The Bedwetting Blues: What to Do When Your Potty-Trained Tot Has Accidents in Bed

It's the middle of the night and you're jolted awake by the sound of your toddler crying. You rush to their room only to find that they've wet the bed...again. If this sounds familiar, don't worry – you're not alone. Many parents of potty-trained toddlers deal with nighttime accidents on a regular basis. But before you start Googling "how to make my child stop wetting the bed," there are a few things you should know.

‘’I, a young parent of three, am all too familiar with the bedwetting blues. "My eldest was potty-trained around two and half years old, but my second would wet the bed every night,". After months of sleeping on rubber sheets and cursing her bad luck, I decided to do some research and figure out what was going on. Turns out, bedwetting is surprisingly common among toddlers, and often it's not an issue with the child – it's a medical problem. Bedwetting is most often caused by a hormone imbalance that can lead to small bladders and overactive bladders. It can also be caused by a sleep issue called "deep sleep," which prevents the body from responding to signals that it's time to wake up and pee.’’

Keep a consistent bedtime routine:

One of the first steps to take when trying to help your child stay dry at night is to create a consistent and calming pre-bedtime routine. This means sticking to the same sequence of activities each night – it can include things like brushing teeth, reading stories, saying prayers, etc. – in order to help your tot understand that it is time to go to sleep. When children know what’s expected of them before hitting the hay, they are more likely to relax into a deeper state of rest where their bladder muscles may be better able to hold their urine (if they wake up in the middle of the night).

Encourage healthy hydration habits:

Drinking too many fluids prior to going to sleep can increase the chances of nighttime accidents; however, staying adequately hydrated throughout the day may actually reduce those chances as well as improve alertness during wakefulness hours so that children don't experience as deep a level of sleepiness at night. If you find that your child tends to drink too much close to bedtime and then wets the bed later on, serve small sips throughout the day instead and limit beverages after dinner.

Invest in good quality bedding:

Make sure you have high-quality waterproof mattress covers for all beds in your home (including guest rooms) as well as absorbent sheets or mattress pads. This will not only contain any accidents but also ensure a safe sleeping environment for your child without worry about long-term damage from liquids soaking into mattresses or furniture surfaces. Consider also investing in specially designed underwear like GoodNites which provide additional protection against nighttime leaks while looking similar enough to regular underwear so kids feel comfortable wearing them out and about.

Invest in Good Nighttime Protection:

If your child is still having accidents despite following a bedtime routine and limiting their fluids, it might be time to invest in some good nighttime protection. There are a variety of products on the market specifically designed for kids who wet the bed, like absorbent pajamas and mattress pads. These products can help minimize cleanup and make accidents less stressful for both you and your child.

Create positive reinforcement around dry nights:

Positive reinforcement goes far when it comes to encouraging healthy habits in kids so make sure you give lots of praise (and hugs!) when they do manage dry nights. Celebrating successes creates positive associations with staying dry which will encourage more successes down the line!

Dealing with bedwetting can be stressful for both parents and children, but it's important to remember that it's a common issue that many people struggle with – even adults! If your child is potty-trained but still having accidents at night, try implementing a consistent bedtime routine and limiting their fluid intake before sleep. If those measures don't work, talk to your pediatrician about other possible solutions. In the meantime, investing in some good nighttime protection can help make accidents less stressful for everyone involved.

If you’d like to learn more about helping children become emotionally intelligent, join our community at https://linktr.ee/ottotheoctopus. Here we have a range of resources available to empower both parents and children with knowledge on how to navigate through life’s challenging times together! Let's make sure our future generations are emotionally equipped - it starts with us!