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Ruby mastered potty training very quickly and painlessly. We had a target to work to - she needed to be nappy-free by the time she started playgroup at aged 2 and a half, and as she was really keen to go, it was a great incentive for her.
We had very few accidents and she quickly moved on to the 'big' toilet with no problems whatsoever.
Unfortunately, it made us a bit complacent. She's never been a good sleeper, and after suffering years and years of broken nights, we were very reluctant to push the night-time dryness too early.
So, although she's been out of night time nappies for well over a year, now at the age of 5 she still wets the bed on a regular basis. At least twice a week I'm trudging upstairs to strip her off, wash her down, fumble about for new sheets and bundling laundry into the washing machine in the middle of the night.
It's not fun for any of us.
The Drynites bed mats have been a godsend for us, saving our mattresses on countless occasions - especially now they come with sticky strips which means they stay put to the mattress under even the wriggliest child. However, even though they protect the mattress we're still often left with wet duvet, sheets and nightclothes. Repeatedly washing and trying to dry a duvet all over the winter months has been a real challenge.
We got into the habit of 'lifting' her to go for a wee before we go to bed at about 11pm, as well as insisting she goes before bed. We've restricted her fluid consumption in the evenings, but still it's happening.
It's not uncommon - around 1 in 4 children aged between 4 and 5 still wet the bed regularly.
When we recently wet on holiday, she was so anxious about it that I bought some Drynites pyjama pants for her to wear. I have to admit, I was worried that it might be a step backwards, but the thought of a wet mattress and bedclothes and no laundry facilities gave me the horrors and would have been a total nightmare.
She wore the pull-on pants happily enough, and actually seemed to be more relaxed and confident. On all 4 nights she slept right through and the pyjama pants were still dry in the morning.
So these have now become a regular feature. I'm reading up on how best to deal with the issue, and I'm hopeful it will just be one of those things she grows out of. There's lots of helpful advice on the Drynites site and also on the Netmums site about bedtime routines and coping with bed wetting. You can also request a free sample and try the PJ pants out.
Do you have any advice? Have you experienced and cracked the bed-wetting issue?
Disclosure: I am a member of the Netmums Blogging Network, a unique community of parent bloggers from around the UK who have been handpicked by the Netmums team to review products and brands on their behalf. I have been paid expenses and supplied with a product sample for this review but retain all editorial control. All my Netmums Reviews will display the Netmums logo within the post.
Feeling your pain and my daughter is much older than yours and still having problems. I think you are amazing for posting so honestly.
ReplyDeleteThe ERIC website is good on such issues and also has products that might help.
Apparently restricting fluid is a bad thing not a good one which defies my sense of logic but apparently this is the case.
Well done you. I know this is a review but all the same well done.
Thanks Kate, I think it's a shame more parents don't discuss it openly because it just makes it more taboo.
DeleteFeel your pain, we had the same problem with my son, we did all the restricting drinks, wee before bed. never tried the lifting. Eventually I read that restricting liquids was not allowing the bladder to fill to its fullest and that deep sleep meant a half full bladder was not recognised. We went back to drink before bed and no toilet before and it did seem to improve it. Though it did happen for years. The Drynights possibly made her relax and not worry about it which may have added to the wet sheets, wish they had them when mine were younger!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jo, I'd not heard that about bladder fullness before. Ruby used to go to bed with a huge bottle of milk then later water every night so we've stopped that. Trouble is, even when she does wet, she doesn't seem to notice and it doesn't wake her up, so I feel I need to check on her before we go to bed if that makes sense?
DeleteWe were told by the health visitor not to get them up when you go to bed and pop them on the loo. This means they don't learn waking up when their bladder is full. An important thing to master!
ReplyDeleteJo's advice about the half full bladder is interesting.
This is the trouble with parenting - you can't do right for doing wrong! x
DeleteMini was not dry at night until he was nearly six. Maxi was dry day and night at the same time. I was told by by lovely health visitor that being dry at night happened at different times for children as it was due to a hormone being release that helped them hold the urine in their bladder. When we were trying I bought a couple of special bed things, which were designed as incontinence sheets, so were extra padded and had a plastic lining. I used to make the bed up with them under a sheet and another set underneath so if he did, there was no stress for him or me.
ReplyDeleteHi Jen,
DeleteYes, I've just been reading up about antidiuretic hormones on the Drynites site. The extra waterproof is a great idea it might save on constant duvet washing!
Mine are nearly 8 and 5. The 8 still wets regularly and the 5 has never ever had a dry night. Your doing better than us.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear that, it must be really tough. Hope you get some improvement soon x
DeleteMy eldest was a nightmare and in the end, we had days of crying about wanting her nappies, this was before we even attempted it at night time. I remember constantly lifting her out of bed night after night .... we got there eventually. I am now ready for round two with my youngest :-)
ReplyDeleteMy oldest is 4.5 and I think we've just cracked it. She went through potty training easily, but overnight has been slow. We haven't spoken to anyone about it because we assumed she'd great there on her own, but we've probably been inconsistent on the way! What appears to have worked for all of us is an agreement of a scale of night time underwear... standard is pull up nappies, if she keeps those dry for 10 nights she can wear pants, but if she wets the pull ups and makes no attempt to go to the toilet she wears a baby nappy the next night. We've done this cycle repeatedly for almost a year and we've had dry bed since Easter.
ReplyDeleteIts a hormone and some get it later then others and normal runs in the family. Middle daughter is nearly 7 and only ever had one dry night in her life. Dry pretty quick in the day at 2 years so no problem there... Nothing you can do but wait. Doctors wont do anything until they are 7 anyway. So stop being hard on yourselves as its not lazy parenting and pretty common , its just nobody talks about it. Daughter number one was dry day and night in 2 weeks at 2 so not my parenting either. Dad was a bed wetter so she gets it from him ;)
ReplyDeleteI know it’s been a while now, but does she still wet herself ‘til now? I think you can teach her proper toilet training. It can be difficult, especially when you have to go dry your mattress all the time. It is also not ideal, because germs and dirt will surely accumulate in your beddings if that were to continue on to this day.
ReplyDeleteGail Wallace