During pregnancy and as the pregnancy progresses you might feel like urinating just a few minutes after having gone to the bathroom already. There are several factors that contribute to your needing to go to the bathroom so often and you might also feel this urge even at night.

Urinating during the first trimester

In the first trimester of your pregnancy there isn’t any pressure of the uterus on the bladder yet, but even so, it’s very possible that you will have to urinate more often. In fact, frequent urination is one of the early signs of pregnancy that you will notice.

During the first trimester your blood volume will increase dramatically. There is at least 40% more blood flowing through your body. This means that the amount of liquid that is going to your kidneys is much greater than usual. The more liquid your kidneys filter, the more often you will need to urinate.

This frequent need to go to the bathroom can be added to the sleep disturbances you might be having. If you avoid drinking any liquid about three hours before going to sleep, it’s possible that this will reduce the number of times you will have to go to the bathroom during the night. Don’t reduce the amount of liquid your body needs, because it is especially important to be well-hydrated during pregnancy. Simply vary the times when you drink water so that your bladder isn’t full at bed time.

The second trimester: some relief

Over the course of the second trimester, your urges to go to the bathroom may somewhat lessen.  Your body is getting used to the effects of your hormones during pregnancy. Moreover, although your uterus is growing, the growth is upwards and therefore you won’t feel the pressure on your bladder just yet. This will change over the course of your pregnancy. 

If you keep going to the bathroom frequently and it is accompanied by an itching or burning sensation, this could be a sign of a urinary tract infection. Contact your doctor immediately if you show any sign of these symptoms because it’s important to treat these types of infections as soon as possible.

Constant visits to the bathroom in the third trimester.

In the last weeks of your pregnancy the need to go to the bathroom may increase due to the pressure that the baby’s head places on the bladder. This is why you will sometimes feel the urge to go to the bathroom again immediately after having gone already, only to find you can only urinate a couple of drops.

Your doctor will keep checking during the scheduled prenatal appointments, to make sure there is no sign of a urinary tract infection because this could lead to preterm labor. It’s very important, in these last months leading up to labor to keep doing Kegel exercises. Practicing them will not only help you during labor but will also strengthen the pelvic floor postpartum. It’s common for some women to have leaks postpartum when coughing or sneezing. Kegel exercises will help maintain muscular tone in that area.