Children's Community Nursing Service, Richmond
Why keep a bladder diary
It is used to track:
- when and how much fluid you drink
- when and how much urine you pass
- how often you have that ‘got to go’ urgent feeling
- when and how much you leak urine.
Keep the diary for 3 days and nights. A diary for only 1 day may not provide enough information to give a true picture of your bladder condition.
Instructions
- Have 3 copies of the bladder diary ready to fill in, one for each day. You can print copies from here:
- Begin your diary when you wake up each day.
Take notes throughout the day and night, and continue until you complete 24 hours. For example, if you wake up at 7 a.m. on the first day of your diary, take notes until 7 a.m. the next day.
- Record your drinks.
Write down what you drink (water, juice, coffee, wine etc), how much and when.
Try to be as accurate as possible. But if you cannot measure every drink exactly, try to estimate.
Most containers will list their volume. Use this to help estimate.
For example:- a can of fizzy drink is 330ml
- a mug is typically 250 to 350ml
- a small bottle of water is usually 500ml.
- Measure urine by peeing into a measuring jug. During both the day and night, write down when and how much urine you pass.
Rinse the jug with water after each use.
Keep the jug close to your toilet until you’ve finished your diary.
- Do not forget to bring your completed diary to your appointment.
Contact information
Specialist Urology Nurses - Urodynamics
Telephone: