My 4 year old is wetting the bed nearly every night. he did this earlier this year & stopped for about 6 months but now he is doing it again. he stops liquids after 6 pm each night & goes to pee at least twice right before going to sleep. however, he wakes up soaking wet; his entire pajama pants will be wet as well as a huge spot on the bed or pad under him. i desperately do not want to do pull ups b/c i personally think they go backwards in what you teach them. we have tried the chart system where he gets a sticker or whatever in the morning if he doesn't wet the bed but that only worked for 2 days (he is not a reward/chart system type of child, he doesn't care about things such as that, unlike his older bro.). i don't want to punish him for this if he really cannot tell if he needs to go. but that is the thing i don't know if he is just to tired to get up, can't tell if he needs to go (sleeping so soundly) or just doesn't care?!?!!
i have been told about medication that dr. can give to shut down your system but i don't really want to go that route. i am looking into the "bed wetting alarm" that has a sensor to wake them up & helps their brain learn when they need to go...but they are $60 & i'm not looking forward to that if they don't or won't work.
i am asking for any suggestions on:
*how to get him to stop bed wetting (ideas)
*how to know if he cannot help bed wetting
*alarm suggestions if you have tried them (brands, where to buy, etc.)
*any other support
thanks!
~L.
A friend of mine walks her son to the bathroom every night just before she goes to sleep. He does not entirely wake up, and it gives him a chance to go one more time. I have no idea if this will help, but it seems like it would be worth a shot.
Well, I don't have any suggestions on how to stop it. What I can tell you from my personal experience, is that it sounds like he's not ready. When my oldest son potty trained, it was completely. He didn't need anything at night. My youngest, however, is 6 yrs old and still wears a diaper or pull-up at night. He may go several nights without wetting, but the night I don't put something on him, he wets the bed. He does not have accidents during the day. I work with a woman whose son is 13 and still has accidents. Boys bladders mature at different times. Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done. They wet when they cannot consciously stop. My Thomas, when he wets at night, it actually happens just before he wakes. I do have a friend who "layers". Mattress cover, sheets, mattress cover, sheets. So when her son wets, she just takes the top layer off, rather that changing the sheets completely. I have spoken with his doctor and have been told not to be concerned. If it's a temporary thing, you might think UTI, but in our case, it's not a temporary. It is getting much better, I'm just a little gun-shy to go without anything yet.
Good luck!!!
K.
I don't have any great advice for you, I can just offer support that I go through this exact same thing with my son every 3-6 months it seems. He just turned 4 (potty trained at 2 1/2 by his choice) and just got past yet another episode of wetting the bed every single night for a month straight. I just have the mind set that I will be changing the sheets each day and eventually it stops and he'll have dry sheets the next several months. Hang in there and stay supportive. You could also start having him take the sheets off the bed in the morning and bring them to the washing machine to help you out. I know it is a pain to wash sheets every day!
Hi L.,
My sense is that he cannot help bed wetting, that his urinary tract muscles relax so much when he sleeps that he wets. I seriously doubt that he doesn't care. Since you are at a loss for what to do, understand that he knows even less what to do. Many children have bedwetting probs, so you are not alone. Go to Central Mkt or Whole Foods. They have a great selection of all kinds of holistic non-drug options. Keep trying until you find one that works for him. It may not work for the first week or so, keep it up until you are satisfied that he had enough in his system to give it a fair shot. Use pullup type pants while you are doing this trial. Notice if his underpants are cold wet--pottied hrs ago, or warm wet--pottied just before waking. Also notice if the volume of urine is lessening--that could indicate if the supplement is beginning to work, just needs more time. Tell him that you know he wants to be dry and you will do whatever you can to help him. Do not be aggravated with him.
Peace, C.
ps. A child can't tell the diff between: I am mad at you because you are always wet in the morning, and I am frustrated because I haven't yet found a way to help you. ;)
