The best 14 tips to stop bedwetting parents should know

Bedwetting is a common problem among children, but with the right approach, you can help your child take control of their bladder at night. Here are the 14 best tips to get you started:

1. Be understanding and patient

It's important to be understanding and patient. Explain to your child that bedwetting is a common problem. As many as 15% of 6-year-olds and about 10% of 7-year-olds still wet the bed. We don't talk about it much, so we don't know it from each other, but it really happens more often than you think. There is no reason for shame. This helps your child feel less unique and stressed.

2. Pay close attention to daytime urination habits

If your child goes to the toilet frequently during the day (say every 2 hours) and doesn't hold their urine unnecessarily, the bladder stays calm and doesn't get tense. By urinating just before going to bed, your child goes to sleep with an empty and relaxed bladder. This reduces the chance of a wet bed.

A reminder watch is a commonly used tool to help children remember to go to the toilet during the day, so a good urination routine is established. Want to know more about this? Click here.

3. Monitor drinking habits

Many children drink the most in the afternoon because they haven't drunk enough in the morning. Try to get your child to drink well in the morning. This allows the sphincter to train well during the day and reduces the amount of drinking at the end of the day. By the time this is converted into urine, your child is already asleep, increasing the chance of bedwetting.

4. Focus on dry nights

Give your child compliments and maybe even small rewards when they have a dry night. This can motivate and encourage your child to continue good habits such as paying attention to drinking and urinating during the day.

5. Rest and routine

Ensure a calm and regular evening routine. Many children respond well to this, and it can reduce the chance of bedwetting.

6. Follow a good bedwetting alarm training

With good bedwetting alarm training, your child is quickly and properly awakened right when they start to urinate. The bladder is still almost full, and your child feels this at that moment. It's the same feeling as when you feel the need to urinate during the day. By repeating this daily, your child develops a wake reflex from this feeling of needing to urinate during sleep. They will wake up on time when they need to urinate. With good bedwetting alarm training, you and your child are expertly guided if your child does not wake up quickly or properly from the alarm and responds sleepily. Because if that is the case, using the potty alarm is of little use. Many bedwetters are deep sleepers and have difficulty waking up. This makes expert guidance extra important.

7. Bladder training

With bladder training, you teach your child to hold their urine a little longer during the day by gradually extending the time between toilet visits. The goal is to make the bladder gradually larger.

8. Identify the cause

There are several causes of bedwetting in children. Click here to read more about the most common causes. By identifying the cause, you can work on the best solution for your child's bedwetting.

9. Seek medical advice

If bedwetting persists, if you are worried, or suspect there is a physical cause underlying the bedwetting, it is advisable to contact your doctor. They can help you further.

10. Medication

There are two types of medication that are quite commonly used. One medication relaxes the bladder, making it larger and able to hold more urine. The other medication ensures that the body produces less urine at night. In both cases, the chance of bedwetting is reduced. These medications are only available by prescription from the doctor and can be used temporarily. It is usually not a structural solution to bedwetting.

But especially the medication that reduces urine production can be a good temporary solution for sleepovers or school camps.

11. Use good bed protection

Think of a good mattress protector, for example, a water-repellent duvet cover or pillowcase. Good solutions reduce stress, fatigue, and dirty laundry.

Curious about what this good protection looks like? Click here.

12. Open communication

Discuss bedwetting openly with your child and ensure a supportive environment. Bedwetting is much more common than you think, and your child can't help it. By talking about it, there is no taboo, and your child feels less alone.

13. Pay attention to what you drink (and eat)

Drinks with caffeine can irritate the bladder, as can citrus fruits. Fizzy drinks cause higher urine production in many children. To reduce the chance of bedwetting, it is wise to pay attention to this and avoid it as much as possible.

14. Create a pleasant sleep environment

Ensure the bedroom is comfortable in terms of temperature and that there is a nightlight so your child feels safe and can easily go to the toilet without fear.

With these tips, you can help your child have dry nights and increase their self-confidence. Would you prefer personal advice about your child? Please contact us. We are happy to help!