Exercises to strenghen bladder, sphincter, and signal:

 

Water Gulping

Contrary to what people think, water is the only medicine that you need to get dry once and for all. Here’s what to do:

  • Take a bottle of water to school and drink all of it. Have a big drink of water at each recess and at lunchtime. Use the toilet even if you don’t think you have to ‘go’, and don’t rush. Take your time in the toilet.
  • Have a big drink of water when you come home from school.
  • Don’t drink milk or juice after dinner, only water.
  • Before bed, drink a big glass of water. It will clear the cobwebs out of your head so you’ll wake up faster!

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Bladder Attention Exercise

This exercise is used in addition to, or instead of the water gulping, both day and night.. It increases awareness to strengthen the brain/bladder connection. After a while you will ‘feel it’ more strongly when you have to go to the bathroom.

  • Whenever you notice that you have to pee, go to the bathroom right away. Thing about how your bladder is talking to your brain.
  • Think about how big your bladder is. Make a game of it. How much will you go pee?
  • Think about how you might feel this signal when you’re sleeping too.
  • How big is your bladder? Is it filling like a balloon?
  • When you get to the bathroom think about how your bladder works. You have to let go of the holding muscle, and squeeze with the squeezing muscle.
  • After you finish, squeeze down on your bottom a few times to give the squeeze muscle some more practice.
  • Do this exercise often: when you get up in the morning, at lunch, after school, after dinner.

When you go to the bathroom, take your time. Go to the ‘last drop’.

For boys, lower your underpants so your penis is not squeezed shut at all.

For girls, open your legs and sit well back on the toilet. When your legs are together you might not finish completely.

 

DryKids Ontario

Waking Up Practice

Waking up Practice has to be done twice every night, just before turning out the light. Here’s how you do it:

  • Lie down and close your eyes. Pretend you are sleeping.
  • Imagine your bladder getting bigger and bigger. Now it’s as big as a baseball.
  • Tell yourself, “I feel my bladder telling me I have to get up”
  • Get up and go to the bathroom.
  • Splash water on your face. Do it before using the toilet.
  • Use the toilet
  • Go back to bed.

AND DO IT AGAIN, twice every night before going to sleep

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Toning Exercise:

During urination, stop the flow for ten seconds, then resume. Do this once every time for one week.  Then in a second week, stop and hold it for twenty seconds. This exercise strenghens the muscle and awareness of control.

 

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