Wibu to put him back into nighttime pants?

[Monoblock67]

My son is 4, and has in the past gone through occasions of bedwetting. Usually it lasted for a week or two, then stopped by itself. Recently though, he's been doing it every night, and this has been ongoing for about two months now. He's typically dry during the day, only has 'accidents' if he's too engrossed in something and is disciplined for these appropriately.

We limit drinks before bedtime, he does a pee before bed, and he can easily get out of bed and the toilet for another pee if he needs one, before he actually falls asleep.

I'm not angry with him in the slightest with this, and he knows this, I know he can't help what happens when he sleeps. But I'm getting fed up with washing sheets every day, and I'm also worried about his skin-he develops a rash from time to time which I'm sure is a urine burn.

wibu to put him back into night time nappies? I've actually bought some today, not baby nappies the nighttime pant ones. I don't want to upset him by doing this but at the same time I don't really see another option at this moment in time-I'm sure it's just a phase but unsure if night time pants will help or just make it keep on happening!

Has anyone else done this with their kids? All insights appreciated!

DS2 was in the top bunk above DS3 (who was 3) when we used the alarm. Also a heavy sleeper but it vibrates as well as making noise so it woke him. Surprisingly he never woke DS3! Only used it for 10 days or so, so even if it had it would have been worth the short term disadvantages IMO.

Ds is 6 and stil not 100% dry in the day and always wears pull ups at night.
His paediatrician said to stop squash and particularly black currant as it sometimes irritates the bladder. He is only allowed a juice or smoothie in the morning, then milk or water after. He also said not to worry about stopping drinking early in the afternoon etc as better to have lots of fluid. Also,when he's done a wee, to sit and try again to fully empty the bladder. It is hormonal, it simply takes some longer,
I also find the consequences for your ds a little harsh. I do understand it's irritating when you know it's something that is avoidable. There are lots of conflicting opinions on rewards etc. We found prizes and reward charts helped sometimes but it was soul destroying for ds if he did have an accident. It's just wee, it's not an act of defiance. I don't get cross or disappointed if he has an accident because it's just that,an accident.

I would take pressure off and use them. My eldest was 5 when he was dry in the night (dry during the day at 2.5), we never limited liquids etc just waited for him to be ready. My 4 year old is still in night time pants though he is starting to have some dry nights now. Bed wetting is pretty normal at such a young age.
Please don't discipline him for accidents even in the day, he is so very young still and accidents do happen from time to time.

It took DS1 til he was 7 to be consistently dry at night. It's a pretty normal think for children who are heavy sleepers to take a while longer. Nighttime pants don't hinder dryness when they're ready; DS1 decided suddenly that he no longer wanted them and that was that.

I also agree with others who've said any sort of disciplining for daytime accidents will make things worse. Get him to help clean up, sure, get him to put his wet laundry in the machine and see that he has to clean himself (with your help). But please don't remove privileges or give consequences; it really will make it a bigger deal than it needs to be. Praise him when he remembers, give him a sticker each time and try to remember he's still very young. He won't still be doing this in a couple of years time, his body is still very much a work in progress.

Rather than night nappies take him for a wee before you go to bed. Being dry at night is another hurdle that they need a gentle help with. You wouldn't expect him to go 10 hours during the day without a wee & you say he has accident occasionally when engrossed in something so presumably you may prompt him to go for a wee. To me this is the same situation. He needs a little prompt at night to have a wee. It won't be forever but I have found it very helpful with my 3 children when they were 3 years old.

I still have nightmares about being wakened by my sister's bed wetting alarm and that was back in the seventies! I remember going on holiday abroad as a teenager and the first time someone pressed the buzzer of our apartment, I sat bolt upright wondering who had wet the bed.

That was lighthearted by the way - not suggesting everyone gets Post Traumatic Stress from their siblings' bed wetting alarms

I think night time pants are fantastic. A bit expensive though. I kept my eldest in them until he was 7 and finally dry (after a few failed attempts to get him out of them resulting in lost sleep and a lot of washing). My youngest wears them at 5, but I think things might be progressing with him as he has short spells of dryness which his brother never had at that age. I realise that your son was already dry for some time, but If you need them to help him through a blip I say use them. In the long term, it will not matter at all that he regressed a little and had to wear them again. It will all be a dim and distant memory.