Manage Bedwetting on Holidays

Often the routine you have at home is not in place when you travel. This disruption in routine can be stressful for a child who is already sensitive about bedwetting. It’s important to reassure your child while traveling that, no matter what, everything will be OK.

Tips for a Stress-Free Trip

Plan ahead. Think about your trip and where your child will be sleeping. Depending on how, where and when you travel, it may be hard to find places to wash clothes and get fresh sheets if bedwetting occurs, so you may want to take an extra set of bedding with you.

Reduce the need for clean-up. Using DryNites® Pyjama Pants helps with a comfortable sleep experience and reduces clean-up time, no matter where you are. Pack extra supplies. Bring along an extra pair of pyjamas and some wipes so your child can change quickly and get back to sleep. Your child can also hide a pair of DryNites® Pyjama Pants in their sleeping bag or in the bathroom.

Make getting to the bathroom easier. If possible, make it easier for your child to get up in the middle of the night and find the bathroom by using a nightlight. Be consistent with your nighttime routine. The things you do before bedtime shouldn’t change just because you’re in a different location.

Handle accidents with grace. If your child does have an accident, address it calmly and have them help you clean up. Make sure to reassure your child that it is OK.

Experts from the National Kidney Foundation agree. "Using absorbent products at night to protect the bed will often reduce the frustration level of a parent and/or child waking to wet sheets," they say. And although many parents believe using these products may prolong nighttime wetting, Dr. Docimo reassures that "there is no evidence that it takes longer to grow out of bedwetting if a child wears absorbent pants."

Disposable undergarments may also help reduce the frustrations and stigma of nighttime wetting in older children. Many children who previously suffered anxiety about attending sleepovers or overnight camps have found confidence using absorbent underwear. "When I wear [the disposable underwear], I don't have to worry about wetting my pajamas, the sheets or my friend's floor," says one child who experiences nighttime wetting. "I'm not afraid to spend the night anymore."

Nighttime wetting is a common problem that takes time to be resolved. But the good news is that 15% of nighttime wetting children outgrow the condition every year. Using absorbent products such as Goodnites® NightTime Underwear and Goodnites Bed Mats can help ease your child's discomfort so they can wake up each day dry and worry-free.

These articles are not a substitute for medical advice, consult your doctor as needed.