What to Do When Your Child Wets the Bed at a Hotel? Helpful Tips for Parents

Why Do Kids Wet The Bed?

Kids typically gain bladder control at around two years of age but nighttime bladder control takes more time to master for many children. Some children may still wet their beds at around four to five years old. Others may still experience bedwetting until 12 years of age. 
 
It's not uncommon for parents and caregivers to wonder why their child is still wetting the bed at an older age, or why they're having more incidents than usual.

Some possible reasons for bedwetting are the following:

• Your child’s bladder may not be developed enough yet. It may be too small to be able to hold the urine produced at nighttime. Or the nerves that control the bladder is not fully mature yet that is why a full bladder may not wake up your child.
• On rare occasions, a medical condition may be the cause of bedwetting. Diabetes, urinary tract infection, hormone imbalance, structural defects in the urinary tract, or nervous system issues are possible causes.

Several factors may increase the risk of bedwetting such as:

• Stress and anxiety. Anxiety about starting in a new school or moving to a new house, loss of a loved one, and changes in routine may trigger bedwetting.

• Family history. When one or both parents are bedwetters as a child, their child is likely to have bedwetting issues too.


Top Tips To Avoid Kids Bed Wetting in a Hotel

Travelling with children can be challenging sometimes. If you are travelling with your kid who still wet their bed, it can add to the stress. Your child may get embarrassed about the situation. It may also be embarrassing for the parents who have to call hotel services to change the sheets and clean up. Some hotels may even charge extra fees for bedwetting incidents. 
 
To avoid the stress so you can enjoy your family travel or vacation, you must prepare beforehand when travelling with a bedwetter.

Here are some of the things you can do:

• Bring a mattress protector. There are reusable ones and disposable ones. 

• Pack extra set clothes for your child.

• Bring a potty seat with you.

• Limit drinks before bedtime. Avoid caffeinated beverages.

• Encourage your child to go to the bathroom just before going to bed.


What Happens When You Let Kids Sleep in Wet Clothes?

When you find out that your child wet their bed at night, change their clothes promptly. 

Urine-soaked clothes are extremely uncomfortable because of the smell and the wet feeling and will disrupt your child’s sleep. In addition, your child could develop rashes if they sleep in urine-soaked clothes.

How Do You Handle It When You Find Out They Wet The Bed in a Hotel?

Bedwetting incidents in the hotel can add to your frustration.

Here are some tips on how to handle the situation:

• Don’t lose your cool. Your child did not do it on purpose and is probably embarrassed about it. Scolding your child will only add to the embarrassment and guilt feeling. It will stress them even further which could lead to more incidents.
• Reassure your child that it is not their fault. Let them help with the cleanup as much as possible (changing their clothes on their own, stashing their clothes in a plastic bag, etc).
• Tell your other children not to make a big deal out of it and avoid teasing their sibling.

• Immediately remove and dispose of the disposable mattress covers. If the urine leaked into the beddings, remove them immediately and call room services to change them.


How to Stop your Child from Bedwetting and Prevent Future Incidents at Home and in the Hotel?

There is no surefire way to stop bedwetting in children. Sometimes it is just because your child is not physically developed enough to hold their urine while they sleep.

However, these tips may help prevent bedwetting incidents:

• Limit drinks before bedtime but keep your child properly hydrated during the day so that they won’t be extremely thirsty at night.
• Avoid giving them caffeinated beverages like soda or energy drinks, especially in the afternoon. Caffeine has a diuretic effect which means it can cause a person to urinate more.
• Try to use praise and rewards whenever they stay dry at night to encourage them.
• Make going to the bathroom before sleeping a part of their bedtime routine.

• Involve your kid in cleaning up like putting dirty clothes in the hamper and taking off wet sheets but don’t make it feel like a punishment.


Bedwetting is usually not a cause for concern although it can be frustrating both for the parents and the child. It usually goes away on its own. 
 
However, when your child reaches seven years of age and still wets their bed, it is best to consult a doctor just to rule out medical issues.
 
If your child is currently experiencing stressful events (bullying, loss of a loved one, parents’ divorce) that might contribute to bedwetting incidents, consult a child psychologist to help your child deal with the situation.