CariS (Jul 2, 2005)

Hi all -

My dd is 4 yo and this started a few months ago. I thought/hoped it would pass. Sometimes she cries or gets upset because she feels 'drips' after she pees. I've never seen evidence of this (sorry to be graphic). I've encouraged her to try not to get upset and to try to wait a minute after peeing, then wipe twice if she has to... She's become really upset at times about it.

I asked the pediatrician (who i don't have a lot of professional respect for and am currently looking for a new one who takes our insurance) and she had nothing to add.

I'm just asking on the off chance someone else's little one has experienced this or you just have a great idea!

Many thanks,
C


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## savannah smiles (May 4, 2004)

My 7 yr old often complains of feeling "wet" after going to the bathroom. Sometimes she'll come out only to go right back in to rewipe. It comes and goes and I have no clue what triggers it although I notice it happens more often is she's taking baths instead of showers. Maybe the soap is causing some kind of irritation?
Sorry I'm not much help but just wanted you to know that you're not alone!


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## 2xy (Nov 30, 2008)

I have boys, but I read somewhere years ago that posture can affect how well a female's bladder empties.

Something about girls/women who hunch forward and keep their knees together when peeing might not empty all the way? And then when you stand up, the remaining urine can leak out. It was mentioned that this can contribute to bladder infections or something.

Okay....I had to go look it up because I was curious, and I found this.

Quote:

In women, urine also might pool in the urethra, but more commonly, female anatomy creates the potential for pooling outside the urethra, according to Tamara G. Bavendam, M.D., assistant professor of urology and director of female urology at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle. The labia may trap some escaping urine, damming it up into the vagina. In girls, the hymen may block urine. And in women of any age, other folds of pelvic skin, even in women who aren't especially overweight, may interfere with a free flow. "Depending on the woman, there may be several inches of skin from the opening of the urethra to the outside of the body," Dr. Bavendam says.

Poor form can compound the natural obstacles, according to Dr. Pranikoff. Men constrict the flow of urine when they expose their penises over the top of their pants or underwear instead of through their fly. And women obstruct the flow when they don't pull their panty hose down far enough to allow them to spread their legs. The result: A little urine may pool in the vagina and leak out later.


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## CariS (Jul 2, 2005)

SEE!!! I KNEW IT! You women (men if you're out there) NEVER fail to amaze me!!!







: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! The article is great and helpful. Obviously I can't describe to my 4 yo how to do Kegel exercises but I can certainly encourage her to sit differently!!!

Honestly - thank you! If I'm starting to dread potty breaks - she must be too! I just didn't know what to 'do'. Now I have something tangible I can try! Thank you! Thank you!







:


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## muttmom92 (Mar 20, 2005)

This has been an ongoing issue with our DD too. DH and I have told her to sit on the potty a little longer to make sure she's done going, but even when she does that, she'll still have "drips" when she stands up. It really bothers her.

So, how do I need to get her to sit on the potty? Just sitting up really straight with her knees far apart?


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## CariS (Jul 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *muttmom92* 

So, how do I need to get her to sit on the potty? Just sitting up really straight with her knees far apart?

I'm sorry to hear its bothering your little one. I understood the article to say - to have them with knees far apart and to sit upright and leaning forward a little. I 'think' that's what it said.

But my dd just did it (first thing in the AM) and she said it didn't work. So she's still sitting on the potty....


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## Ellien C (Aug 19, 2004)

My kid has sensory issues whenever her clothing gets wet. By 6, she has now learned to deal with it by stuffing a tissue or napkin between her skin and the wet clothing. At 4 she freaked out and cried hysterically. Could it be something like that?


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## eastkygal (Feb 19, 2006)

My DD1 has had this complaint for quite sometime and almost obsessively holds herself after peeing to keep urine from leaking out. Unfortunately, she has been sick as well as this problem which led to a cystoscopy that found nothing but a bit of a narrow urethra which they dilated. It has been tiring for us because it so upsets DD. Thanks for this post.


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## KaraBoo (Nov 22, 2001)

DD went through this for years. She hated the sensation of "wetness." She still is quite fastidious when wiping but not so to the point of tears as she was before. (she's ten now)


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## EnviroBecca (Jun 5, 2002)

Is she coordinated enough to spread her outer labia with her fingers in a V? I tried this for some reason when I was a teenager and found it much neater!


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## CariS (Jul 2, 2005)

Wow I'm really surprised so many others have experienced this.

I suggested dd try sitting differently as suggested here (thank you again). It does not seem to have helped.

I'm just not sure how much of this is physical and maybe just 'her'. I remember when she was 1.5 yo and we were walking in town one beautiful day and she started screaming and crying that her shoe laces were wrong. They weren't touching the ground or anything.

I just don't. I've heard of some people taking their kids to occupational therapy. I looked into it here. Of course its not covered by insurance and is like $350 for the first apt and then a bit less after. So I'm not sure...


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## Softmama (Jun 10, 2003)

I personally have this problem and it drives me bonkers. I actually use a panty liner for this reason. It absorbs any "wetness" for me. might seem extreme in a 4yo case to use them, but I guess it depends how big an issue it is for her?


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## eastkygal (Feb 19, 2006)

We just had to have my DD1's urethra dilated because of this issue. I'm not sure it has helped totally. I'm still worried about her because it troubles her so. I hope your DD finds relief soon.


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## PikkuMyy (Mar 26, 2004)

One of the 6 yos I used to babysit for had this problem too. Almost every time after she peed, she'd be needing to wipe herself with a tissue. First we had to address the "if you need to wipe your private parts, go back into the bathroom to do it", and then I worked on having her stay in the bathroom for a minute after she was "done" so if she felt a bit more, she could just go again, and if she needed to wipe, she could do it in the bathroom.


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## orangefoot (Oct 8, 2004)

My dd had a spell where she was obsessed with drying herself. I don't think she felt drips as such but she was convinced that she hadn't dried herself enough.

I realised that she didn't understand that between the labia is supposed to be a bit moist. We talked about how the inside of our mouth is wet and your eyes and even your nose is a bit damp and that it is normal.

Dd2 is now having this same fixation and I have sewn up cloth TP again as we were going through rolls of TP per day.


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## Mrs_Hos (May 3, 2004)

Had to comment since my dd does this too...
I figured that since little girls seem to have a 'puffier' vulva (for lack of a better word), it traps the urine in. Then combine that with the fact that they often stand up to wipe and the labia is closed and they only wipe the outside, then you almost can't help but to be a bit drippy!


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