How to Help Reduce Bed-Wetting in Kids? [This worked 99% of the times]

Bedwetting is a common problem among young kids but Sposie can help.

NIH says that more than 5 million children wet their beds. Boys tend to wet the bed more than girls. Dr Janjua, MD, says that the number of bedwetting boys is double the number of bedwetting girls.

It is a natural issue and many kids outgrow bedwetting. Only 1 percent of kids continue to wet their beds as adults.

As a parent, you can develop some habits in your kid to reduce the bedwetting issue. Before we discuss potential solutions, it is important to understand the causes of this issue:

What are the Causes of Bedwetting & how Sposie can help?

Bedwetting happens naturally. Your child is still under development so it might not be aware of the wake-up mechanism. The following are some prominent causes of bedwetting:

• Your child can’t hold the urine at night.
• Your child’s body doesn’t wake up due to a full bladder at night (it is still developing)
• Constipation. It disturbs the work of your baby’s bladder causing bedwetting
• It is genetic. Maybe someone in your family used to wet the bed in their childhood?
• Overactive bladder

How to Help Reduce Bedwetting?

Bedwetting is not a serious health issue if your baby is younger than 5 years of age. However, as a parent, you can develop good habits and preventative measures to ensure its frequency remains limited.

For Babies:

• Use high-quality booster pads with the diapers. Staying in a wet diaper leads to diaper rash.
• Change the diaper often.

For Young Kids (less than 5 years):

• Start using a bedwetting alarm. When your child will start waking up as soon as it wets the bed, it will develop the habit of the same. It is one of the most effective measures.
• Give your child a sufficient quantity of fluids (water, milk, etc.) in the day. This will let their bladder hold urine for long durations.
• Ensure your child is fully awake when it wakes up at night to wee.
• Start using a plastic mattress cover. You can also use towels for absorbing the urine.
• Don’t give your child caffeine-containing foods and drinks (coffee, chocolate, etc.)
• Make sure your child urinates before bedtime.

Dr Janjua suggests scheduling the bathroom breaks. Dr Goldstein says bathroom visits before bedtime aren’t the cure of bedwetting but they are certainly effective in keeping the bladder empty.

For Older Kids (more than 5 years):

•    Consult with the pediatrician. He or she can track the progress of your baby.
•    Use medication but know it has side effects. Only use medication under the guidance of a pediatrician.
•    Talk with your child. Bedwetting isn’t voluntary but if your child sneaks behind your back and eats (or drinks) what it shouldn’t, then you’ll need to discuss the problem.
•    Give incentives for not wetting the bed. You can give sweets or toys for a streak of ‘dry’ nights.

Talking to your child and making him (or her) a part of the solution will boost their confidence.

What You Shouldn’t Do:

Apart from the things you should do, there are many things you shouldn’t do. They are:

• Don’t scold your child. In most cases, bedwetting is nobody’s fault.
• Don’t tease or make fun of this issue. It can lower the self-confidence of your child.
• Don’t give medicine right away. They have side effects and without a pediatrician’s supervision, it can be harmful.

When is Bedwetting Unsafe?

If your child wets the pants in the daytime as well, you should consult with a doctor. It can be a serious issue. The cause might be diabetes or UTI (Urinary Tract Infection). Bedwetting isn’t a serious issue in most of the cases so don’t worry.

Conclusion

Almost every child outgrows bedwetting. Only a few of the kids carry this problem in their teenage or adult years. Your child will outgrow it too, be confident.

What is your experience with bedwetting? How do you help your child? Share your thoughts.