2 1/2 Yr Old .... Child Wetting the Bed

I am new to this site but read your request. I have an 11 year old boy and he still wears Goodnites because he still wets the bed. He has been through so many tests and counselors and everything is normal. He just has not grown into his bladder yet. Their bladders are so small and as everyone else told you on here, the urge doesn't wake up the heavy sleepers. He is so out of it at night he doesn't even stir. Because he is so big now, he often leaks through his pants after just peeing once. Our counselor said to give him incentives, like if he goes 1 night without peeing, small gift, 2 nights, special dinner or something they like, age appropriate of course....and so on. Sometimes it helps and sometimes it is just something we have to live with. It isn't something they do on purpose or to upset you.....they simply don't wake up. Believe me we have tried everything under the sun! He is very mature about it, he gets up, takes it off in the morning, ties it up in plastic bag, and tosses it in trash, then showers. So he does his part and we just encourage him. Limitting drinks after 8:00 is good just don't make a big deal out of it. Give them a small drink of water (a single drink) rather than a cup or bottle if they are thirsty. My three other children have no problems in this area so we were baffled.
Also, we invested in a plastic elasticized matress cover, about $6 for a twin bed, they also sell them for crib mattresses. All you have to do if an accident happens is pull off top sheet and wipe with a cloth and some lysol. Sounds more compllicated than it is. It dries quickly doesn't stain mattress and you can put a clean sheet right back on. Since my son has this problem, we don't put all the extra sheets and blankets....he only has the bottom sheet and a blanket to cover with, like a throw. We keep an extra bottom sheet and blanket on the dresser by his bed. That way in the middle of the night you don't have to go digging in the closets and such. I know this probably isn't what you wanted to hear but it isn't something you can force them to do. Hope the information was helpful and try, most importantly, to be patient.

p.s. taking her to the potty every few hours at night is exhausting to you for awhile but is very helpful in training her bladder and her to wake at those times. Try to be consistent and do it at the same time each night. It only takes 5 minutes and you can go back to bed, and BUY SOME PULLUPS!

I completely agree with Candance. At 2 1/2, you're lucky to have her day-time trained, but night-time training usually takes much longer. She definitely doesn't need to be punished. No matter what age, children rarely wet the bed on purpose or out of rebellion. You should definitely keep her in pull-ups for while. She may need them for another 2 years. Some kids just can't hold it all night long, and many sleep soundly enough not to wake for the sensation of needing to go. She is perfectly normal to still need a pull-up at night.

So don't worry. You're doing a great job. You have her toilet-trained, which is a huge step. She just has to learn to hold it all night, every night, and also learn to wake up when she feels the need to go. That just takes more time. Pull-ups are a much better investment to save the time, energy, and frustration of dealing with a wet bed every morning.

GOOD LUCK!!!
C.

I hate to tell you this, but my daughter is 3.5 and is still wearing pull-ups to bed. She does fine during the day and stays dry during naps, but there is no way I would put her to bed overnight in just panties. My suggestion would be to put one on her RIGHT before she goes to bed, after your bedtime/potty routine. And make sure to go and set her on the potty first thing in the morning. That will help her to get into the habit of doing that thing that is now 2nd nature for us grown girls. Plus, it will get you out of having to wash the bedclothes (I'm sorry, I am way too lazy to even take that risk, LOL!)!!

I definitely would NOT whip your daughter or have her be "in trouble" of any sort. In my opinion, she is WAY too little to have that much expected of her. If it does happen, GREAT, but I think it would be out of the norm. I just think that they are way too young at this age to really have total control over all of those muscles, and most kids sleep way too hard.

That's my take on it! :)

My daughter is a little over 3 yrs old and I put pull up on her at night. She knows she wears panties at day and pull up at night. It's never been a big deal to me, I figure when she quits wetting the pullup we'll start letting her wear panties, but at this age I'm just not concerned and don't think you should be either. A lot of times her pull up is dry, but there are still the wet ones. I think pullups will solve all the problems. Don't rush your little one to grow up too fast. They grow up fast enough already.

This is something she will grow out of. Don't make it a big deal. Not to be discouraging, but some kids wet the bed until they are 11 years old. They can't help it.

S., I think you are doing a wonderful job in doing what's in your hand. You tranied her its really good. But please don't loose sleep about something you might not be able to teach her. My son stopped wetting his bed when he was 2. Nothing I tought him. He just din't go. So he sleeps in his BBP. He is not potty trained for the day BTW. Also, its winters, how hard you try unlesss she is able to wake up she will wet her bed. So I think take the advice of taking her at night or jut put pull ups and may be once its summer again let her feel the wetneess and discomfort at night for her to wake up.

Hey I am new to the site. I have 2 girls Emily (will be 4 in march)and Ashley is 2. Emily was tough to potty train she didnt really take it on or corperat until september of this year but once she got she hasnt had any accident during the day but she does at night I havent tried letign her sleep in panties yet she sleeps in pull ups and most morning around 4-5 she will wake up and come wake me up saying she has to potty. and is most of the time still dry. I have triedpotty training Ashley(2) but I dont think she understand what going potty mean cause she thinks its a game cuase she will go sit on the pot with her diaper ona and say I'm done (mimiking emily) but then she lauhs and flushes the toilet. and runs out. Me and my husband has put her on ther a couple of times but she just plays.I think giving Kira little more time she will get it. Good luck.
-A.

I personally would quit putting her in Big Girl Panties at bed time. She is still a baby! Some chicldren just simply take longer to have control over their bladder. I think you are on the right track not giving her anything to drink at bedtime. However, I personally would not expect a 2 1/2 year old not to have accidents!!

If you have been on MommaSource for a while you would see that potty training is a very difficult process and all children are VERY different from actual to desire to acutal ability to have control.

My suggestion is to continue with BGP's durring the day and pullups at night! Then praise her when she does not have an accident during the night. I would even a reward her when she goes 3-4 nights without the accident. Then when she turns 3 reward her when she can go 5-6 nights without an accident. The reward can be a special lollipop or lunch at McDonalds. something simple yet fun for her!

I personally think you're lucky that she can control her bladder during the day. If at 5 she still has some night time accidents, talk to your peditrician about it. There are some actual medical problem when children can't control their bladder during their sleep. I actually know a beautiful pre-teen that has to live with this condition. It is hard for her regarding sleep overs trying to hide her "good night" undies so none of her girl friends notice.

Consider your self lucky. As well, I have 2 friends that have 3 year old's that are almost 4 that REFUSE the toilet!! On a personal note, both my kids were potty trained by 3 with a few night time accidents between 3-4. Now they have it under control!!

Lot's o Luck!!

One word

PULLUPS!!!!

They are great for night time. You are doing an awesome job if she is potty trained by this age during the day. Their bladders are too small to make it all night until they are at least 3-4, sometimes 5, sometimes later. My son is 9 and still has night time accidents from time to time because he sleeps so soundly the "urge" doesn't wake him up. I take him to the bathroom before I go to bed and if I wake during the night I take him as well.

Most importantly, do not punish her for these accidents. That will be more harmful than helpful. To make it easier on yourself you can buy waterproof pads (twin size $10 at Walmart lays flat on the bed under the fitted sheet, my friend uses the fabric backed vinyl tablecloths cause they are cheaper) and layer them with sheets so on the bed you put a pad, then a sheet, then a pad, then a sheet for several layers. Then you take off the top layer, leaving your others intact and it is a true time saver. I take off the wet sheet and pad, spray with stain remover and let it dry outside so it doesn't smell up the house. Then after a couple of accidents we have a small load of sheets and since they were sprayed with stain remover it comes right out and I don't have to do laundry every day. Now the blankets I can't help you with but the pullups might be able to make a difference.

Good luck,
C.

My daughter is 3 and she still pees through the night. I potty trained her back in August. Much to my surprise, it only took a week. I thought, wow that's it? For the most part, my daughter has done really well not wetting herself. However, when I did the whole deal regarding letting her sleep in her panties, she would wet her bed. I tried the goodnites pull-ups and they are great. She only wears them to sleep and still knows that she wears panties. I think maybe the kids will stop doing it on their own. It's good that you don't let your daughter eat or drink after 8. That should help. If that doesn't work for you, maybe your daughter gets scared through the night or something and she wets herself. When my daughter is playing, sometimes she'll have an accident and say I forgot to go to the potty. Maybe that's the case with your daughter. Good luck!!!

My best friend's daughter was almost 9 by the time she stopped wetting the bed. She slept so soundly the "urge" did not wake her. She started setting her alarm clock for twice a night and would go put her on the potty. alot of times she had to carry her because she truly did not wake up, but she would go on the potty and not in the bed. Good luck, I hope this helps.

Hi I am mother of a three year old boy. He is very much so potty trained. However, I still have a problem with him wetting the bed. What I do is to wake him up in the middle of the night at a certain time to take him to the rest room. Also I noticed that when he does not drink before he goes to bed he does not wet the bed. Also try putting plastic on the bed. You can go buy a cover for the mattress that is plastic coating on one side and the other side that the child sleeps on is made of cloth it is really handy. You can find it at any baby store. Or if your funds are low you can always buy a plastic shower curtain and place it on the mattress before places the bed sheet and blanket this will help prevent the horrifying smell or accumulated urine on the mattress. Because we all know we can't fold the mattress up and put it in the washer.

I have to agree with the other moms. Some children's bladders are just not as mature and being 2 yrs old is still very young and sleep so soundly that putting on a pull up at night is a great idea. We have a child in our home that is your childs age and he goes on the potty during the day, but has to wear a pull up at night. Some mornings he's dry, but most mornings we just throw the wet pullup away. It'll happen in time. Rubber mattress covers are an excellent idea too. I wouldn't fret because things will get better.