Nocturnal enuresis. You may not be familiar with the phrase, but as a parent, you are familiar with its definition: overnight bed-wetting which is the involuntary release of urine while sleeping. If you’re an adult and you’re experiencing frequent nocturnal enuresis, then you should probably consult your physician, but if your child is experiencing it, then it’s very normal and may not be cause for alarm. In today’s article, we’re going to dive into the ins and outs of dealing with your child’s bed wetting and to give you some actionable steps you can take to help to curb or eliminate frequent bedwetting in your child. Please sound off in the comments with your ideas, experiences, and opinions on the matter! We’d love to hear from you.
Bedwetting Is Common, So Don’t Stress!
If your child is under the age of 11 and is experiencing frequent or even occasional bedwetting, then you are definitely not alone. Approximately 10% of all children will experience bouts of bedwetting, some more frequent than others. That’s 1 out of every 10 kids! The number one thing to not do as a parent is to stress out about it and to take your child to task for wetting the bed. It is often not their fault in any way and the added shame and stigma doesn’t help the situation. It may be difficult to frequently change and wash their sheets and bedding, but believe us, it is perfectly normal. If you approach the issue with kindness and compassion, it can actually help make it go away quicker!
How To Help Reduce Instances Of Bedwetting
Bedwetting has many causes, so no solution will fit all scenarios, but we can definitely offer a few solutions that you can try in order to help your child. Causes range from psychological, physical, dietary, and even genetic. If you or your spouse have bedwetters in your family tree, then your child may be predisposed to also wet the bed. And that’s ok! Just another joy within the randomness of our genetic code.
- Reduce fluid intake just before bedtime
- Plan out a strict bedtime schedule each day that will work for both parent and child and stick to it! Make sure that they go to the bathroom each night just before bed. A regular sleep and bladder expulsion schedule will help to reduce the chances of wetting the bed
- Eliminate all caffeinated beverages from your child’s diet, especially in the afternoon and before bedtime. Caffeine can interfere with the body’s bladder control and can cause more frequent urination until the caffeine has been metabolized, which can take hours.
- Monitor your child’s stool expulsion schedule. If they are constipated, then that can lead to bedwetting. Help them get regular so that they can sleep better at night.
- Watch your child as they sleep. Do they snore loudly and often? Do they seem to choke or struggle to breathe during sleep? They may have sleep apnea and or tongue/lip ties and that can contribute frequent bed wetting. If you notice any signs of this, then consult your pediatrician for next steps and recommendations.
If you have Concern
It is important to talk with your child’s pediatrician if you are concerned about your child’s bedwetting. It can be an indication of blood sugar imbalances and bedwetting is often one of the first indications of type 1 diabetes.
If it is determined that there are no medical concerns, you may opt for a medication to help reduce your child’s bedwetting. Most of the time, they will outgrow this phase, just know there are options to help reduce the bedwetting if you would like to explore this route.
Before You Go
We hope you enjoyed learning about tips for dealing with your child’s bedwetting occurrences. If you would like to know more about this, our sleep programs or any of our excellent newborn care services, we are happy to help. Just contact us and we can go over your options and help you find the best path for your little one. We hope these tips have helped you along your journey. If you have any questions about helping your baby to sleep better, or about your baby in general, please reach out to us HERE. We are experts in all things baby and sleep and would love to help!
If you have questions about your child, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We would love to help. Please reach out to us here! We always look forward to hearing from you.
