Often, the joy after discharge from the hospital is replaced by the concern of young mothers, as there are difficulties in caring for a newborn. One of the problems parents consider collecting urine from babies for medical examination. Fortunately, now there is no need to use "grandmother's" methods, you can purchase a useful device to facilitate this process - a urine collector for newborns.
The urine collector helps the mother to collect urine from the baby correctly
What is a urine bag for newborns
Pediatricians remind that in order to monitor the health of the newborn, it is necessary to regularly visit the children's clinic and take the necessary tests. If blood sampling is not particularly difficult, then many mothers have difficulty collecting urine. The problem lies in determining the moment of urination in the crumbs and maintaining urine without any impurities. Therefore, a pediatric urine collection bag for newborns will help in this process, with which you can easily collect the required amount of clean urine for analysis.
It is difficult to get urine from a small child due to the fact that the baby does not control his urge to urinate. Therefore, when buying baby care products, a children's urinal must be included in their number. Doctors warn that it is better to purchase several devices in advance, since it is not always possible to put the urine bag on the baby correctly the first time and get the necessary portion of liquid.
Note. A urine collection device is a special device for taking urine for analysis. It is attached to the baby's skin so that when urinating, fluid does not spill out and mix with feces.
Design and characteristics
The urine collection bag has a versatile design that fits both boys and girls. The device consists of a rectangular transparent plastic bag with an oval urine collection opening. When used directly, the device is attached with a hypoallergenic fixing element (adhesive tape) to the skin of newborns. Velcro can be used to securely stick the bag to prevent liquid from leaking. The required amount of urine can be easily calculated on a graduated scale with divisions of 10 ml.
Manufacturers present the following technical characteristics of the collection:
- package volume - 100 ml or 200 ml;
- disposable package;
- made of transparent polyethylene;
- stored in sterile packaging;
- safety guarantee for five years.
Note. The pharmacy sells urine bags for newborn boys and girls with a gender-sensitive fixation device. This comfortable fastening eliminates leakage and makes the collection procedure convenient.
Gender-responsive pediatric drainage bag
Advantages and disadvantages of a urine bag
With the advent of urine collection, the process of obtaining urine from children has ceased to be a problem for parents. At the same time, the device has a number of advantages compared to traditional collection methods, for example, it provides:
- Safety, as it is made of modern materials that do not harm the delicate baby skin;
- Ease of use, due to the adhesive tape, the collection is well attached to the skin;
- Sterility guaranteed by the manufacturer. If used correctly, the ingress of impurities into the liquid is excluded;
- Tracking the volume of liquid, thanks to the graduation scale in ml;
- Availability of purchasing the product at any pharmacy.
Despite the fact that a factory urine collection device, as a device, has practically no technical flaws, you can still note some working disadvantages, for example, you need skill to put it on the baby's genitals. In addition, the baby may be naughty due to some of the discomfort caused by the tape.
Note. The main working disadvantage of a baby urine bag is that it collects all the urine. This complicates the allocation of a separate portion, as sometimes requires examination, for example, the composition of urine at the beginning of urination, middle or end. Therefore, it is possible to re-collect in another way if any error occurs.
Indications and use of a urine collector for newborns
It is believed that the urine collection device is best suited for boys, since the classic version has a characteristic gender element: a disposable transparent bag with a codpiece opening. Currently, a version of the urine collection bag for newborn girls is offered, which differs from the classic version by a special opening.
The purpose of a urine collection bag is to collect urine from infants, so special care must be taken in this process. To avoid mistakes, an instruction has been developed, that is, a step-by-step explanation of how to install the product. However, in practice, not all adults can use it correctly. Usually mums make the mistake of sticking the bag or transfusing urine after collection.
To use a urine collector, you need to learn how to put it on correctly on a baby
A urine collector is a device that consists of a sterile, cut-out bag. Thanks to this, it is easy to install it even the first time, if you follow the instructions exactly. When the skill develops, the mother can easily put on and attach it to the baby's skin with adhesive tape to eliminate urine leakage and slipping of the device. When used according to the rules, the ingress of excess impurities into the urine is excluded, as a result of which the reliability of the analysis results is preserved.
There are versatile devices that can be used by boys and girls. It is better to choose an option adapted for children of different genders.
Preparing for urine collection
Doctors warn parents that only morning urine is needed for analysis, so it must be delivered to the laboratory no later than three hours after collection, otherwise yeast cells will begin to form in it.
In order for the urine collection from the girl to pass without errors, proper washing is required: the water must flow from front to back. The boy's genitals are also thoroughly washed under running water so that no impurities get into the urine and distort the test result.
For the reliability of the results and the exclusion of repeated tests, the rules for collecting urine from newborns must be observed:
- In the morning, wait for a clean portion of urine, since a certain amount of it is needed for analysis;
- Collect liquid only in a sterile container to exclude the ingress of foreign matter.
How to put on a urine bag for a girl
The children's urinal for girls is characterized by the physiological shape of the hole in the form of an oval with a special projection inward. For the correct collection of fluid, it is necessary to study step by step how to glue the urine bag for a girl.
Important! When manipulating the delicate skin of a child, you must carefully prepare: wash your hands with soap, wash and wipe the genitals of the crumbs with a disposable towel.
The instruction explains in detail how to use the urine bag for girls:
- The baby should be put on its back and knees apart;
- Remove the protective coating from the sticky element;
- Place the opening of the bag in the genital area so that nothing interferes with the collection of urine;
- Fasten the sticky rim with a gentle motion, making sure the collector is in the correct position;
- To fix the device, it is useful to secure the desired position of the urine collector with a diaper or diaper;
- It is recommended to hold the crumb in your hands during the urine collection procedure so that the device does not move;
- Observe the filling of the reservoir using the divisions on the bag;
- Carefully remove the device and pour the urine into a special glass.
How to put on a urine bag for a boy
It is believed that the device is easier for a boy than for a girl, thanks to the special hole in the reservoir. The urine collection bag for newborn boys has an egg-shaped opening, pointed downwards. To understand how to use a urine bag for boys, you can follow the same rules as for girls, the only differences will be in the way the reservoir is attached.
To properly attach the collection, you need to carefully position the boy's genitals inside the codpiece and stick to the skin with adhesive tape.
Limitations and precautions
To fix the urine collection device, you need to properly prepare the baby
Experts warn about precautions when attaching the urine bag to the baby's delicate integument. It is undesirable to press on the adhesive surface, as this can cause strong adhesion, when the device is peeled off, the baby will experience discomfort.
Council. When attaching a urine bag, it is best to put on a diaper or panties to create familiar conditions for the baby and fix the bag.
What absolutely must not be done
Pediatricians warn, so as not to distort the results, during the collection of urine it is prohibited:
- Collect liquid if the baby was previously given medications;
- Wring out a wet diaper if the child could not pee. In this way, traces of soap and fabric fibers are brought into the collected material;
- Use the "grandmother's" method, when the mother substitutes the container under the liquid flowing down the child's leg, as microorganisms enter the urine from the skin;
- Collect urine from a plastic pot, holding a child over it due to the fact that plastic sterilization is impossible;
- Urine collected in the evening is not suitable for analysis.
How to get your child to pee as quickly as possible
You can give your child a gentle massage to urinate faster.
Sometimes mothers complain that it is quite difficult to collect urine in the morning hours, since the child does not always urinate on time. Therefore, in order not to torment the crumbs while waiting for the process, pediatricians are advised to take measures to accelerate the release of fluid:
- Remove the diaper from the baby in the morning, when the room is cool, to speed up urination;
- Use the sound of pouring water to stimulate the urge to pee. It is enough to take two glasses and, being next to the child, pour water from one container to another;
- If, nevertheless, the transfusion does not help, you can drop a few drops of water on the baby's tummy;
- It is useful to offer a large amount of water for drinking on the eve of collection;
- Experienced mothers massage the baby in the navel area to speed up urination.
Note. For girls, this technique is well suited: moisten a cotton pad in warm water and apply it to the skin between the legs. Experts say the results will be almost instantaneous.
General rules for collecting urine in infants
It is necessary to comply with some general rules for collecting urine from infants, both girls and boys. They will help facilitate the process of taking fluid:
- Before the baby pees, it is best to hold him upright in his arms, as the horizontal position encourages fluid flow. This is because the skin relief does not allow the device to be glued tightly;
- After collecting the required volume of liquid, you must carefully peel off the urine bag and drain the urine into a container for analysis;
- Before collection, it is necessary to cleanly rinse the baby's genitals and the skin around them.
Note. It is not recommended to lubricate the baby's skin with oil or cream, as the urine bag will be difficult to stick.
- If your baby is worried about the bag's Velcro, you can gently put on a panties or diaper.
- Do not leave the urine collector glued to your baby's skin for more than an hour. If it was not possible to collect urine, you need to remove the bag and prepare a new one for the next urination.
Important! Parents need to remember that the analysis results directly depend on the freshness of the collected material. In order to avoid changing the properties of urine, you need to collect it immediately before delivery to the laboratory.
Urine is stored for about two hours, after this period bacteria begin to accumulate in it, a cloudy sediment appears. Daylight also negatively affects the properties of urine. Therefore, pediatricians recommend closing the container with analyzes with an opaque bag. Ideally, the jar should be in a dark place at room temperature.
In order for the collected material to be ready for analysis, the collection rules must be followed
- After the urine is collected, it must be carefully poured into a container and taken to the clinic.
Failure to comply with the rules for collecting urine leads to an incorrect result, and it will be difficult for the doctor to comply with its reliability.
The amount of liquid for analysis
Often young parents ask how much urine needs to be collected for analysis. Practice shows that to collect the required amount, a container filled with liquid about one cm is suitable.Pediatricians know that it is not easy to collect tests for a baby of one or two months, therefore 10 ml is enough.
Common mistakes when collecting analyzes
Experts warn: to get reliable results it is necessary to eliminate errors that are often encountered during urine collection:
- Do not ignore the time of the collection, for example, take the evening or afternoon portion;
- Eliminate improper washing of a boy or girl;
- Do not pour urine into a non-sterile container;
- Squeezing liquid out of the diaper is prohibited;
- Be sure to observe the storage conditions for the collected material;
- You cannot pour urine from the pot, since plastic cannot be sterilized, such an analysis will contain a large number of leukocytes.
Parents need to remember that only adherence to the rules and the use of the right techniques will allow the correct collection of urine from a child for tests. A pediatric urine collector will ease the efforts of the mother and eliminate the discomfort for the child.
