Toddlers & PreschoolersSleepBed WettingSpilling the Truth About Bedwetting Millions of kids wake up with damp sheets. If yours is one of them, try these tips to help him stay dry. Facebook Pinterest Twitter Google Plus Text EmailBed-wetting is a normal part of growing up, but it can wreak havoc on your family's sleep – and your sheets. Being prepared for dealing with a wet bed will help you clean up quickly at night and with a minimum of fuss. Making the situation less stressful will help reduce any embarrassment your child may feel and take some pressure off both of you.Mattresses are expensive, and they're difficult to clean once they get wet. So whether she wets the bed regularly, or just once in a while, it makes sense to invest in a few essentials.A waterproof mattress pad is placed over a mattress and under the bottom sheet. You can buy fitted versions, which are secured with an elasticized skirt, or flat ones, which anchor with elastic loops on each corner.Mattress pads usually have an absorbent fabric layer on top, so they look and feel like a normal mattress cover.
Underneath, there is a waterproof layer, usually made from polyurethane. Despite being waterproof, polyurethane is breathable, so it won't make your child hot at night.If a waterproof mattress pad gets wet it can go into the washing machine, along with sheets. Thicker, more absorbent pads will take longer to dry.A vinyl mattress cover is a cheaper, lightweight option. It encloses the entire mattress and usually has a zipper. If it gets wet, you can simply wipe it clean. Although a vinyl cover is effective at keeping a mattress dry, it can be hot and noisy to sleep on. However, it's good to have one on hand for traveling with child who wets the bed.Disposable or washable underpads are waterproof pads that have a soft, absorbent top layer with a waterproof backing.You can put an underpad on top or underneath the bottom sheet. Some tuck in on either side of the mattress. If your child moves around a lot in his sleep, he may miss the part of the bed covered by the underpad, so it's still a good idea to use a waterproof mattress pad, too.
Using an underpad makes nighttime bed changes easier because you don't have to remake the whole bed. It's quick and easy to swap out a wet underpad, or even an underpad and a bottom sheet.Underpads are also portable, so you may want to keep some handy, for example, if your child comes to sleep in your bed or for travel.Instead of using a bulky comforter that's difficult to wash, consider tucking your child in under less-bulky blankets that are easier to wash and faster to dry. You can still have a comforter for decoration and just fold it back when you tuck her in.A waterproof duvet cover, which is also less bulky to wash, can be used either on its own or under a decorative duvet cover.You can buy a waterproof top sheet that can go between your child and her comforter. Today's waterproof sheets look very similar to ordinary sheets. The waterproof membrane is hidden between a layer of soft cotton or polyester. Although waterproof sheets are thicker and slightly heavier than normal sheets, they sound and feel almost the same.
As soon as you can, wash wet bedding. Note that some waterproof bedding should not be washed in bleach.If you're changing wet bedding in the middle of the night, throwing it into the bathtub until you are ready to deal with it in the morning will prevent getting urine on anything else. If you have time, give it a quick rinse first.No matter how hard you try to protect it, it’s likely that your child's mattress will get wet occasionally. Do your best to tackle wet patches on the mattress when they happen, rather than leaving them until later. Once urine has soaked through to the middle of the mattress, it's very difficult to neutralize the smell, so sponge it up with a cloth as soon as you can.Urine’s lingering smell is the result of acid crystals that form as it dries, so regular household cleaners might not work. For this specific issue, you may need to buy an enzyme-based cleaner specially formulated for cleaning up urine. It will help with the yellow patches, too.Before cleaning a mattress, think about how much time you have before your child will need to use it again.
Unless it's a warm day, and you're able to take the mattress outside to dry, try to avoid getting it too wet.A steam cleaner can be useful for cleaning the surface of the mattress without soaking it. Vacuum the mattress first. A mattress protector with elastic on top of a bed base A mattress protector is an item of removable bedding that sits on top of, or encases, a mattress to protect it. Some mattress protectors also provide protection to the person sleeping on the mattress from allergens and irritants such as dust mites, bed bugs, mold, and dead skin (like dandruff). Although the surface of a mattress can be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner, it is very difficult to completely remove stains from most standard mattresses. An unprotected mattress can become marked or stained quite quickly as natural perspiration produced throughout the night passes through a standard cloth sheet and creates a characteristic yellowish-brown tidemark where it has been absorbed into the upper surface of the mattress.
Mattresses are also susceptible to many other contaminants. The simplest form of a mattress protector is a lightly quilted fitted sheet. It provides minimal protection against liquids and little or no protection from dust mite allergens. In addition to conventional natural fabrics, new forms of synthetic protector or topper have appeared over the years including memory foam and spacer fabrics. These are more expensive than conventional protectors but add the advantages of pressure relief and in the case of the later, the ability to be washed. Waterproof mattress protectors keep the mattress clean by securing it from absorbing body excretions (such as sweat) or other liquids resulting from spills. These can take the form of flat rubberized flannel pads (commonly used under a bedsheet for infants) or special breathable fitted covers. The plastic pads are hot to sleep on and change the feel of the mattress. A urethane laminate on cotton that has good wicking properties is an alternative to a rubberized flannel pad.
A protector with a thin laminate that is not pulled too tightly across the bed will not change the feel of the bed. Also, the laminate is still breathable which means that it will not trap body heat. Most mattress warranties are voided if the mattress gets a stain, so most sleepers use mattress pads to prevent stains. The use of a mattress protector is often recommended to individuals who are known to be susceptible to certain kinds of allergies, especially dust mites. Dust mites produce waste products that irritate the lining of the airways and lungs and particularly with children can bring on allergic reactions, asthma and can irritate skin conditions such as eczema. A full zippered encasement allergen filtration mattress protector can provide an extra layer of protection between the user and their mattress, filtering allergens that are known to trigger allergy and asthma symptoms. For protection against bed bugs, the mattress and box spring must both be fully enclosed with no possible openings.
Zippered cases are commonly used for this purpose. This prevents new bed bugs from getting into the mattress and box spring, and traps any bed bugs that are already inside. Mattress protectors must be left on for at least a full year to make sure that the trapped bed bugs and their eggs die.[1] If the cover is taken off early, the bed bug infestation may relapse. Waterproof mattress protectors also reduce allergy symptoms by reducing the ability of mold to grow in a mattress. Mattress protectors which can be easily disinfected are commonly used in children's nurseries and health care facilities. A 2002 Norwegian study has found that foam mattresses are 4 to 8 times more likely to host dust mite feces than spring mattresses. There are different types of mattress protectors. Encasements are shields that protect the mattress directly, typically from bed bugs, and are often used in hotels. Protectors are used to protect the mattress from bed-wetting or allergic situations. In contrast, mattress pads and mattress toppers are primarily used to provide comfort features for the user.