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Potty training

Is your child ready for potty training at nursery? Here's the place for all your toilet training questions.

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Original poster

Almost 5 and still wets the bed?

65 replies

User9797 · 06/03/2019 07:45

My son is almost 5 years old and still wets the bed sometimes. It’s maybe once or twice a month but strangely enough it only happens when he’s got a sheet on the bed. Now obviously I always make sure there is a sheet on the bed but I’ve experimented a few times by leaving it off for periods of time and it never happens when there is no sheet. (I know every time it happens because he will tell me) He gets upset when he tells me because he knows he shouldn’t be doing it but he can’t tell me why. I’ve asked him if he’s too scared to go but I know he does go sometimes. I’ve asked him if he’s just being lazy but he won’t answer me. I’ve asked him if he just wakes up and finds that he has wet himself but he won’t give me an answer. Yesterday I put the sheet on after having it off for a whole week and low and behold the first night he pees the bed.

Beyond frustrated, I don’t want to have to keep the sheet off forever because I know that’s unfair but the mattress is being ruined with how many times he pees. I know I’m going to have to buy a protector. Help please?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

bubblegumbottles · 06/03/2019 07:57

Sounds really basic but it's always worth checking. How much is he drinking before bed and does he always go for a wee before bed?

Original poster

User9797 · 06/03/2019 08:02

He doesn’t really drink much if anything after dinner time and always go to the toilet. For example this morning he got up and went straight to the toilet and did a big long wee. So I’m confused why he can wee the bed and still wake up and do a big wee haha!

OP posts:

Original poster

User9797 · 07/03/2019 19:31

Bump

OP posts:

33goingon64 · 09/03/2019 11:26

DS still wore pull ups at night til he was 6. It's quite normal to still wet the bed at this age.

dementedpixie · 09/03/2019 11:28

Why on earth don't you use a mattress protector already? My 2 still have them on at age 12 and 15 in case of pee, puke, nose bleeds, period leaks, etc

EstrellaDamn · 09/03/2019 11:32

You made him sleep on a bare mattress for a week? Am I reading that right?

FFS give the kid his proper bedding and keep him in night-time nappies until he's ready.

Yumsnet · 09/03/2019 11:40

I think the OP means waterproof sheet (not just a plain sheet)?

My DS is 5 next month and still in pull ups. He's just not ready yet so we're not stressing about it.

MonkeyfaceThereturn · 09/03/2019 11:47

You can't do anything about bed wetting OP He's 5! Put him in pull ups and leave him be. Mine were all much older than that, yet my nephew was 2 and reliably dry. There's nothing you can do. It's not an issue.

dementedpixie · 09/03/2019 11:48

But op said I know I’m going to have to buy a protector implying that they don't use one already. Is he on a bare mattress?

EstrellaDamn · 09/03/2019 11:53

He isn't even 5. He's 4.

You're being weird about this.

Jenniferyellowcat · 09/03/2019 11:59

My nieces were potty trained at 2 but in pull ups til 7. Small bladders. It’s normal. Honestly, it’s not an issue.

PamGeo · 09/03/2019 12:08

I was 6 before I was dry through the night, at that time I had 3 other sisters, I was the 2nd child and there is only 15 months avg between us all. My grandmother asked my mum about our bedtime routine and wether we were told stories etc, she advised my mum to sit me on her knee and tell us the story but mainly tell it to me with the others listening. Sounds a bit fussy I know when you have 4 small children but it was the first time I was dry overnight and I've never wet the bed since and I'm 60 ... go me !

Original poster

User9797 · 09/03/2019 12:31

Can i just point out that they are not my kids and I've only been in the family for 3 months. I have no experience of looking after small children and I wanted help not to be judged. I don't work and neither does my partner so buying night time nappies is not something we can afford. And it would be a waste putting him in nappies every night as he only does it once or twice a month max. Also I don't have a lot of sheets to keep changing the bed because I cannot afford it and if he does it twice that is both his sheet and his back up sheet ruined.

OP posts:

Original poster

User9797 · 09/03/2019 12:32

I know I said my son but yes he's not my child and I'm very new to this so if you can all stop judging and start helping that would be much better

OP posts:

EstrellaDamn · 09/03/2019 12:38

Well your options are:

Buy night-time nappies
Buy mattress protectors
Buy more sheets

What is not an option is to try to force the kid to stop it, or force him to sleep on a bare mattress. I'm pretty sure social services would have something to say about that.

I'm not sure if this is your partners son, I might have missed that. Actually, it doesn't matter whose he is. Treat him properly, with kindness and love please.

MonkeyfaceThereturn · 09/03/2019 12:38

We are only judging because of your post.

You HAVE to buy a child nappies if he needs them. Or waterproof sheets. You can't leave him on a bare mattress.

There is no other option
I'd eat toast for days on end as a sacrifice if I had to. Poor lad.

EstrellaDamn · 09/03/2019 12:39

Oh, you can reuse the nappies if they're not wet. We often used them for 2/3 nights as long as they hadn't got all scrunched up and uncomfortable.

LeekMunchingSheepShagger · 09/03/2019 12:41

It's perfectly normal for a 4 year old not to be dry at night op. A GP wouldn't be concerned until age 8.

SoyDora · 09/03/2019 12:46

It’s normal for a 4 year old not to be 100% dry at night, so you have to manage it accordingly. For example with nappies, or with a mattress protector, or having sufficient sheets that you can change them when he wets the bed. Surely two is enough anyway, wash one while the other is on the bed?

hazeyjane · 09/03/2019 12:58

As others have said it is completely normal for a nearly 5 year old to not be dry at night.

You need to get a mattress protector (£9 in Argos for single, £13 for double....we have them on all the beds). Our duvets can go in the wash.

You shouldn't need tons of sheets and duvets (maybe of each unless you can wash and dry in a day - then 1 of each should be enough) just wash next morning.

Otherwise nappies (at 5 he is probably ok in a size 6+) and you can get them pretty cheap in supermarkets.

He will grow out of it.

AuntMarch · 09/03/2019 13:03

Parents make sacrifices to afford what their children need. That's just how it works. If you can't afford some spare sheets from Primark I'm guessing you only ever eat value beans on toast, never drink or smoke or get a bus or drive or buy yourself clothes. I'm surprised though - I know many single mothers living on benefits, their kids always have nappies when needed.

Original poster

User9797 · 09/03/2019 13:03

Yes it is my partners son I have no experience with kids so i was not aware it was normal. I think I will save for some mattress protectors. Also whoever mentioned social services, they are already involved because of previous neglect from their mum and me and my partner have turned things around but we do struggle money wise and my partner has a lot of debts that were run up by the kids mum etc so it's really hard for us.

OP posts:

eurochick · 09/03/2019 13:09

You can't leave a child on a bare mattress. Get some more sheets. Or use some night nappies. Yes, they are expensive but children are.

Wetting is quite normal at that age. I have a daughter who is 4.5. Some nights she's dry, some she isn't. She dislikes night nappies but they are necessary for now.

AuntMarch · 09/03/2019 13:12

I assume when you say you've only been in the family 3 months that is because you hadn't met the child until then, and not because you only met your partner then?

sugartitz · 09/03/2019 13:16

My seven year old wets the bed probably two or three times a week.no medical
Issues - just hasn't developed the hormone yet that keeps them dry and he is an extraordinarily deep sleeper. We have just accepted that it's extra washing until he grows out of it - he has a waterproof sheet under his main sheet every night.

Be aware it can be a heredity thing. My own dad often wet the bed well into his teens and my husbands brother was a bed wetter

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