2. Wash the mother’s belly, thighs, and
genitals well with disinfectant soap and
boiled water that has been cooled.
3. Put sterile or very clean cloths
under the mother.
4. Wash your hands well for at least
3 minutes (see page 53). Put on
sterile gloves. Keep one hand
sterile — it should only touch the
catheter, nothing else.
5. Have a helper shine the light on the woman’s genitals so
you can clearly see what you are doing.
6. Hold the inner lips of the woman’s
vulva apart with one gloved hand,
so that you can see her urethra
(it may be hard to see).
7. With the other hand, slowly and gently
put the catheter into the woman’s
urethra.
Usually the catheter goes straight in.
But if the baby’s head is in the vagina,
you may need to point the catheter up
at first, so it can get over and past the
head. If the catheter stops moving in,
roll it gently between your fingers, but
do not force it. Forcing it might injure
the mother.
8. When the tip of the catheter gets to the
mother’s bladder, urine will start to drip
or flow out the other end. You should
have a bowl or bucket ready to catch it.
9. Take the catheter out when the urine stops.
Catheters
catheter
urethra
Ask the mother to drink plenty of liquids during the next few days so that she
urinates often. This will help clean any germs out of her bladder. Tell the mother
to watch for signs of infection (see page 128) for the next few weeks.
353
A Book for Midwives (2010)