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Original poster

Bed wetting, heavy sleeper HELP......

20 replies

Gem2001 · 19/08/2019 20:44

I have a 5 year old son, and im struggling to get him dry. My daughter was easy, but my son is a different story.
Iv reduced fluids, made him go for a wee before bed time, iv even done the lifting thing but he just cries and becomes uneasy. Some nights he can be dry and then others he has accidents.
When hes dry my family and i dance to make it more fun to make it something to be proud of. Im at my wits end with it as he now starting Year 1 at school.
Any advice or tips to try and get my boy dry?? I have considered one of these monitor things but again im unsure.

Help a mother in need please.....

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Aurorie11 · 19/08/2019 20:48

It's hormonal it will happen in time you can't train for it.
My son was 9 before he was reliably dry we were just about to be referred to school nurse and it happened. Don't think docs will do anything before 6/7, we left it as wanted to avoid meds

Original poster

Gem2001 · 19/08/2019 20:52

I understand that (as the saying goes) boys are late developers than girls but with my daughter it was easy. I stress as he is going to year 1, and with the possibility of sleep overs the thought of him having an accident scares me, he always says ill have a dry night tonight mummy. So he already understands the concept. But its wierd we had a trip away in a caravan was dry all week, went back to school and then the bed wetting started again.

OP posts:

Original poster

Gem2001 · 19/08/2019 20:53

I dont want to resort to meds with him as he is only 5, but wondered if any other methods have helped

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BraveGoldie · 19/08/2019 20:58

Gem,
My daughter was 6, and I tried everything in terms of lifting, diet etc..... my daughter was a very heavy sleeper.

However, I finally tried the buzzer alarm and it was incredible. It is unobtrusive, and buzzes very quickly..... it didn't make sense to me how this would help, as she would have started peeing by then.... however, within a few nights she was waking naturally to pee. I think it's a bit like how our bodies start waking a couple of minutes before the alarm clock goes off - not sure. But I would highly recommend it- after loads of trial and tribulation, exhaustion, motherly self doubt etc, this was quick and painless for both her and me.

Shmithecat2 · 19/08/2019 20:59

Its physiological. Unless you want to medicate to replicate the antidurectic hormone he's not yet producing, there's not much you can do. Use pullups. It's totally normal.

Original poster

Gem2001 · 19/08/2019 21:03

Thankyou for your responses, i think ill give the buzzer ago, as iv bought him some boxers instead of pants, so in these he feels like a lil grown up, if that doesnt work then like you said let nature take its course, but im willing to try something that non meds that may just give him that lil nudge for a wee in the night

OP posts:

ragged · 19/08/2019 21:08

Are you in Scotland; why back in school already; does school upset him?

I don't think NHS gives meds below 7yo.
I don't think OP is listening.

He's not ready. Let him be. Use pullups. It's not anybody's fault.
See Dr. if you want, when he's 7.
DS needed pullups at night until he was > 7yo.
No biggie.

EllebellyBeeblebrox · 19/08/2019 21:09

School nurse here, bedwetting is really not uncommon in children that age (especially boys). Leave him in pull ups if he's happy with that, maybe think about a pair of pants on inside the pull up so he's more likely to feel the sensation when he's wet but you're not doing endless washing/bed changes in middle of the night. Stop lifting him especially if it's not working and it distresses him, I would suggest increasing fluid intake in the day, (increases bladder capacity and strength) ideally water or sugar free squash (cut out fizzy/caffeinated/black currant squashes)
Some children respond really well and quickly to the alarm, and it helps encourage them to wake to the sensation of a full bladder. But try not to worry too much, at his age there will still be another 2 or 3 kids at least in his class who have wet beds still at night.x

Wildorchidz · 19/08/2019 21:13

The pressure you are putting on him is not helping. Stop with the family dancing when he has a dry night.

TeuchterTraveller · 19/08/2019 21:13

My DS is 7 and has never had a dry night yet. It's hormonal, keep him in pull ups with a disposable mat under his sheet and try not to worry about it.

He's only 5. His sister's situation is completely irrelevant.

My DS has had a few accidents at school, he just keeps a spare change of clothes and quietly tells his teacher. It's much more common than you think, people just don't talk about it.

DS is beginning to become a bit embarrassed about it, but we'll just wait til it sorts itself out naturally (hopefully!).

Aurorie11 · 19/08/2019 21:15

My son went on sleepovers, beavers and cub camps. We made sure he had a pull up in his sleeping bag (took one on sleepovers) tucked away at the bottom, we just told him to take the pull up off in the morning in the sleeping bag and leave it there. We dealt with the pull up and washed the sleeping bag when he got home

SauvignonBlanche · 19/08/2019 21:19

He’s only 5? He’s not ready.

Mummydoctor · 19/08/2019 21:25

Agree with posters who’ve said this is normal and he will likely become dry with time. We used pull-ups each night with our son and at camps- he was very rarely dry. Once my son was 7years old we approached the NHS Childrens continence team, who assessed him, and offered us medication and then the alarm. The meds didn’t make a huge difference for us but the alarm worked to get him reliably dry in two weeks. I would relax and hold off doing anything at the moment.

whyffs · 19/08/2019 21:33

My son is 9 and still a bedwetter. Completely hormonal and normal.
Your son will be feeling bad enough without the added pressure. If he's not comfortable doing sleepovers with a dry nite then don't make him.
It just takes time for some kids. :)

Original poster

Gem2001 · 19/08/2019 22:07

Thankyou so much for your suggestions, i shall take these on board. Its just my daughter was easy so i felt i was letting him and myself down.
My son loves to please and see people smile which is why we do the positive thing of doing dances. But we never chastise or put him down when hes not been dry.
I can relax more now knowing other people have had and are going through the same as me and my boy. Clearly the lil bit 8n his head for this isnt ready, i will definitely take on board what youve all said. Thankyou

OP posts:

TeuchterTraveller · 19/08/2019 22:13

Its just my daughter was easy

I think you need to not compare them, every child is different so that's not helpful for you or him. I would honestly just leave him be for now and stop worrying.

SchoolNightWine · 19/08/2019 22:42

A tip that helped me through these years (my ds was 8 before dry through night) was to make up the bed with layers of disposable bed mats then sheets, so that in the middle of the night I just peeled off the wet sheet and disposed of the wet bed mat and the bed was ready to sleep in again. Much easier to deal with at 2am and kept frustration at bay!

ragged · 20/08/2019 05:28

My other 2 boys were dry at night before 3yo, that was nice & easy.

SarahLin · 20/08/2019 05:33

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TheVoiceInTheShed · 20/08/2019 06:37

I see why you did the dances but it is making a big deal out of it when he has no control - dial the interest in whether he's had a dry night or not right back.
Don't ask either way.
My daughter was at school and wearing pull ups at night as heavy sleeper - grew out of it like he will

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