How do I get DS1 (4.7) dry through the night?

[herbiemom]

Until 10 days ago DS1 (4.7) was still wearing pull-ups to bed which were completely soaked, sometimes through to his pyjamas, every morning. I decided to try him without, to see whether he was just having a 'lazy wee' as he woke up and for the first couple of nights he woke up dry.

However, since then he has been wetting the bed more nights than not - it doesn't even seem to wake him up and some nights I've discovered him lying, soaking wet when I check on him before going to bed.

So, should I persevere? It feels wrong to put him back into pull-ups but maybe he just isn't ready/able to stay dry at night. Obviously, I've been making him have a wee before going to bed and he doesn't have anything to drink after his tea at around 5.30pm. Does anyone have any advice?

[pageturner]

Have you tried lifting him, ie taking him to the toilet before you go to bed to see him through the night? This is what I have done with my ds1 and dd and am now doing with ds2. Ds2 is 4.11, is dry at night, but I am still taking him to the toilet about 11.30. Some nights he gets up before I get to him and takes himself. The theory is that that should happen a bit more and then we take the plunge and stop the lifting. I'm planning to do this in half term, because I dare say we'll have a couple of wet beds. Can't wait to get it cracked, though I will miss my late-evening cuddle!

[auntiebetty]

he is still quite young. My belief is it happens when it happens and there isn't much you can do about it. One of my dd was dry at night by 3 the other was over 6 before she was dry.

[seeker]

I would go back to pull-ups - he sounds as if he's not ready yet. Oh, and don't restrict drinks - it makes the pee more concentrated and therefore more likely to irritate the bladder and cause bed wetting. Bizarre but true! Lots of useful stuff here

[mumwhereareyou]

Hi

I wouldn't worry about it, i guess he has just started school and in which guess i would put him back in pull ups and wait till the summer holidays.

My eldest will be 7 in March and has just been referred to bed wetting nurse ( they won't do anything before they are 7), she has told me that it is pointless to lift them unless you actually turn the lights on and physically wake them up.

She did suggest that if you want to stop using nappies then put them to sleep in a sleepng bag as they are easier to wash.

Saying that i have been on ebay and brought a bed wetting alarm and am going to start that myself this weekend.

Best of luck with whatever you decide to do.

[herbiemom]

Thanks for your responses and for the link, seeker.

I think we may have to go back to pull-ups for a while longer then. I did think about lifting pageturner, but a couple of people told me that it doesn't actually help them (although it may save changing the bedding in the middle of the night!)

I guess I just feel he looks too big and grown up to be in pull-ups and bless him, he's been very willing to ditch them - just not quite able to yet perhaps.

[auntiebetty]

actually one thing you can do to help is give him plenty of big drinks during the day (but not near bedtime). This helps to get the bladder used to holding large volumes.

[WingsofanAngel]

His brain may not yet have developed to send the signal that he needs to go to the toilet during the night. When you are asleep everything slows down anyway and therefore it will take longer for the signal to get through.

He is still young and they all develop at different times. DS1 was 7 before being dry at night,but DS2 was 4.