Son Soaking Through Diaper, Pj's, Sheets at Night

When my kids were potty training I would make up the bed with several layers. On top of the waterproof pad and fitted sheet I would put one of those 1 yard square incontinence pads (CVS has the throw away kind as well as a re-usable washable kind) and then put another fitted sheet over that. I actually made 3 layers for one daughter. That way when the bed is wet you simply strip off a layer at night and don't have to re-make the whole bed. My friend's 8 year old needs to be woken up at 11 PM before mom goes to bed to have her pee one more time or else she wakes up in a cold wet bed (she is such a deep sleeper she does not even wake up). Perhaps change his diaper right before you go to bed? Additionally, perhaps you could pad the diaper with smaller incontinence pads on the side (they come in all kinds of sizes - I have even used them to heat a moist one in the microwave to drape around my sore shoulders). Good luck, interrupted sleep is one of the worst things about motherhood since it affects everything else you do.

My daughter had the same problems. I find Huggies Supreme to be more absorbant than the "night time" ones. You can buy inserts that actually look like Maxi pads to put in the diapers AND I bought soft, super absorbant/washable "pull up" pants from OneSteapAhead.com (or LeapsAndBounds.com) to put over all that!! It's bulky but she wakes up dry now!!

Hello,
I stop drinks at dinner time after dinner nothing else and have them go potty before bed. Also a friend of mine puts her son down around 7:30/ 8 and when either her husband or herself go to bed (whoever is up later) that person goes in and wakes him up and brings him to the potty (he always pees) and he goes right back to sleep and never remembers getting up. I have a daughter that sleeps in a pull up and it's dry for months as soon as I put her in under pants she pees. I think its a sensatin thing that she will have to grow out of it.
Good luck

These are all great suggestions. Obviously, different strategies work for different children. I agree that getting a medical clearance is essential so you have peace of mind and move ahead trying to find out what works best for your child. As a parent, greeting the new day and having to deal with a wet bed is very frustrating. If it were me, for a few nights anyway, I would check him before I went to bed, and change him. I would also probably set my own alarm to check and change him again during the night..... anything to avoid a wet morning. I would also be very careful (as I'm sure you already are) not to show your frustration or annoyance because this will make your son feel bad and feel that "HE" is bad, but he won't know why. As a therapist who specializes in EMDR and treating early trauma, it is amazing to see what kind of events can constitute the origin of a negative self belief that is carried into adulthood, especially with children who have sensitive temperaments. Good luck

V. S. LICSW

I would suggest nothing to drink after dinner time. You'd be surprised how even a little water right before bed can come back to haunt you.

(I have a friend who doesn't allow drinks after 4:30 - that's a little extreme, but she swears by it!).

You need to cut out drinks a few hours before bed an hour just won't cut it. I like the huggies overnight diapers if they aren't working for you then you probably need to go up a size. If he's in a larger size you will have better luck at diapers.com you can also buy a ater proof pad to use over the sheet that way if he does wake up soaked you only have to remove a pad and change his clothing. You won't have to change the entire bed during the middle of the night.

I can empathize! Our son is the same way. The best solution I have found is something called "Diaper Doublers" (you can find them at your local Babies R Us). We use 2 of them in his nighttime diaper (we use Huggies Overnights). Most of the time it works well. Another thing is to put one of those lap pad things on his bed. Our son has only one functioning kidney and has to take meds to help him empty his bladder so even though we take the above steps, we still have to change sheets on a nearly daily basis. Anyway, hope this helps. Good Luck

Hi Genmacher,

You said MOST nights you cut off drinking liquids. A few hours before bed time he should only have sips of a drink, and only if he is thirsty. And make sure he goes potty before bedtime. No need to have lots to drink before bed. Some children hold it until bed and tell moms they don't have to go. I used to put mine on the potty and run the sink water, he went every time! good luck!

Hi there - My son is 2 years 6 months and the same thing was happening to him. So what we do is put a his size 5 regular daytime diaper on him ( he is not potty trained) and then a 6 Huggies overnight over that diaper. My son is very particular about many things so I figured he would never let us put 2 diapers on him, but he DID! I truely think he was sick and tired of waking up wet too! It has worked since and he has stayed dry!! Try it! Good luck

Hi,

When we went thru this with my older son I put him into a regular day time diaper and then an overnight diaper. This worked 8 out of 10 times and we all got a little more sleep and I had a little less laundry! : ) Hope this helps.

Barb

We had the same problem with my son but we just started using Pampers Ultra diapers and they seem to work better than the huggies overnights we were using before. Good luck! I know it's such a pain to do laundry every day!!! urgh! We also give him a double layer of PJ's, a cotton set underneath a fleece one piece with feet so even though he is sometimes wet, it usually doesn't make it all the way to the sheets.

What diapers did you switch too? Luvs nightime diapers work the best. You can also try putting "rubber" pants over the diaper, Walmart sells them in pkgs of 3.
Good luck & may the potty training start soon! :)

Hello
I have three boys and the only time I have ever had a problem with their diapers leaking is when they were too small. One mistake people can sometimes make is going by the weights on the box when they are figuring a size for their child. These weights can often times be WAY OFF! Definitely try going up a size. If you have your son in overnite diapers and you go up a size and he is still leaking then I would definitely speak to the pedi because that should not be happening. I bet that when you move up a size then you will no longer have a problem :)

My son is 5.5 and does not wake to pee, and does not wake if the sheets are wet around him. Last year he suddenly started soaking through his overnite every night, and we discovered the solution then was to get the next size up.

Now, if we limit his fluids and have him use the toilet a couple times before falling asleep, we don't have accidents.

My son is almost 2 and we have been using Diaper Doubles for a while now along with a night time diaper. I have only ever found them at Babies R Us and it's just a pad you stick in the diaper. Works for him so far. Good luck.

In addition to the fabulous suggestions already mentioned (especially the diaper doubler idea), you could put him in wool pj pants. They "breathe" (allow some of the moisture to evaporate) but they also help prevent liquid from leaking thru to the sheets. Read the directions about lanolizing them-it's like waterproofing. It might be tough to find them in his size if he's a big boy. Check www.novanatural.com or do a google search.

When my daughter started having frequent night-time leaks, I went up a size on her diapers. They look like they're too big, but they keep her dry.
Good luck,
J.

Huh, that's an awful lot to wet though. And he had never wet that much before? Does he drink a lot before going to bed? If so maybe you'll want to stop. Not to scare you or anything, but you might want to discuss this with his doctor. There could be something medically wrong that's causing him to be that wet in the middle of the night. I think I heard that diabetes can cause a lot of urine output. Now, I am no doctor of course, but it might be worth asking the doctor about. Especially if this seems to be a new thing.

Another thing that comes to mind though is he pottying during the day? You don't think he's holding it until he gets in his diaper do you?

Assuming that everything is okay medically, an alternative to continuing to buy the overnight diapers -- buy a few cloth diapers of the "Pocket Diaper" variety (my favorite brand is fuzzibunz -- we had the least leakage with those.) They're not cheap -- they run about $15 each if I remember correctly, but their infinitely reusable so they pay for themselves fairly quickly. Anyway, the way they work is there's a waterproof diaper cover (fleece on the inside) that you stuff with absorbent towels. The microfiber towels that they often come with are incredibly absorbent, and if you need to, you can always double up and stuff extra ones in there. They also tend to fit better, and they are soft and fuzzy against his skin, so much more comfortable than disposables. Yes, you'll have to wash them, but if you're only using them at night it's only 1 or 2 a day.

Hi,

I used to use diaper liners (Stop & Shop had them) as an extra protection. They are in the diaper section of stores and they are almost like a big maxi pad that you put inside the diaper. That will add one more layer of material for absorbing liquid. Also make sure that the ruffle around the legs is not tucked in at all or diapers will leak more. Good luck.

Have you tried Luv's diapers? I like those the best for leaks and I also have a 2 yr old boy. Also try plastic pants like people use for cloth diapers. They also have things called Diapers Doublers they are like pads but without the sticky part. Found in the diaper aisle. I used them when my son had a terrible stomach bug and the diarrhea leaked out of the diapers they really helped a lot. Just put one in right before bed with a clean diaper. Also I suggest no fluids 3 hrs before bed, that has also helped us. Good luck!!!

hi. My sister has 3 sons, now all 20 yrs+. She used the pull ups, sheet protectors, and the no drinking before bed too. Here are 2 more suggestions, 1) have him checked at the doctor's for diabetes (just in case-don't panic! A very good friend found this out about her son after many frustrating wet nights/mornings, and he was getting up and drinking from the fridge at night too); 2) get your son up to go to the bathroom when you and your husband go to bed.(keep lights dim and carry him in if you have to, and he should go right bck to sleep without remembering you got him up) Hope this helps!!

we used the huggies overnights diapers and they did the best job. They overnight pull up kind do not work for the reason you noted...the sides.
Our son is 3 1/2 and is potty trained during the day and we are now working on the night so it took him some time....

Along the lines of "diaper doublers" - I used to get the really cheap diapers (store brands) one size smaller than what my daughter was wearing currently - and just cut off the sides so I only had the absorbent middle part - and use that like a diaper doubler. I think this is cheaper than diaper doublers, but a bit of a pain because if you are not careful how you cut, you might cut an opening and all the absorbent stuff falls out. Also - One Step Ahead used to sell, and I think they still do, a thing to put over the sheets just in the middle of the bed that is really absorbent - and prevents you from having to remake the entire bed if there is an accident.

Try cutting off all liquids 2 hours before bed and have him use the potty right before bed. That may help. We do this with my 5 year old and he has only had 2 accidents in the last month!

Good luck.

Hi: well it's been about 27 yrs since I delt with this. My son was on medications for seizures so he slept really soundly and would pee the bed til he was 9 yrs old. So, I would pick him up before I went to bed, around 10-11pm., and just sit him on the toilet....he'd pee asleep..and I'd put him back to bed..worked great. But, since your little guy is still in diapers, maybe double diaper him, or just put a new diaper on him before you go to bed. hope it helps.

Have you tried an overnight pullup? I had a similar situation wtih my son, and when I switched to the overnight pullup, he didn't leak anymore. Good luck!