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Starshine
07-13-2012, 03:58 PM
Not related to daycare, but I have a question about my son. He is 6 1/2 and consistently wets the bed still, almost every night. He wears overnight pullups to bed and will not wake up when he needs to pee. Now, from what I have read, it seems that his body/bladder is just not fully developed and that it's not a big deal. His doctor said some kids just take longer to go through the night dry. My son is a heavy sleeper, so it's not surprising to me that the need to pee doesn't wake him up.

Anyhow, I guess I'm just wondering if there's any point in trying to 'train' him. I was considering not giving him a pullup to wear at night and just letting him wet the sheets, and thinking maybe that will help him learn to wake up at night. But if his body is not ready, it's not ready, right?

Anyone else have a child who wet the bed at this age?

sunnydays
07-13-2012, 04:19 PM
My son trained in daytime at 2, but not until a year later at night. I know he was three, not six, but what worked for us was switching to cloth training pants (with plastic sheet under his bedsheet because they leak)...after a week he was trained at night as with the pull-up he didn't feel the wetness and it didn't bother him, but the cloth helped him feel wet and wake up. Also, we limited liquids for an hour or two before bedtime and got him to pee a few times in the last hour before bed. Good luck!

Momof4
07-13-2012, 05:41 PM
Do you limit liquids in the evening? I agree with kanga that maybe it would help if he is only allowed sips of water after 6pm or so and her idea about cloth instead of a pullup is a great idea. And littlefeet raised a good point about checking with your doctor.

All children are different so don't let anybody judge him or you!

Starshine
07-13-2012, 09:07 PM
I don't limit liquids in the evening, no. Especially lately, since it's been so hot! He always goes pee right before bed, but he won't make it through the night without going.

I have asked his doctor, he's not concerned, says some kids just develop later.

What's the difference between using cloth training pants and just not having anything on? He'll still wake up cold/wet, no?

sunnydays
07-14-2012, 07:06 AM
If you buy the cloth training pants that are waterproof on the outside, the leakage is often minimal and you don't have to change all the sheets. Another option is to use a waterproof absorbent pad on the bed and have a couple so that he sleeps right on that (with no training pants) and then when he wets you change the pad rather than changing all the bedding. I know it feels mean to limit liquids in the evening, but it is probably the only way he will make it through the night (I know i have to get up to pee if I drink too much in the evening). Otherwise, you could also try getting him up and taking him to the bathroom before you go to bed.



I don't limit liquids in the evening, no. Especially lately, since it's been so hot! He always goes pee right before bed, but he won't make it through the night without going.

I have asked his doctor, he's not concerned, says some kids just develop later.

What's the difference between using cloth training pants and just not having anything on? He'll still wake up cold/wet, no?

Momof4
07-14-2012, 06:18 PM
I agree with kangaromama. Dont be afraid to limit the liquids all evening and he won't be dehydrated, he'll just be thirsty in the morning. I also have to get up in the night when I've had too much water or tea in the evening.

day1tolong
07-19-2012, 05:23 PM
My son is going to be 8 soon and and for a bit he was wetting the bed. The doctor says he is ok just like yours. I limit his liquids in the evening like everyone says and I make sure that the last thing he does before he goes to bed is use the restroom even when he says he doesn't have to. I am a night owl so I stay up late. I usually hang out in his room for a bit while surfing the web and if I see him squirming around I wake him up and take him to the restroom. This has been working for us and the times that it actually happens are becoming more rare. It's tiring stalking him at night but it's been working. Hope this helps.

boogiequeen
10-01-2013, 07:02 AM
Recently my almost 4 year old son started bedwetting considering that we've rejected from diapers at the age of 2. I don't know what is the reason and I want as soon as posible solve this problem!

Skysue
10-01-2013, 07:44 PM
Most kids that age don't have big enough bladders to hold it all night. The best way for him to expand his bladder is by drinking more fluids. I'LL bet he doesn't drink a lot? Just a guess. My DD used to drink 3 8oz glasses of water a day plus milk at meals and the occasional glass of juice. She could last all night by 2.

boogiequeen
10-02-2013, 02:18 AM
Oh, yeah. He doesn't drink a lot during the day. But he likes to drink not much warm milk before a sleep hour. Thanks for your advice.

DryKids Coach
12-04-2013, 09:29 AM
Restricting water actually prolongs bed wetting in two ways: it causes headache by dehydration, and it causes constipation. Often children misunderstand and avoid fluids far too much. One hospital survey found that 25 out of 30 bed wetters were constipated!

Anything that contributes to uncomfortable sleep, whether mental or physical, is a bed wetting issue. MILK foremost among these; milk and orange juice in the evening are amongst the factors that seem to prolong bed wetting.

Every child can be dry, every child deserves to be dry. I coach older children, but for kids under six years, the way to beat bed wetting is..

1. ditch the pull-ups, put a pad on the bed instead
2. drink lots of water an hour before bed
3. never 'hold' bladder or bowel, this toughens the bladder muscle

Polkaroo
03-25-2014, 05:51 AM
Hello! My son will be 9 and still wets the bed. Very common for boys and can last to the age of 12. It is hereditary so if one parent or both, took a long time chances are your boys will.

We have started using the Malem Bedwetting Alarm. It's a long process but works! My nephew used it (10 yo) and took him 6 weeks to get dry, my other nephew (5yo) took him 2 weeks. My son is starting week 3 and had his first dry night last night.

The alarm is attached to regular underwear and the base that's attached to your shirt near your shoulder rings/vibrates when it gets wet. We put the disposal pads because you will change them often at first. So far so good! He went from wetting 3x to 1x and you'll see with time he will wake up to go pee. This trains your brain to wake up to go. Trick is always have them go pee when the alarm rings, change and back to bed. Beware lots of laundry at first and waking up to help him change the pad and blankets.

Let me know if you need anymore information !

JennJubie
03-25-2014, 07:47 AM
My son is 6 1/2 and still wets the bed. It's just now getting better. We've taken him off night time pull ups and started taking him for a pee around 11:30 pm. Now the bed wetting is only occasional, and he's starting to wake on his own to go pee at night. It took a long time, but he's a heavy sleeper! I was the same way, I wet the bed until I was nine. I was also a heavy sleeper, and remember having the "toilet dream". If he does wet the bed we treat it like it's a total non issue.

AcornsFalling
03-25-2014, 03:18 PM
My daughter is four and wears pull ups still, has never once been dry in the morning. Not sure what to do but since she's still so young I'm not too worried.
I had to laugh about the "toilet dream".... Totally remember that too.

Secondtimearound
03-25-2014, 06:17 PM
Both of my sons wet the bed until 12 , one almost 13 . Buy the pull ups , we called them night ginch . It is so embarrassing for them too . My dds, trained at 2 , night as well but the boys slept so solidly . That way they can manage on their own , get up , the bed is not wet and go shower . We did not make any issue out of it at all . It eventually stops , why make them feel as though it's a big deal !!!
Self esteem is way more important than the cost of the pull ups !!! Just my opinion !!!

momofnerds
03-25-2014, 08:13 PM
you know what i also found that kids just don't fully empty their bladders. We all see them hold it all day and then rush to go pee.

Polkaroo
03-26-2014, 05:48 AM
Both of my sons wet the bed until 12 , one almost 13 . Buy the pull ups , we called them night ginch . It is so embarrassing for them too . My dds, trained at 2 , night as well but the boys slept so solidly . That way they can manage on their own , get up , the bed is not wet and go shower . We did not make any issue out of it at all . It eventually stops , why make them feel as though it's a big deal !!!
Self esteem is way more important than the cost of the pull ups !!! Just my opinion !!!

I totally agree with Secondtimearound. It was my son's choice to try the alarm as it bothered him A LOT. He was invited to 2 sleepovers and was so embarrassed. I told him to go anyway and he was able to sneak a pull-up on. I don't want him to let this stop him experiencing being a kid. But he personally hates them and wants to be dry. I agree that the parents should never make a big deal out if it. It's natural and nothing to be ashamed of. When the child is ready, then he's trying for him.

Last night was his 2nd dry night, he's so proud of himself this morning. I've tried everything with him before the bedwetting alarm and nothing worked, not even the meds doctors wanted us to try (which I didn't believe in, they did nothing and are really expensive).