How to Keep a Toddler From Wetting the Bed

Your toddler has been going diaper-free during the day for weeks, but still hasn't quite mastered nighttime dryness. This is perfectly normal. During the day, she's awake and recognizes the physical signals of needing to use the potty. Her bladder may not be strong enough to hold her urine for an extended period when she's asleep, which can lead to bed-wetting. In the majority of cases, nighttime dryness happens naturally, when the child is ready.

Instructions

    • 1

      Relax. It's normal for a toddler to wet the bed. It's not easy to master staying dry all night, says BabyCenter. Some children don't have the physical control to hold urine for several hours until the toddler years are over. Nearly 1 in 2 children still wet the bed at the age of 3, states BabyCenter. Never let your toddler think he is in trouble for wetting the bed. Comfort him if he wets the bed and reassure him that lots of other children his age do the same, suggests books and magazine author Dina Roth Port, in the article, "8 Best Solutions to Beat Bedwetting," in "Parents" magazine.

    • 2

      Take things at your toddler's pace. Check her diaper first thing in the morning to see if she has managed to stay dry all night. When she has woken up dry for a few consecutive days, she's ready to try sleeping without a diaper. Don't make a big deal out of it -- just tell her you're trying something different.

    • 3

      Adapt your nighttime routine to help stop your toddler wetting the bed. Limit the amount of liquid he drinks in the few hours before bedtime. Make the bathroom the last stop before you tuck him in. Lift him out of bed for one last potty visit before you go to bed yourself.

    • 4

      Monitor your toddler's progress over a few weeks. Record how many dry nights she has. If she is still wetting the bed frequently after a few weeks, go back to the diapers. Explain to her -- without making a big deal out of it -- that her body isn't quite ready to go without diapers at night, but that you'll try again soon.

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