Bed Wetting - Buena Vista, CO

I want to caution you against automatically thinking this is a lazy thing. Children do not enjoy waking up in urine, it is not a joyful happy thing.

There are many reasons for your child to be wetting the bed, some are medical for which you should seek medical advice, some are psychological (though that reason is low)such as a truamatic event (traumatic to THEM so you may not perceive it to be "that bad") so think carefully about anything that may have turned her world upside down.

We have two older children who have bed wetting issues...they'll both be 12 this summer. They HATE it and feel very frustrated, insecure, helpless by this.

Be very careful you don't encourage dehydration!!!!!!!!!!!

Because of the stress my daughter feels trying to stay dry she will lack the amount of fluids she needs AND try to stay away all night so she can get to the bathroom. PLEASE do not let this happen to your child.

Some simply do not produce ADH at night the way we do to keep us from voiding in our sleep, some have tiny, weak bladders, and some can't wake up.

So I plead with you, before jumping on the angery "you should know better" and self conserving "I shouldn't have to keep washing your blankets" and "you're big enough to be over this" band wagons, take her to a doctor. I also beg you to do your own research on the subject.

http://www.bedwettingstore.com/index.htm
http://www.goodnites.com/NA/bedwettingbasics/MythsTruths....
http://www.stopwetting.com/index.htm
http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/bladder/enuresi...
http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/bedwetting
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/children/par...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrLQTrXsbLk
http://www.medicinenet.com/bedwetting/article.htm

OK...I think you'll get the idea with this.

I know it's frustrating, but it really isn't the worst thing in the world considereing all the other issues you could be dealing with. We just have our children get their blankets and put them into the washing machine in the mornings themselves. I don't care one bit how long they will wet the bed so long as they take care of it and they know I love them and that they are brilliant, wonderful human beings that bring my world an abundance of sunshine and goodness.

You'll get through it!!

Night time wetting has little to do with anything they have control over or that you can teach. It is about bladder control. Make sure you stop liquids an hour and half to two hours before bedtime, if she needs a pullup for now let her, saves stress and messes in the middle of the night which can wake her out of sound sleep.
Kids regress for numerous reasons however I firmly believe once you have ruled out anything like a bladder infection or anything like that that you just kind of go with the flow so to speak. Put pullups on her at nap and bedtime until she gets better control and starts waking dry. She may be a sound sleeper. Kids vary big time for night time training regardless of how well they do during the day.
Make sure you limit fluids close to bedtime and consider taking her in for a urine test to rule anything medical out.
Hang in there!

S.,

I know that this seems like your daughter is back sliding. I invite you to see this lack of continence as perhaps simply a matter of a small bladder and a mind that is so deep in sleep that waking up to go to the bathroom is not an option. What could you do if this was the case? How could you assist your daughter in having a dry bed?

I know many parents that watch what their children drink just before putting them into bed. Could this be a possiblity for you?

Unless your daughter is getting a payoff for having a wet bed, I have to imagine that she is just as upset as you with the results of a wet bed. Wishing you all the best in resolving this situation until her bladder gets bigger.

With my whole heart, C.

Regina gave you some great and accurate information!
You're dealing with secondary enuresis, which is different from primary enuresis because your daughter has been dry and is regressing for some reason. There are a lot of possible physiological problems associated with secondary enuresis (such as a urinary tract infection) that are typically not a factor in primary (never dry) enuresis situations.
I suggest being careful with limiting fluids too much--after all, the idea isn't really to get her to NOT urinate all night, the idea is for her to get up and go to the bathroom when she needs to.
At www.bedwettingstore.com they sell waterproof covers for sheets that are just big enough to go underneath the child and tuck in on the sides of the bed, so you can whisk them off to wash without needing to take apart the whole bed. Could be useful in cutting down on laundry.
Many people have success with a bedwetting alarm, such as the Malan brand alarms. But, they require a major commitment from parents to help their child for several weeks in order to work.
Consider reminding her to use the restroom regularly during the day, so she isn't napping or going to bed on a full bladder. Teaching her to "double void" (urinate twice within just a few minutes) can help her completely empty her bladder and lessen the amount of urine released in bed.
I do think your situation merits a trip to the pediatrician--secondary enuresis suggests something has changed, and it's worth checking it out.
Hang in there!

Has she had any stressful events in her life lately? She may just need extra attention. She might feel that baby sister is getting more attention. I would suggest making a time that is for her and mommy to share. I tell my little guy that is the same age that he is getting ready to go to school and needs to be mommy's big boy. I work with a lot of little children and that seems to be the magic words. On the other hand, some kids have problems for a while in that area.

Maybe she is just growing and sleeping more soundly. Or she is doing it for a little extra attention.

Either way don't make a big deal out of it, just make a big deal out of it when she successfully wakes up dry! Oh and do not buy her fancy character pullups, buy her ugly inexpensive ones, that way you know she is not doing it just for the pullups.

R.