JohnnTimmysMom
01-31-2007, 05:50 PM
My 4 yr old boys have been trained since 2 1/2 during the day. But, despite our efforts, they are STILL wetting at night. We cut off liquids 1 hour before bed, they go potty about 3 times during that hour, and still, they are soaking their pull ups. I have tried letting them sleep in underwear hoping that the wetness would get old to them. Three weeks later, after everynight was wet, I went back to pullups. I have had them clean up their own blankets when they do wet. I was washing sheets so much, my electric bill went up sky high! I feel exhausted of our efforts. They will be 5 in March and I am expecting in June. I REALLY would like to have these two out of pullups by the time the new diapers are needed! HELP! Anymore Ideas? Is this normal for boys?
newchristianmomof4
01-31-2007, 07:55 PM
This probably will not be of much help. I do sympathize with you, your husband and the twins. It is a lot of work mentally and physically. I have found with my children, that no matter how much I deny liquids before bed, it may not help. I have been buying pampers or pull ups or goodnights for over 20 years, my son is 20 and my youngest daughter is 9, I have not stopped at all since my son was born!
I have four beautiful, loving children and only one out of 4 did not have bed wetting issues. My ds wet the bed until he was 8... always dry during the day. My 2nd dd wet until she was about 6, always dry during the day. and now our 3rd dd who just turned 9 still wets the bed every night. we pray about it and we never do anything to make her feel bad about it, as she can not help it.
she is going to church camp for a week in August (we hope) and young scholars program for a week in July (far from home in NY). We were just talking about this issue tonight at the dinner, because camp came up. We have a family candle and one at a time over dinner we discuss what may be bothering us and all of our joys. We decided again (because it is now bothering my dd enough to talk about it) that we would wake her up before I go to bed (about 11pm) and when her dad gets up (about 4:30am) We are hoping this will get her body into the routine of getting up when she has to.
I don't know if this will work this time or not but we will pray that it will and that we have the consistency that it will take to do this. We tried the meds on the children and it worked with both of the others, but it did not work with this one. both others only took the nose spay two - three nights and that was it and have never had another accident. That may be another route you could look into. I can not remember how old your boys are but normally the doctors do not give the spray until the child is 6-8. and you will know weather it works or not within a week, I choose that route after we exhausted all of the others. I do not like to give the kids meds but that was a very short term remedy. Honestly, I believe that bedwetting is normal for some children.
I am sorry this is so long. I hope in some way this will help you, even if you you only pray that you will not be buying pampers, pull ups or goodnights for the next 20 some years.... smiles and good luck. Wendi
gamommyto4girls
02-03-2007, 12:22 PM
Just wanted to let you know that I understand... boy it can be frustrating. My first two girls were day trained by 2 1/2 and dry at night before 3. My youngest has never been a hurry to reach a new developmental stage (I was afraid she'd be my last for many years and I don't think I pushed her along as hard either). She did not day train until about 3 1/2. She will be 5 next week and still is not night trained. I cut off liquids except water 90 minutes before bed- figuring if she is truly really thirsty she will drink water but won't drink unless she needs to. She goes through phases where her pull-up will be dry for weeks so I'll start undies at night and then after a few days of doing well we are back to bed wetting. I think she relaxes into the routine and stops paying attention?
Like you I am also expecting... girl #4 is due in May. I share your feelings about wanting to conquer this issue once and for all before then.
I must say that I have little concrete advice. I am also a trained preschool teacher although I am no taking some time off. I have encountered this same story many, many times. It seems to run in families and have a hereditary component. It also seems to happen more among preschoolers who need or receive less sleep on average... maybe because they sleep more deeply at night? So if your children don't nap anymore (my youngest stopped early at 2 1/2 and goes to bed later than her older siblings did at the same age) maybe you could try getting some more daytime "downtime". That can be easier said than done... we are so on the go these days.
Finally, in my personal and professional experience most pediatricians don't get to worried about this and offer medical treatment/testing until a child is 6 and up.
I hope this was somewhat helpful, keep us posted!
Beth
JohnnTimmysMom
02-05-2007, 05:45 PM
Beth,
Thanks for the encouragement! Sometimes it is so nice to know that I am normal and that others are going through it too! My boys are in preschool during the day and do still take naps. They are really heavy sleepers, as I followed all advice I heard to run the vaccuum while they were babies sleeping! NOw, they can sleep through a tornado! THey go to bed between 8-8:30 and wake at 6-6:30am...Is 9 hours not enough for a preschooler? Maybe going to bed earlier would help? At this point, I will try anything! I will be praying for you in your pottying crusade, too! Thank you for your prayers!
Allison
gamommyto4girls
02-05-2007, 07:56 PM
Sounds like your boys get a better than average amount of sleep. Congrats! Most of us (and our children) are sleep deprived these days. About 10 hrs per night is ideal, but if they are still napping they are doing great.
DD's 5th birthday is Wed. and she wet the bed Friday and Sunday nights this week. We just may end up buying pull-ups and diapers :( . Things could certainly be worse than that... I just keep reminding myself how blessed we really are.
Will keep us both in prayer- and let you know when we are diaper free!
Blessings,
Beth