Bedwetting a problem? Try these steps.

As a mom of 3 boys, we've gone the spectrum of bedwetting. My first had no issues, potty trained in 3 days. My second took quite a bit longer and my third was average. But bedwetting was an issue for my second guy. The problem was he slept so soundly that he didn't receive the trigger to his brain to get up until it was too late. I was a little embarrassed to be putting Goodnites on a 5 year old but I didn't have any other options. With the help of some advice and some creative thinking, I found the solution for him. He's now 8 years old and has no problems. I used the same tricks on my 5 year old and he hasn't had any issues either.

This is worked for us:

• First and foremost, nothing to drink after dinner. My guys head to bed around 8pm which means nothing to drink after 6pm. They do get a small drink of water when they brush their teeth but nothing else. I have read where this doesn't really matter but when we stopped the glass of milk before bedtime, our problem got better.
• We also put a bed pad or a towel on the bed, under the sheets. This saved the mattress from getting wet. The pads are sold on Amazon and have a vinyl or nylon backing with an absorbent top. It prevents moisture from passing through the pad onto the bed.
• Make the bed twice. Nothing is more disruptive to sleep (for both you and your child) than having to take the time to make the bed all over again. I put a fitted sheet on the bed, put the bed pad or towel over it and then put another fitted sheet down and make the bed as normal. If there was an accident, I simply took off the wet top sheets and left the clean one on.
• Heavy underwear. There are some brands of very heavy underwear out there. They are similar to a Goodnight diaper but do not pull the moisture away from the skin and can be washed. Some kids do not like being wet. I didn't use these for my kids but my sister used them on my nephew. After a couple nights of feeling wet and uncomfortable, he learned to get up when he had an urge.
• Go to the bathroom before bed. It's part of our bedtime routine. We brush our teeth, get our sip of water and use the bathroom. Sometimes I will hear, "But mom, I don't have to go." I make them try anyway.

Those simple steps helped and eventually eliminated our issue. It is important to remember that each child is different. It may take one of those suggestions above or a combination of them. We are completely bedwetting free now and all can enjoy an good night's sleep.

There are plenty of links out there with more suggestions and products. It depends on the severity of the problem. Our problem was relatively minor so the solution was easy. If you have a more severe problem, you should consult your pediatrician.