One of the biggest problems when it comes to bedwetting is the misinformation and mystique that surrounds it. Unfortunately many parents are under the misunderstanding that bedwetting is the result of laziness on the part of their child or poor parenting on their behalf. Let me reassure you, your son’s bedwetting is no more his fault than it is due to how he was toilet trained. Bedwetting is much more common than you think with about 1 in 5 children your son’s age continuing to wet the bed on a regular basis, and most of these are boys. The ability to control our bladder is a gradual process with some children taking a little longer than others. Children typically wet the bed at night because they are unable to wake in response to a full bladder, they produce more urine at night than their bladder can store, or there is a family history of bedwetting. A small or ‘unstable’ bladder is also common. In the majority of these cases children do eventually stop on their own without the need for intervention. The fact that he only wets 2 to 3 times a week is a good indication that his bedwetting will come to an end – sooner rather than later. In the meantime encourage healthy bladder habits by getting him to drink plenty of fluids (preferably water) throughout the day. Avoid sugary and caffeinated drinks as this only stimulates the kidneys to produce greater amounts of urine. Make sure he fully empties his bladder each time he uses the toilet and stop any ‘just in case’ visits. Get him to go to the toilet just before he goes to bed and try to make sure he doesn’t become over-tired, as this will only make it more difficult for him to wake-up in response to a full bladder. The decision of whether or not to use absorbent pants is really up to you – many parents choose to use them as they reduce the stress associated with dealing with lots of wet sheets and they often make children feel more confident about themselves. While there has been some debate about whether they impede the process, the research to date suggests that their use neither speeds up nor prolongs the process. I would also recommend trying DryNites instead of Pull-Ups, these are more absorbent so there is less concern for leakage and appeal to older children as they appear less nappy-like. You can encourage his independence by getting him to dispose of his DryNites each morning and let you know when his supply is running low.

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