Bedwetting as an adult

[Hedwina]

I've namechanged for this as it's so embarrassing.

I've wet myself as an adult once, when I was in my early 20s. I've always had a recurring dream of going to the toilet, and almost always can't in the dream and find it very frustrating. I then wake up and go. I got into the habit of checking my hand carefully every time I go to the toilet to try and make sure I'm not in a dream.

Since having my second baby 6 months ago I've wet the bed 4 times, always with the dream of going to the toilet. I have a grade 2 cystocele but don't have urge incontinence and have a "good" pelvic floor (so my physio says!). Most of the time it's not fully wetting, it's a small release but enough that I need to change my bottoms. Once over Christmas it soaked through down to the mattress at my in-laws; completely humiliating.

It does seem to be linked to fluids, in that both more recent times I have been drinking a lot (it happened last month after drinking more alcohol than usual, happened again last night after having a salty pizza and drinking 1l of water overnight, most of the time overnight I only ever have a few sips).

In the dream I check my hand but it's not enough to wake me up any more - last night I remember in the dream I was like "hmm, 6 fingers, doesn't seem right, I'll check again!" and my hand was totally normal when I checked again which is incredibly unusual for me in a dream. Feels like my subconscious is working against me!

I'm hot on my pelvic floor exercises but perhaps before they were strong enough to stop even a small release when I was really trying in my dreams and now they're not?

I've got a GP consultation and have asked for a urine analysis in case it's a UTI.

I'm still breastfeeding too.

Anyone else had this happen??? It's horrible. My 3 year old is dry at night but I'm not!

I'm not an expert, and I think you've done the right thing by going to the GP to double check all ok, but honestly it just sounds like you are drinking way too much, and are too tired to get up.

I never drink past 11pm because I know I'll need to get up and pee in the night, could you try just watching what you drink before bed for a bit and see if it stops?

It's not 'normal' as such but it's also not something to really worry about, it can happen on an occasion.

Have a look at whether a topical oestrogen cream might be what you need. Personally I found the Continence Pathway available via my gp was frustrating and biased against me as a woman who was breastfeeding at the time , but it's worth starting and hopefully a suitable solution will show it's self.
( Basically, my issues where blamed on breastfeeding, and that limited treatments available to me, it was actually causes by perimenopause).

Do you sleepwalk? I'd be the same if I drank a lot of alcohol and/ or was dog tired.

I sleepwalk and I have the same dreams about the toilet but can't wake up. I once made it down a flight of steps asleep and came out with massive injuries and I remember being in search of a toilet.

I just can't get too drunk, stressed or tired. Good excuse I guess ha

It's 100% related to fluids, I feed the baby at 10.30 usually then go to bed myself at 11. Typically I have a big water bottle nearby, which I've only needed during breastfeeding. Most nights I don't have anything but some nights when I've had a salty takeaway I really drink a lot. I'm trying to be more mindful and move my fluids into the day - I have a bad habit of only drinking a few cups of tea in the daytime. A bit like a baby...I've got my days and nights confused!

Yes I was thinking it could be related to be low on oestrogen due to bf, I'm hoping to cut down a bit once the baby's on solids...so far not going great, he's having half a spoon of sweet potato puree if I'm lucky!

I don't sleepwalk but the trigger is always the dream. Thing is, this is a reoccurring dream I have often several times a night, it's only sometimes it actually results in me wetting, before I had kids it was only once in my adult years. In fact before I wet the bed last night I had 2 other dreams that I successfully woke up from!

Can I ask how you are getting on and what your GP said? Thanks