Silly question, son still struggles with bedwetting?

[MPatelleMom]

That may depend on the type of alarm you get. One with a sensor that goes inside the underwear could probably be used with a pull-up. Some have sensors that clip onto the outside of the underwear. Or the one we used was just a bed mat with nothing that actually attached to the child. The sensor needs to be able to detect the wetness, so if a pull-up contains the wet and doesn't allow it to seep immediately to the sensor, the alarm won't work.

Oh! I see what you mean! RE: the ones that clip to underwear.

I'm aiming towards this one, simply because it has a 'vibrate only' option, that I think would work better than a loud sound, given that the boys are sharing a bedroom.

As far as *where* to clip it, if he has a pull-up on, I'm less certain. I suppose he could always just wear undies *under* a pull-up? With the clip attached to that. But...not sure, I feel like he'd find that not comfy to sleep in.

He did wear a Goodnite last night for bedtime for the first time however! And I'd say it went well--ish? He stayed dry last night. But the more important thing for me that he slept through the night and didn't find the pull-ups too uncomfortable. Which is big, for how picky he is, sensory-wise.

 

[mjkacmom]

What is this alarm? Is it just a normal alarm that goes off or a bed wetting alarm? My son is creeping up on 9 and he's starting to be embarrassed about wearing Goodnites.

It’s a bed wetting alarm, sensors are in the underwear. Fortunately for my heavy sleeping sons, I’m a light sleeper, so I’d wake them when I heard the alarm.

 

[MPatelleMom]

It’s a bed wetting alarm, sensors are in the underwear. Fortunately fit my heavy sleeping sins, I’m a light sleeper, so I’d wake them when I heard the alarm.

Have ya'll had any success using ONLY the vibration feature alone? We can't do the loud alarm part due to the kids bedroom being shared. (and younger brother wakes up at the drop of a feather). We're hoping to use one in conjunction with a pull-up/goodnites.

 

[lanejudy]

Have ya'll had any success using ONLY the vibration feature alone?

If you use it with the pull-up, you'll need to figure a way to get the sensor where it can get wet. Plus if he's largely dry most nights at home, you could end up wasting a lot of money on disposable pull-ups. Also consider comfort for the child. We went with a bed mat style alarm system because I didn't think DD would sleep well with the wires and things clipped to her PJs.

As to whether the vibration works... honestly, it will really depend on the kid. Maybe try a cellphone or tablet with a vibrate alarm just to see if he wakens. If he's a deep sleeper he might just sleep through it, but again that really depends on the kid. I recall some systems had an optional "parental" alarm to place in your room so it would wake you (and you make sure the kid wakes up). If you really don't want to wake the sibling that might be an option if vibrate doesn't wake up the right child. Other ideas for the least interruption to the sibling might include:

• start on a Friday night -- by Sunday night you might already have success; or a long-weekend gives an extra night in there
• wait until a school vacation week when interrupted sleep may not be as big a problem for either child
• I'm not sure of ages, maybe the sibling can have a sleepover in another room? Maybe with a friend and they "go tenting" in the family room. Or a weekend at the grandparents/relative.

 

[MPatelleMom]

If you use it with the pull-up, you'll need to figure a way to get the sensor where it can get wet. Plus if he's largely dry most nights at home, you could end up wasting a lot of money on disposable pull-ups. Also consider comfort for the child. We went with a bed mat style alarm system because I didn't think DD would sleep well with the wires and things clipped to her PJs.

As to whether the vibration works... honestly, it will really depend on the kid. Maybe try a cellphone or tablet with a vibrate alarm just to see if he wakens. If he's a deep sleeper he might just sleep through it, but again that really depends on the kid. I recall some systems had an optional "parental" alarm to place in your room so it would wake you (and you make sure the kid wakes up). If you really don't want to wake the sibling that might be an option if vibrate doesn't wake up the right child. Other ideas for the least interruption to the sibling might include:

• start on a Friday night -- by Sunday night you might already have success; or a long-weekend gives an extra night in there
• wait until a school vacation week when interrupted sleep may not be as big a problem for either child
• I'm not sure of ages, maybe the sibling can have a sleepover in another room? Maybe with a friend and they "go tenting" in the family room. Or a weekend at the grandparents/relative.

Honestly at home, it's probably about 50:50, as far as dry/wet nights. It's just a bit hard to say, because with him - it seems to kind oscillate (I think that's the word...?) Some weeks, it'll be 4 nights in a row, then others it'll only happen once a week. Even when things are consistent with his bedtime routine.

I think we're in a stretch right now where the pull-ups would make sense. But I may end up just having him switch back to underwear if he's dry for a number of days in a row, then break out the goodnites when we hit another period of mostly wet nights.

He's an exceptionally deep sleeper - BUT, he also seems to wake up to very weirdly specific things. Not sure if 'vibration' is one of them necessarily. But...I'm hopeful! Heck I'd even be willing to sleep in there alongside his bed for a few nights, if we could sort of get the concept down of him waking when it goes off.

We tend to go camping a TON in the spring, so that would 100% be doable! His younger brother is 4, and a lot of times would rather stay back home on certain camping trips. So we could for sure use that as a chance to trial things!

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

There is a prescription medication called desmopressin that helps kiddos hold onto their water better until they grow out of it. You could have their pediatrician prescribe it and just have them take it every night while on vacation when it seems to be happening more often and when it is the most inconvenient.

This is the medication that worked wonders for my kiddo!

 

[starry_solo]

It's a bit tricky because it seems to vary so much. However on vacation/camping trips it seems like it tends to ramp up pretty consistently.

We've found rather than one sort of single 'major' accident during the night, it seems to be more a couple of smaller, more frequent leaks. (from cleaning up his bed at midnight, then finding it wet again a few hours later).

His younger brother is actually somewhat recently potty trained, and is a much lighter sleeper. So if the bed were to get wet, it likely wouldn't wake up our older son, but almost certainly would cause a huge fuss with our youngest.

Ok, then he needs to wear a pull-up or something similar and then have an extra layer on his side of the bed with the pad.

 

[lanejudy]

So if the bed were to get wet, it likely wouldn't wake up our older son, but almost certainly would cause a huge fuss with our youngest.

Going back to the sleeping situation on the cruise -- other than the main queen bed, other sleep spaces are twin-sized. I would put the boys in separate beds so as to avoid 1 waking the other. Are you thinking each boy take one end of the sofa (pullman-style) bed with their feet towards each other? That can work with 2 small children (like 2 toddler/preschoolers) but might be cramped for a 7 and 4. Is there a reason neither could use the bunk that drops out of the ceiling? Or I think you mentioned you are sailing in a Family Deluxe Oceanview stateroom, which may have an extra murphy bed (to sleep 5). (If you let us know the ship/stateroom we may be able to look it up.)

 

[MPatelleMom]

Ok, then he needs to wear a pull-up or something similar and then have an extra layer on his side of the bed with the pad.

We're actually floating the idea of having him sleep in a sleeping bag, on the bed - with both a chux pad underneath, and also have him wear a pull-up.

Laundrying a sleeping bag is AWFUL. But...we figured that would be the best option, since the alternative could mean his brother possibly getting wet beside him.

AND, as my husband pointed out, it'd be easier to hide the fact that he has a pull-up on, if he's in a sleeping bag! (we hope).

 

[starry_solo]

We're actually floating the idea of having him sleep in a sleeping bag, on the bed - with both a chux pad underneath, and also have him wear a pull-up.

Laundrying a sleeping bag is AWFUL. But...we figured that would be the best option, since the alternative could mean his brother possibly getting wet beside him.

AND, as my husband pointed out, it'd be easier to hide the fact that he has a pull-up on, if he's in a sleeping bag! (we hope).

Maybe a sleep sack instead?

Is there no way to get an additional sleeping surface?

 

[lanejudy]

We're actually floating the idea of having him sleep in a sleeping bag, on the bed - with both a chux pad underneath, and also have him wear a pull-up.

Laundrying a sleeping bag is AWFUL. But...we figured that would be the best option, since the alternative could mean his brother possibly getting wet beside him.

Agree, laundering a sleeping bag is a huge pain in the butt. And you could potentially lose hours doing this every day on the cruise. Skip the sleeping bag. Put the kids in separate beds. If you are really concerned that the chux pad won't suffice for "leakage" -- use multiple disposable bed pads and if still concerned, use towels (request extras). Unlike standard chux pads, the Goodnites pad have stickum that keeps it in place if he's a wiggly sleeper. As someone who has been in a similar situation, you are way over-thinking this.

 

[MPatelleMom]

Agree, laundering a sleeping bag is a huge pain in the butt. And you could potentially lose hours doing this every day on the cruise. Skip the sleeping bag. Put the kids in separate beds. If you are really concerned that the chux pad won't suffice for "leakage" -- use multiple disposable bed pads and if still concerned, use towels (request extras). Unlike standard chux pads, the Goodnites pad have stickum that keeps it in place if he's a wiggly sleeper. As someone who has been in a similar situation, you are way over-thinking this.

Funny enough, 'towels' was our first thought, before ya'll told me that the Goodnites exist haha!

We were planning on putting the boys in one of the pull-down beds, our daughter on the other, as of now. 3 kids in total.

I was dreading hauling along a sleeping bag (that was DH's idea, he's a big camper, convinced he could make it work). But, I agree, the thought of laundering it alone makes me want to leave that at home.

The main reason as of me writing this for them wanting to bring a sleeping bag has more to do that little man is super shy about the other kids knowing he has a pull-up on. (which I know, seems completely silly, considering we're going to be on a cruise).

Thankfully, I have a bit of time to work on *that*.

EDIT - just placed an order for the absorbent chux pads!

 

[starry_solo]

Aren’t the pull down beds twin sized? How old is the daughter? Maybe put the youngest (or smallest) child, or whoever isn’t the bed wetter, into the same bed as the adults and then have two children, one in each bed.

there is also this potential option

https://www.justincasebedding.com/our-product

and use it as a sleep sack

 

[lanejudy]

We were planning on putting the boys in one of the pull-down beds, our daughter on the other, as of now. 3 kids in total.

3 kids = 3 beds. No need to share unless I'm missing something.

1. There is 1 twin-size murphy bed pull-down (pulls out of the wall).
2. There is 1 twin-size drop-down bunk that comes out of the ceiling above the sofa.
3. There is 1 twin-size pullman-style sofa bed (the back flips over as a regular mattress).

If the 7-yr-old is the oldest, put him in the upper bunk. With a pull-up and waterproof padding, there isn't going to be a waterfall overnight. In fact my DD was 7 when she first slept on the top bunk -- with those same products!

 

[MPatelleMom]

3 kids = 3 beds. No need to share unless I'm missing something.

1. There is 1 twin-size murphy bed pull-down (pulls out of the wall).
2. There is 1 twin-size drop-down bunk that comes out of the ceiling above the sofa.
3. There is 1 twin-size pullman-style sofa bed (the back flips over as a regular mattress).

If the 7-yr-old is the oldest, put him in the upper bunk. With a pull-up and waterproof padding, there isn't going to be a waterfall overnight. In fact my DD was 7 when she first slept on the top bunk -- with those same products!

Oh for heavens sakes...I totally forgot about the sofa bed being a thing! Agh. That we could totally do! Our daughter is actually our oldest. (she's almost 12). We'd planned on having her be on the top bunk, and the boys on the lower on. But I'm 99.99% sure she'd much rather be on the couch bed (I forgot that was a thing -.- can you tell who planned this trip?).

7 year old tends to be a MAJOR nighttime wriggler, but DH tells me there's a bar to keep them from tumbling down the top bunk bed? That's good enough for us!

 

[MPatelleMom]

Aren’t the pull down beds twin sized? How old is the daughter? Maybe put the youngest (or smallest) child, or whoever isn’t the bed wetter, into the same bed as the adults and then have two children, one in each bed.

there is also this potential option

https://www.justincasebedding.com/our-product

and use it as a sleep sack

That is GENIUS!! Oh my lord...if I'd known something like that existed 3-4 years ago? I would have done a backflip.

We go camping a *lot* as a family, and have been using sort of half-baked solutions to deal with little man's bedwetting on camping trips the entire time. That thing...would be worth it's weight in gold.

 

[lanejudy]

I'm sure @PrincessShmoo won't mind if I borrow her picture showing the 3 beds:

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I'm sure @PrincessShmoo won't mind if I borrow her picture showing the 3 beds:


View attachment 836326

Not at all. I had thought about posting it, but OP never said what configuration their room is.

 

[piglet1979]

My DS was a bed wetter. He was a very deep sleeper. My kids went to bed early (like 7pm). I would wake him up at 11 and take him to the bathroom. Some nights he already had an accident and I would have to give him a quick shower. In the morning he would ask me why he was in different PJ's. He was also one that peed a lot at one time. The pull-up/good nights always worked good for him and rarely had a leak. You should be ok.

DD was potty trained at night before during the day. In 1st grade the school had to help us. She refused to use the automatic flushes at school and would hold it until she couldn't any longer but would only go a little bit where you couldn't tell until it started to smell.

 

[Girl of the South]

That's a great photo. Yes, if you book for 5 people you will have 5 sleeping spaces. One double bed and three single beds. Just have to decide which of the 3 kids can climb up to the top bunk where there are stars in the ceiling! Not sure I would try the alarm while on vacation. It would work better if it wasn't a new environment, if he's in his own bed.