How to help your child stop wetting the bed

Your child has probably started school and they still wet the bed, you have tried every method in the book and even put in an incentive each time but they don’t seem to budge.

You are exhausted with washing their bedding every morning, their ever stuffy room, not to mention how often you have to replace their bedding probably on a monthly basis.

If you are having trouble with your child wetting the bed, here are some tips you can consider to help them stop:

Do not leave it upon them to decide when they can go for bathroom breaks. Shedule bathroom breaks every two hours throughout the day and one last one just before bed. This will help their body adjust and get used to the new system. When any time is peeing time, it is likely to overlap into the night too.

Reducing how much fluid they take in the evening might help reduce the urge to pee at night. Ensure they take their scheduled milk earlier in the day and not after supper when they are just about to sleep. Also eliminate bladder irritants like chocolate and cocoa milk, artificial flavourings and citrus juices. Many parents have no idea these can irritate a child’s bladder.

Children are deep sleepers and chances are they are not getting enough sleep that is why they can’t bring themselves to wake up and go to the toilet at night. Ensure they sleep early so they get enough sleep every day and their systems can adjust to the new normal. This includes cutting their screen time at night so their minds can wind down and improve their quality of sleep.

They are probably equally frustrated and stressed about wetting the bed so do not get angry and punish them for the same. This kind of conflict will only lead to more stress and more bed wetting as it is obvious they are struggling with the problem. Instead of berating them, be encouraging. Remember, they would probably do anything to stop if they could. Always reward the little effort they make and encourage them when they fail.

When children go to school they often spend all day playing and sweating. They hardly remember to drink water and when they come home in the evening they are excessively thirsty. This thirst overload will overlap into the night and probably lead to bed wetting since they will try to drink their fill of water in a short span of time. To prevent this, have them carry a water bottle to school so they can stay hydrated all day.

It is not uncommon to find parents setting hourly timers at night so children can go for bathroom breaks. Interrupting a child’s sleep at night will only lead to more frustration and this will less likely stop them from bed wetting naturally. Children do not know how to deal with stress and this could interfere with their days and even performance in class.