10 Tips To Help You Deal With Bedwetting

Bedwetting is normal in kids but it can be frustrating and even embarrassing. Here are 10 Tips To Help You Deal with Bedwetting.

10Tips To Help You Deal With Bedwetting

As I’ve mentioned in the past, we have had our fair share of night-time bathroom issues. One of those issues is bedwetting. Bedwetting can be very frustrating, because just when you think you are done with diapers, you have a whole new type of mess to clean up. And, boys are up to 3Xs more likely to have problems with bedwetting than girls are so I was bound to have at least one with a problem.

But fewer than 3% of kids who wet the bed, do it because of a medical condition and most of the time kids just grow out of it by the age of 6. We just have to be patient! And it isn’t easy! But here are some tips to help you deal with bedwetting when you are in the middle of it. It can be frustrating for parents as well as for the child so just remember…it won’t last forever!
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How to Deal with Bedwetting

1. Don’t Blame or Scold

Your child feels bad enough and it isn’t their fault. And if they are older, they are most likely really embarrassed by it. Reassure them that they aren’t alone and it is normal for kids their age to still wet the bed.

2.Check For Constipation

One of my boys would have accidents all the time, including night-time. We discovered it was due to constipation which would put extra pressure on the bladder and make accidents a lot more likely. If your child is constipated give them apple juice, fruit and vegetables or talk to your doctor. Some say that constipation is the #1 cause of bedwetting so definitely look into it.

3. Waterproof Mattress Cover

A waterproof mattress cover is a must if you have a child who wets the bed. Even if they wear night-time training pants, they can still leak and cause messes.

4. Purchase a Bedwetting Alarm

A Bedwetting Alarm is especially helpful in older kids or in kids who are just deep sleepers. It will alert them when they start to go and eventually their brain will start to recognize that they need to wake up when the urge to urinate comes. Bedwetting Alarm are shown to be about 75% effective in stopping bed wetting. Two alarms that were recommended to me are the Malem Bedwetting Alarm and the Rodger Wireless Bedwetting Alarm System.

5. Wake to Use the Bathroom

Before you head to bed, wake your child up and help them to the bathroom. There’s a good chance they won’t even remember but having to hold it for 10-12 hours is a long time, especially if they are a deep sleeper.

6. Limit Drinks Before Bed

This might seem like common sense, but I know my boys are always begging for drinks before bed. As they got older, I would explain that the drinks before bed could be causing them to wet the bed. Now if they are thirsty they just get a small sip before bed. And limit or cut out all caffeine. It is not good for them anyways and it could be causing them to have accidents due to making the bladder more active.

7. Incentive Chart

When one of my boys was young, he didn’t really care to stay dry because he didn’t want to get up during the night. I put him in a Pull-up at night and he was perfectly content using it. Once I realized that he could stay dry and was just not wanting to get out of bed, I took away the training pants and offered an incentive chart. We did have a few accidents but he started to make huge improvements. Just make sure you have a waterproof mattress pad.

8. Put Out Extra Clothes and Sheets

It is no fun dealing with a mess in the middle of the night but you can make it a bit easier by having extra clothes and sheets ready to be used if you need them. One great bit of advice I heard is to put a fitted sheet on the mattress and cover it with a water-proof pad with another fitted sheet on top. Basically, double the bedding. Then if there is an accident in the night, just take the top layer off and you’ll be back to bed in no time.

9. Leave a Light On

Some kids might be scared to get out of bed at night if it is dark. Leave a nightlight on in the hallway and bathroom so they won’t be nervous to get up in the night.

10. Talk To Your Pediatrician or a Urologist

If your child is still wetting the bed at age 6 or has painful urination, talk to a doctor. There may be an underlying medical reason for their bed wetting. Also, if they have been dry for some time and then start to have accidents at night, talk to a health care provider.

The majority of kids will eventually just grow out of bedwetting but until then, I hope this tips have helped!

What tips do you have for dealing with bedwetting?

This post is a part of our series 31 Days of Tips for Raising Boys. Each day throughout the series we are discussing a different topic regarding raising boys. I’d love for you to follow along and share this series with other parents of boys who may need some support or just to hear that they aren’t alone in their journey of raising boys.

10 Tips To Help You Deal With Bedwetting