Firstly, it’s great that you hold on when you need to go, however when you place pressure on the urethral opening (where the urine comes out) you are confusing your bladder. Applying pressure is only for a temporary cessation of the passing of urine. So this isn’t a practice that you should do, unless you are bursting to go to the toilet and can’t quite make it.

Secondly, going to the toilet and only passing a small amount of urine and then having to go back to the toilet after a short time does not necessarily mean that your bladder is weak but it may be that you haven’t emptied it properly.

It is good practice to try and go to the toilet to pass urine on the third urge that you need to go. When you go the toilet you should sit in the ideal position, which is sitting fully on the toilet, thighs on a forty-five degree angle and learning slightly forward. Count to five before beginning to pass urine, in a manner which is not hurried or forced. To help fully empty your bladder, you can also apply gentle pressure with the ball of the hand, or fist, directly over the bladder, to the lower abdomen whilst passing urine.

Once you have passed urine fully, count to five again and try to pass a bit more. The extra few mLs that you may pass is the residual urine left in the bladder, and by removing it you are less likely to need to go back to the toilet in thirty minutes.

While you are still young, remember it is always a good idea to practice good bladder health! Feel free to browse the Poise website for more information on what you can do. You may find the section on young women helpful – visit http://www.poise.com.au/female-bladder/young-women/