Potty Talk

Ok folks. I need the moms (and dads) out there to help me out. I need an intervention. Bonham still wears a pull up at night. I am sorry son. I know, I know….this internet stuff will be out there for years to come. So as your 12 years old friends are googling you, they will read this. Sorry about that. Just tell them to suck it. Anyway….

He is 6. And he has been potty trained for like a million years. But he wears a pull up at night. We keep waiting for the “3 dry nights” and it isn’t happening. The kid drinks water like he is going on a safari. I try limiting it, but homeboy is thirsty at night! We have successfully limited it to where he no longer drinks at bedtime or during reading…but limiting it much before then is just not going to happen. He often has sports that take him pretty close to bedtime. We talk about him getting up to go at night, but he doesn’t ever do it. I know part of the issue has to be that he doesn’t wake up, and I know the pull up aids in that. But dude…..we went through like 4 years of not sleeping. I am soooooo not ready to just ditch the pull up and disrupt sleep with wet sheets. Is that my only option? Do I have to just bite the bullet and deal with a week of no sleep and wet sheets? I have the bed protectors you can buy, so maybe it won’t be a full sheet change every night. Still….I’m scared. Talk me through this….is it time? Do I need to just try? I know the answer is yes….so maybe this post is just to enlist cheerleaders. Tell me it will be ok and that it will be quick. Please!!!!

http://twitter.com/stephaniebice Stephanie Bice

Yes. It’s time. Start it on a Thursday night- so at least if it happens you are disrupting weekend sleep and *might* get there by the first part of the upcoming week.

Here’s my tip: layer the sheets. cheap plastic cover, fitted sheet, another cheap plastic cover, fitted sheet. Do it so you have 3 or so layers. That way, if/when he wets the bed, just rip off the sheet and underlying plastic cover and viola- dry sheets and it’s back to bed.

Also, have you spoken to his doc about the constant thirst? Could be an underlying issue there that can be addressed too.

Good luck dear. You CAN do it (and so can Bonham)
- Danielle
  
  I like the layering idea. I think I will do that for sure. Should have started this weekend since it was a long one huh? Oh well…ok, next weekend.
  - http://torriesessions.blogspot.com/ Torrie @ a place to share…
    
    such good advice here! (why i love the commenting aspect of blogging )
Melissa J.

oh boy, you know I’ve been there. I say you go for it but if you try a week and if it doesn’t happen any night, or even close he may just not be ready and it may just be an exercise in frustration because its a sleep thing not a bladder control thing. I was so skeptical of my pediatrician saying ‘when he’s ready, it will happen’ but he was totally right, it was literally within a a few days without any intervention (D. was 8 & his pull-up was just dry one morning). Some suggestions for minimizing disruption (D. had a few accidents the first few months)…2 layers on the bed – waterproof over mattress and then a set of sheets, another waterproof thing and second set of sheets. Its a little annoying to sleep on the waterproof thing so we put a thicker blanket between the layers and then when he had an accident we just tore off the top, threw them in a basket and everyone was back in bed. We also limited stuff on his bed so it was super quick and easy. If he had 2 accidents, we just threw a old comforter over the mattress and tucked him back in. It was a bit of prep before bed every night but worth the ease in the middle of the night. We also still take D. to the bathroom before we go to bed. Our pediatrician said that because it is a sleep issue (sound sleepers) there is a good ‘test’…if they can walk or be guided to the bathroom after going to sleep, even disoriented & needing some guidance, they are probably ready or close to it, it you have to carry them & help them aim…not ready. He also recommended the bed wetting alarms but the idea of an alarm going off in the middle of the night freaked me out, so we didn’t try that. And we did have medication when he turned 8 that we were planning to use in case of sleep overs since he was so much older but never tried it because it happened on its own. I absolutely think you go for it, and if he’s ready it will be totally quick. If he’s not, don’t stress…he’ll get there
- Danielle
  
  Oh – I like the “test” thing. I might try taking him to the bathroom this week before I go to bed and see how that goes and then maybe try no pull up this weekend. Of course, I go to bed not that long after him! Ha.
Brooke

When we did it with sassy the doctor recommended just waking her enough to go pee right before I went to sleep. The theory was that it trains her to be aware of the sensation in her sleep and to just wake up enough to go to the bathroom. She always went right back to sleep and we only had a couple of small accidents. Worked with milo too and we gave had sleep issues too and this was a really small disruption. I woke them every night for about a week.
- Danielle
  
  OK. I think I am going to try waking before bed this week with a pull up still and then ditch the pull up this weekend. Yikes.
  - http://torriesessions.blogspot.com/ Torrie @ a place to share…
    
    good plan .
Danielle

Keep the comments coming! This is helping. I have a plan and am motivated….I think.
danielle

hum…..Fall Break is mid Feb…fri and mon off school. I wonder if that would be the ideal time?? right now I am battling a sore throat and he just now said his *might* be a tad sore….so maybe not this week. I know, I know…excuses….
Kelley

One more piece of advice on the layers. We definitely layered the bottom sheets with bed pads, but found that our “heavy wetter” soaked the top sheet and comforter as well. A layer of fleece between your top sheet and comforter to protect the comforter works wonder. Any fleece blanket will do, or you can run to the fabric store and get a couple of yards. It won’t fray, so just cut it exactly the size you need, and voila….a waterproof, easy to wash blanket to protect those hard-to-wash comforters. By the way, we had 3 accidents in our “week” and since then accidents are extremely rare.
Bay Area Sister

Yes, ditch the pull-up. And teach him how to wash sheets. ; ) He’s a very smart kid. The discomfort of a wet bed will help him along. It will be okay! You guys can do it! With all the money you save on pull-ups, you can buy him a swell Lego set. : )
http://twitter.com/BonBonRoseGirls Kristin & Megan

That’s a great tip from Brooke! We went cold turkey when he potty trained and his wet nights are far and few between. We use the fleece crib liners just in case….you know they’re like lap pads, but are big enough for the crib. We just put two under his sheet.
Michelle

Hi D and Happy New Year! I’m going through the same problem with G (4 yrs old). He’s been potty trained forever, used to wake up, but now just pees. But I too am so afraid of waking up to a soaked bed, angry kid, etc… So I keep putting him in his pullup. We said this was our goal for this year and have been off to a great start. We started with no more liquids after 6pm and only a small cup with dinner. We make him go twice before bed and have encouraging conversations. So far, he’s been wet about 5 times this month, which isn’t bad. He’s even woken up to pee around 5-6am and gone back to bed – GREAT! But yesterday he woke up at 7:15 because he was peeing. I’m torn like you and again, just don’t want to be changing a bed in the middle of the night. Everyone keeps telling me if I take off the pull-up, he’ll get up because he won’t have that crutch. I think he’s just a sound sleeper and it won’t matter. I’m not much help, but am interested to see what others are telling you. Good luck!

Potty Talk

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