Wetting the Bed at Night

I had the same problem when my son (now 14) was little. He also wore pull ups and the bed was always wet. I tried everything from not giving him anything to drink before bed, getting him up in the middle of the night to go, to taking him to Dr. and put on medication. Nothing worked. It was really frustrating!!! Talked to different Dr. and she said it was that his body was not telling him that he needed to wake up and go potty. He was a very sound sleeper and still is. He finally grew out of wetting the bed around age 8. That's a lot of pull ups and laundry!! Maybe your son is having the same issue. I'm sure he'll grow out of it too!! Good luck!

Hey G.,
My son is 4 going to be 5 in may and is still wearing pull ups to bed also. We have tried everything from not leting him drink after 7, to going potty right before bed, but still either had pottied through to pull up or it was totally full in the morning. So what we have done is this:
No drinks after 7, potty before bed, plastic mattress protecter, chart with stars for nights with no wetting, and the 12 am up to potty. It is hard to get up every night at 12 for the potty ritual but it has seemed to work. He is wetting the bed less frequently and the stars make him more willing to try. The ped says boys can continue to have this problem up till age 6 and if he is still having the problem after 6 yr old then will refer to a urologists, but he believes it is not a physical issue but more that he just plays so hard during the day and is totally out when finally goes to bed that he is not aware that he is wetting the bed.
I hope this helps.

I had to keep mine in pullups until 7 (used Goodnights, not regular pullups). To keep him from going through, I would get him up 1.5 hours after he feel asleep to get him to go. Most every night, he would empty the majority of his bladder then. Once in awhile, he would still wet the pullup, but mostly it would be dry. Watch his diet, milk or any dairy made it worse. If he eats ice cream, give him Rice dream instead or popsicles.

We still get him up, but no pullups. Hope that helps.

J.

Hi there. My kids are treenagers now, but I remember the ritual we practiced with each of them: To bed at a children's bedtime first of all, so that was between 7 and 8. Pee before bedtime, obviously. Get the child up at 10 or 11 pm, before you go to bed yourself, and "sleepwalk" him to the bathroom, set him on the toilet and tell him to pee. Some kids have a really hard time waking up, so I'd hold on to them, turned the faucet on in the sink, talk a little bit to keep them roused and before long, sometimes immediately: pssssss. If you do this diligently EVERY night, they get used to it and eventually the bed stays dry! Once we lie down, the bladder fills faster than while we were upright. Kids sleep so hard that a full bladder doesn't wake them up; the wet and sometimes cold bed will:( too late. So teach them to wake up and relieve themselves after the first hours of sleep. Then first thing after waking in the morning: run to the toilet.It takes a lot of reminding. When my children would come running to my bed in the morning, I'd ask them "have you peed yet?" Oops, sometimes they'd forgotten - they'd turn around to quickly go take care of it and then crawl under my warm covers for a few minutes of waking up together.

Maybe a pull-up gives your son a false sense of security as well. I'd say stop wasting your money on them (what a bad invention those things where!)and let him wear big boy underwear. Good luck!
Alex

Have you tried getting him up to go to the bathroom, in the night? My daughtrer, after she was potty trained, had a hard time with bed wetting. Before I go to bed, but long after she has went to bed, I will take her to the bathroom. When she was still having the bed wetting issue, I would wake her up about 2am, and take her again. I guess it just got her body in the habit. She has not wet her bed in the last year. I do still take her to the bathroom, before I go to bed, though, just to be sure. It will be a pain getting up at 2am, but I think it is much better than getting up to change sheets, and bathe the little one.
Good Luck!

I know this first hand, I have a 12yo that still battles it. Talk to your DR. Try a heavy duty mattress pad with a waterproof pad too. Hopefully he will grow out of it, we are still hoping ours does. He does take medication that helps out but still nothing is perfect!!

Have you tried the pull-ups made for Nighttime that are extra absorbant? They are made by Huggies and in blue wrapper with Buzz Lightyear on them for boys.

L.

Hi:

My son (5 years old) does the same thing. My husband is livid! The problem we found is that my son puts his hand in his pull at night, touching himself.... He falls asleep leaving himself positioned pointing up. So when he wets it leaks outside the pull up on to the bed. We strongly asked him to stop, and then got him to put socks on his hands at night. It reminded him he isn't suppose to be in there....

First take him to the doctor and make sure there is nothing wrong physically. Then if he goes to "school" make sure he isnt having any difficulty there. Then is these things are all ok, then I am afraid that it is something he is going to have to outgrow. May brother wet the bed until he was 8 and my son who is now 16 wet the bed until about age 9. Sorry I couldnt be more encouraging. But its not purmenant, just frustrating.

I was always told it was an inherited gene. I was a bed-wetter until 12. My husband's brother was also a bed-wetter. Both our girls were bed-wetters, one until 12. First, I never berated them because it was out of their control. I bought the plastic mattress covers and put them on the beds...that saves the mattress. When they would go to sleepovers I would make the parent aware, firstly then inside the sleeping bags I would put those pads you get at the hospital when you have a baby : ) in there and that would save the sleeping bag. They would still have to deal with the wet pj's but at least if they got up and changed no one would notice as much. Then they just stopped. We also cut out drinking before bedtime. They slept so heavily they would not wake up. One time I almost bought a sensor that would clip inside their pj's that as soon as it felt moisture it would sound an alarm and it woke the child up before they completely wet themselves. You may research that too. Good luck, I know it's frustrating but believe me...your child does not have control over this and I know from my experiences as a bed wetter...it's very embrassing to him also, especially as he gets older.

Hi G.,

Most bedwetting is simply caused by being a heavy sleeper. Being a heavy sleeper tends to be genetic and that why a lot of people say bedwetting is genetic. (It's perfectly normal) Have you tried checking his pull-up before you go to bed to see if it's wet? If it is, and he's heavy sleeper, you might be able to just change him for the remainder of the night.

Go to http://www.home-remedies-for-you.com/remedy/Bedwetting.html
There are a lot of interesting home remedies there that I would not have thought of. It basically family members that have shared what worked for them.

God bless you and, this too shall pass :)

M.

I'd take him to the pediatrician and find out if it's a medical problem. Believe it or not, there is a nasal spray that they prescribe that can stop it. I'd start with a medical evaluation and go from there. It may take just one office visit.

pull-ups intentionally do not hold as much urine as a diaper or a specially-designed night-time underpant. try switching to goodnights or using an absorbent insert in the pullup. also get a waterproof mattress pad to protect your mattress, and you can even get a hospital-type bed pad that can absorb the wet while not allowing it to penetrate to the sheets. stop drinks at 4pm, with the exception of a little water with supper.

Pull-ups are not as absorbant as regular diapers. Maybe you can try the goodnights instead. Plus they also make disposible mattress pads. You can slip one under his sheet to save the mattress or upon the sheet to save the sheets. If he tosses and turns a lot during the night he may end up off the pad. I like having them around just in case we have a bedwetter stay over night. They came in really handy when I was potty training my girls and was ready to take the pull-off off at night, but wasn't sure if they would have an accident. Try looking for them in the section where they sell depends undergarments in Walmart or maybe a pharmacy.

All the best!!!

I bought a matress protector. They are vinyl or plastic. You would still have to wash the sheets and clothes but the matress would be protected.

Hi,

This happens sometimes. childs bladder does not also ways grow as fast as they do. Try waking him up to use the bathroom about 4 hours after he goes to bed. This will help him body learn to wake him when his bladder is full. I would also talk with his doctor to make sure there are no physical problems. Goodluck!

Ask your pediatrician about these little alarm systems. They attach to underpants with a moisture sensor, and clip on to the pj shirt with a buzzer. My son was wetting until he was eight, and that finally did the trick. Good luck! D. D

Hi G.,

Try taking your son to the bathroom when you are ready to go to bed...a few hours after he falls asleep. Also, it sounds wierd but after my daughter started going to the chiropractor for adjustments she stopped wetting the bed. Good luck!
L. C.

Hi G.,

I have this same exact problem with my son who is also five. The ladies on this site told me to try the GoodNights diapers which did help a little. I finally started waking myself up to take him to the potty. I have found his bed wet and the diaper dry before. I think that happens when they sleep on their sides. Most pull ups don't really have protection on the sides, just in the front and back. I did finally put a trash bag under the matress cover to keep him from getting the mattress wet.

Hi G.,
First, have you taken your son to a doctor for a medical check-up? Bet Wetting at the age of 5 is not the rule, it is the exception and sometimes, those exceptions are centered around medical issues. Equally so, sometimes, the child may exhibit anxiety that is rooted from other issues. If his problem has been ruled out medically, you may want to try setting an alarm to wake him up at intervals throughout the night, sort of like when he was a baby needing to be fed. If you stop his intake after 8 PM, this should not take too long to conquer. It seems as though he has a very overactive bladder. Lastly, try encasing his mattress with a plastic protector. They only cost a few bucks at the dollar store. You may also purchase some bed tucks, sort of like what the hospital uses to place underneath patients who are bed-ridden. These can be found at most drug stores. Bed wetting can be a very embarassing problem for children as they age so I hope that you are successful in helping your child overcome this.

hello,
we have the same issue in our house. we started waking our son up to go potty at 11ish and now he wakes up with a dry pullup.

K. h.

Hi G., you should most defintely take him to a urologist or pediatrician to rule out any bladder issues. Since he is 5 years old, it doesn't seem like a normal behavior pattern. I have three children, a lot of nieces & newphews and grand babies. Just wanted to share that information for credential sake.

I would suggest a mattress protector that you can get from wal-mart pretty cheap. I think I paid like 7 bucks for the one for a full size bed. I realized with my 3 year old a pull up was pointless. It was just like a pamper. He was trained by letting him go without a pamper and just pj pants or shorts while home. This seemed to work for us. You will also probably have to have a few sleepless nights and get him up every few hours and sit him on the potty. I would try letting him go to bed without a pamper, if the pullup is not preventing the bed from getting wet anyway then you have nothing to lose if he does pee to bed. And I also got unerwear with characters that my son likes and he wears them and has stayed dry since before christmas. He turned 3 in January. This is what worked for us. He even wears his underwear backwards sometimes so he can look at the character, lol. But he won't get them wet. So I hope this helps

G.,

I carry cloth training pants at www.balterbaby.com. You can use these over the pull-up or you can purchase liners to "stuff" them. How long has your son been doing this? Have you checked with your pediatrician? Hope this helps!!

K.
www.balterbaby.com

Something that worked for a friend of mine is that she stopped giving her son anything to drink after 7pm so he would not wet the bed. She usually went to bed at 11pm and before she went to bed she would wake him up and take him to the bathroom. Also she still put regualr underwear on him at night. Hopefully this helps some.

hey G.,
My son is 13, and he still wets the bed almost every night. We've been to the urologist and his regular doctor. Everything is "normal" and it is a common problem. There are medications you can try, but they didn't work for my son. We tried everything and NOTHING works, I don't even waste money on pull ups anymore because they were useless. So I just wash sheets constantly and hope that he'll be over it before he's 16. The doctor said that's about a common time for boys to grow out of it. My sons father and grandfather had the same problem till they were teens as well. J.

That is a tough one. I usually only give my son only water after 8. He wears Goodnights to bed, but doesn't soak them through that bad. Are you using regular pull ups or Good Nights? Maybe changing the brand will help. It could also be a sign of other things. I would definitely talk to your pediatrician and look for other signs of usual behavior.

My daughter also did not grow out of the night-time bed wetting completely until she was about 8. The other posts suggestions to talk to your pediatrician and about making sure to use the overnight pull-ups are good things to try. However, I found that my daughter wet less frequently and in lesser quantity when she did not wear anything to bed at night. She would wake up after feeling damp and would go straight to the bathroom. To prevent from having to worry about the mattress we had a waterproof cover for the mattress(under the quilted mattress pad) and bought two mattress protectors from One Step Ahead that go over the bedding in the area that gets most wet. These made it so that I didn't have to change the sheets every night. They'll hold a lot of liquid (we tested ours to an 8.5 Cup capacity) I highly recommend them. Below is a link to the item as listed on their website:
http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...

I would take him to a doctor first to make sure it not a medical reason. I wet the bed up to the age of 10. I was always having dreams that I was in the restroom on the toilet but I really wasn't. So I had to learn to recognize that dream and wake myself up.

I am also having the same problem with my 7 yr. Old. You have some options. You can wake him up about half way through the night and make him go to the bathroom, you can get liners for his pull-up or put pull-ups on two at a time (this could cause a heat rash if he's hot natured). The liners can be gotten where the cloth diapers are or you can use serenity or poise liners. You can take him to his doctor and some doctors will put them on a medicine like detrol (a bladder medicine). I have a flat waterproof baby mattress pad under my son's sheet and then one on top of the sheet. As he moves a lot during the night the one on top of the sheet sometimes gets moved and he wets on the sheet and pad underneath but not his mattress. I know this is frustrating but you will both get through it. First consult your child's doctor and listen to his/her advice. Try the pads/liners inside the pull-up if nothing else. Let me know how things are going.

V. H.

There is probably nothing you can do but wait it out. My brother didn't stop wetting the bed until he was about 10 and my mom tried everything. Sorry. Please don't punish him in any way it is NOT his fault. He'll grow out of it. I hope that helps. SMILE!

I know what you mean. My 4 1/2 year old son does the same thing. I have even tried doubling up the pull up but that is too expensive. If you hear of a solution I would love to know. My doctor told me the signals to tell them they are wet at night can develop later than girls. yikes! I am tired to washing sheets too, which I am doing as we speak!

go to www.starchildlabs.com,
and check out their bedwetting alarm. i used it with my son when he was six, and not able to get through a night without wetting the bed. after a couple of weeks, like a miracle, he stopped wetting the bed. (and he doesn't get up during the night!) it is a little device that clips onto the underwear and an alarm sounds when it senses wetness. i put tape on the speaker because it was too loud and it scared him at first, but once he wore it for a couple of weeks, it just stopped...well worth every penny! good luck!

Hey,
Just a couple of suggestions. first, regular pull-ups arent designed to keep kids dry, especially through the night. try an "over night" pull on "pant" designed for older children (such as 5 y.o.'s) these are more expensive, but also more absorbent. they are sold with the regular diapers. also you can find absorbent pads for the bed which can help save the mattress, if not the sheets. i found a good one at the drug store where they have supplies for old folks with the same problem. i dont know much about bed-wetting, but would discuss with his pediatrician at next appt. there are some anatomical causes which kids tend to out-grow, but would still mention the issue to his doc. hope this helps (some).
L.

My 12 year old was the same way. He wet a pull-up until he was 6 1/2. He was always embarressed because his younger brother and sister were going through the night without one. You're doing the right thing with limiting his intake before bedtime. He will outgrow it,some just take longer.
K.

I am going through the same w/my 51/2yr. old daughter.I use the good nights and they are a life saver they are about 10 -15 dollers but they will save your bedding,and also try getting him up around 10 or 11 pm. that also helps.hope this info helps Good Luck.

Hi G.,
My son wet the bed till he was 9, and I finally got the help of an expensive enuresis clinic. I started a blog so I could
share what I learned with everyone I knew. It has been very popular, and I don't know if it can help you, but I am paying $2,000 for this clinic's help. It worked for us! The blog is at

http://ourkidscanstaydry.blogspot.com

and I would scroll down to the first post and read in chronological order. I don't really post to it much anymore, but I do receive email questions from my readers, and I help in any way that I can. There is not a quick fix for this problem. I tried homeopathic remedies and other natural things that did not work. But no matter what, don't let someone try to convince you to use the pharmaceuticals such as nasal sprays that prevent urinating. They only compound the problems. Oh, and remember that you are not alone! ;)

Hey G.,
Have you considered taking him to the doc to see if he has a overactive bladder? It seems to me that you have tried all the normal steps and now it may be just a body thing?
just a thought....
M.

Hi Single Mom 41 yrs old...even though your son has been potty trained since 3 yrs old. He probably sleeps very hard during the night and is not able to get up to use the bathroom. What I suggest is for you to wake him up through out the night until he is able to wake up himself. He is still very young and his daily activities can make him too tired to awake during the night. I know this is extra work on you, but in the long run he will be able to go to the bathroom by himself. Also, have him checked by a pediatrician to see if there is a health problem.

G., I am not a medical doctor, but I do know that boy's develop bladder control slower than girls. Having had a boy with the same problem you have, I empathize with you. My son ,now 28, didn't stop wetting until he was close to 8 years old - that may be unusual but I dealt with it. Watch what he is drinking during the day. No soda - that aggravates the kidneys. Continue stopping liquids after dinner - maybe one sip, no gulps. Before you go to bed wake him up and take him to bathroom. If you awaken in the midlle of the night for what ever reason, take him again. Put a waterproof covering on the mattress. Be matter of fact about the situation with him. Never show frustration or scold. Barring any physical issue he may have, you will just have to be patient. J. Gordon

You may want to stop all liquids about three hours before bedtime. Allow him to use the toilet before bedtime. Make certain that there is not a medical reason behind the bedwetting. Ensure that your child is not under any stress. Good Luck.

Talk with your pediatrician. Boys take longer than girls. My oldest son just turned 7 which is the earliest that my pediatrician will do any medical tests for bedwetting on boys.

GoodNights work better than PullUps, but are more expensive and only have coupons once every 4 months in the newspaper.

Mattress covers are inexpensive, and I don't put a lot of blankets on the bed.

Keep up the faith.

You might want to have him checked for diabetes. What you are saying is exactly what happened to my daughter.

Frustrating! I would be in contact with a pediatrician for sure -- there is a prescription, believe it or not! Hopefully, this is just one of those rare things where that part of his brain hasn't yet but will soon develop.

In the meantime, potty before bed and then wake him up before you go to bed to potty again. And, maybe, if Mom or Dad gets up early to go to work, wake him up again for a potty trip.

Good luck!

My son is almost 6 and I have to "cut him off" of drinking 2 hours before bed and I watch or listen for him to pee right before bed. I quit w/ the pullups b/c a parent pointed out that this was his safety net. I'd surely consult w/ his pediatrician. Feeling your pain. Best of luck. :)

Boy do I know what you are going through. My youngest step-son, now 17, use to wet the bed up until he was about 14. I would suggest the use of popcorn right before bed, popcorn is shown to help with the bed wetting. Also, we learned from his doctor that some children sleep so soundly that they do not know that they have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Also I would suggest that sometime in the middle of the night to wake your child and have him go to the bathroom. After a while he will get the hang of it and start on his own. Also if your child is afraid of the dark that may be a problem and that can be fixed with a few night lights between his bedroom and the bathroom.

Target sells a plastic mattress zippered cover. It is this a works very well. We put our son to bed at 8pm with nothing to drink after 7:30. We also only have milk or water with diner. Then at midnight I take him to the bathroom every night. We do not use pull-ups. If he has a accident tehn he has to wear pull-ups for two night as a reminder. if he has no problems two night in a row then it's back to the underwear.

good luck

I know you've already heard this but you usually have to wait it out. Were you or your husband a bedwetter? If so your kids are about 50% more likely to wet the bed. My son is seven and we still wear pull ups. My brother and nephew both took desmopressin nasal spray but I recently read an article that says it can cause seizures.

I have a nephew who is around 12 and still wets the bed sometimes. The doctors have said that stress in their lives can cause it or some children sleep so hard that they can't wake up to go to the bathroom. Those children most of the time are ones that are very active in the daytime. They really didn't give any advice as to how to stop it except that maybe he'd outgrow it. His Mom wakes him up during the night to use the bathroom and uses a water repellant cover over his mattress. Good Luck!!

G.,
You may need to take him to see urologist, a specialist, to make sure there are no physical causes of this.