Although there is no one “cure” for bedwetting, there are a few things you can do to manage this stage. Our bedwetting checklist is a framework, you can use it by itself or build onto it with activities and notes that you find useful. Here is the DryNites Bedwetting Checklist:
Talking to your child
- Have a good chat to your child and make sure they understand that just because they wet the bed occasionally, this doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with them
- Make it quite clear to siblings and other members of the family should never tease your child
- If anyone else in the family used to wet the bed, tell your child about it and help them see that it is a normal part of development
Setting up for a dry night
- Create a bedtime plan that organises exactly what will happen each night before bedtime
- Make sure your child cuts out the fizzy and caffeinated drinks late afternoon and evening
- Make sure your child goes to the bathroom right before bedtime to minimise the chances of any bedwetting happening
- Keep a night light on so you child can make it to the bathroom easily
- Just before you go to sleep, wake your child up and have them use the toilet again. Ensure that they are awake as it’s not effective to carry your sleeping child to the toilet
- Occasionally check in with your child to make sure that there is no blood in the urine and that there is no pain when your little one “wees”
- Keep clean sheets and clean PJs close at hand to make a quick change in the middle of the night as easy as possible
- If your child is venturing out for a sleepover make sure they are prepared and you have chatted to mum or dad at the sleepover home
Shopping List
- A mattress protector can protect your child’s mattress from being wet, they are pretty affordable and a great idea
- There are some great children’s books about bedwetting that help make the whole process more “normal” for your child. It is sometimes nice to share them as a story before bedtime
- If your child gets upset at waking up wet try using bedwetting pyjama pants like DryNites to keep them dry
- If your child will be sleeping in a sleeping bag, you may have some luck with a waterproof sleeping bag liner; these are pretty cheap and easily available
- A bedwetting alarm can help teach kids the relationship between a full bladder. Consult your medical professional for advice
Remember to be patient – bedwetting is not your child’s fault (or yours, for that matter!). Treat it as a challenge you work on together rather than a problem that needs to be fixed.
