amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

silentmonkey · 06-13-2005, 08:38 PM

My 3 yo has started wetting the bed just about every night. I am not and do not intend to take a punitive approach to this. So basically nothing's being done about it. I just take her to the bathroom, change her pjs and sheets, and back to bed. She's having accidents during the day too, which she doesn't say anything about, so she's running around in wet pants for a while, which isn't good for her. Plus, I am burried in laundry. What else can I do to help her with this besides taking the punitive approaches?

Dishka · 06-14-2005, 01:01 AM

Id say before bed make sure she goes potty. Then if you get up in the middle of the night for whatever reason, make it a point to go and gently wake her up and take her potty too. Also for the bedtime thing, with ds we cut off drinks at 8pm(bedtime is between 8:30 and 9) and he has to go potty (or at least try to go) once before bed. During the day, if you can, set a timer for every hour or 2 hours-whatever works for you and when the time goes off make a big happy deal about it and say its potty time or whatever terminology you use. We didnt use a timer, but I have more going on now at home so I think if you are busy around the house the timer would help remind mama too kwim?

Rach · 06-14-2005, 09:06 PM

ditto what dishka said.

Good luck! It sounds frustrating.

bay75 · 06-21-2005, 04:57 PM

I ask this because my dd now 7.5 was a night wetter until age 7. She was diagnosed at 5 as having kidney reflux that she has to our knowledge outgrown. When the bladder infections stopped the night and day accidents stopped. I would recommend some pure cranberry juice (NO sugar!!!) and maybe a pee in a cup at your practitioner (alternate or gp) to test for a uti. We only found out after a severe kidney infection 1.5 years ago that hospitalized her about her reflux. We just reminded ourselves every night that it was her body not telling her she had to go, changed sheets and used some nice training pants at bedtime until she outgrew it. The hardest thing was her brother at 3 being dry at night as we did need to use positive reinforcement for him and still tell her that she was doing great as well. The mixed message bothered me a little but what can you do. This was a lot like her she night wet every night and usually when a bladder infection flared up then she wet during the day as well. Accidents were the only sign in most cases.

Mary

Craftymom · 06-22-2005, 02:59 AM

I agree with the bedtime beverage cut off, and making sure she goes to the bathroom b4 bed. Even if she falls asleep before putting her in bed wake her gently.
Maybe you can get her body trained to use the potty by making her sit on it for 5 minutes every hour or so..or within 20 minutes of meals or beverages. Let her know that the wet panties are "gross" yes, accidents happen but if you instill the uncleanlines of wet underwear maybe she will decide that it is too icky and she needs to try to stay dry.

Is she newer to panties or has she been trained for a while???? If she has been trained you may want to make sure this isn't a behavior thing for attention or something like the " I don't want to stages " some kids go through...
Good luck
Jodi

BonaDea · 06-22-2005, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silentmonkey

My 3 yo has started wetting the bed just about every night.

She's having accidents during the day too, which she doesn't say anything about, so she's running around in wet pants for a while,

I'm still running it to this with my now 5 yo. For the night time thing I have to make sure she gets enough hydration during the day that she isn't parched right before bed. On the nights I don't plan well dh or I get her up when we go to bed for a late night potty stop. We all giggle about it. She doesn't mind it because getting up to go potty with mom or dad is loads better than waking up in a wet bed.

For the day time thing she is still at the stage where everything else in the world is more important the useing the potty. So if we are at home it isn't a big deal because she can just make a run for it when it is time but if we are out and she doesn't know where the bathroom is we run into problems. I do forced bathroom stops for both kids. They both will wait to say anything about having to go until the last min. And they both act off kilter before they realize that they have to go to the bathroom.

I've gotta say that this bedtime thing has been tough since ds was dry through the night almost since birth but dd ... well, she just isn't wired that way.

The neat thing that has happened is that her peers support the "accidents happen" statement about potty accidents. A few weeks back we were at a friends house and 2 of the 3 bathrooms were out of commission. The only one that worked was in the master and dd didn't know about it (not that she would even think to go in someone elses mater suite) After she had the accident I shruged and said "accidents happen" and from the other room the 7 yo male friend agrees and said "They even happen to me." before he went off to play with the rest of the kids. Gosh, I'm thrilled that she has understanding friends.