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The Dr. Madre Bedwetting Alarm is a moderately priced alarm for bedwetting training. It’s one of the most talked about brands, and comes with some pretty slick marketing.
Before getting into the details, I’ve put together a quick pros-and-cons list below, so you can gain a good idea of what to look out for with the Dr Madre:
- Volume is loud (but can not be adjusted)
- Lightweight and non-obtrusive when child wears it in bed
- Good customer service available to deal with issues
The Not So Good
- Like most other lower end alarms, the Dr Madre is thought of by some as being relatively low quality overall, resulting in occasional issues like false alarms, or having the clip break
- Prone to continually beeping as the sensor may not dry properly – potentially a poor design fault
- As mentioned above: the volume on this alarm is not adjustable so you’re stuck with the default setting (some people think it’s loud, others think it’s too soft)
Priced towards the lower end of the range compared with other enuresis alarms, this alarm appeals to those who don’t have a lot to spend but still want to take advantage of the benefits that an alarm for bedwetting brings as you work to stop this distressing problem in your boy or girl.
Is this bedwetting alarm a good purchase though? What are the potential downsides to buying one of the lowest cost products?
You will want to check out what we’ve found during our research before you decide whether the Dr. Madre alarm is the right choice for stopping your child’s bedwetting issues.
Overview
As mentioned, this is going to be one of the cheapest bedwetting alarm products you’ll come across. Cheap doesn’t always mean poor quality or poor performance, but it often means making compromises and lowering expectations.
Unfortunately there are a number of negative points about the Dr. Madre that we’ve come across, and they are described in this review. Like all our reviews, we are committed to honest reporting and only recommending bedwetting solution products that live up to the expectations of customers.
What You Get
- Bedwetting alarm
- Information manual
- Batteries
How It Works
Some of the features that you expect to see in a bedwetting alarm are curiously absent in this one. Namely, the fact that there’s only one alarm setting. Unlike most other brands which let you switch between sound/vibration/both, the Dr Madre has just one setting: sound and vibration alert.
There are no buttons or switches and this can not be altered. So if you need a discreet alarm, this may not be the one for you.
The vibration itself occurs on the child’s arm, like other enuresis alarms. At the same time, the alarm sound activates so this dual action is designed to wake all but the deepest sleepers.
While the company states that the alarm should be loud enough to wake up parents even if they’re in another room, some people have found this to not be the case.
It will of course depend upon your particular home and the individual people. However, a common response has been that users wished the alarm was a little higher in volume.
The cable (yes, it is a wired alarm despite the fact that it is curiously described as being wireless) is about 44″ in length and the arm band is adjustable to an arm width of up to 11″, so you can use it even on young teens.
The company describes this alarm as a wireless design; however it clearly is a wired model. This is sadly misleading.
The sensor clip attaches directly to the underwear, and while you can use the Dr Madre alarm with pull ups, the sensor still needs to go inside the pants so that dampness can be detected; however it should not directly touch the skin because this can set off the alarm falsely through sweat.
The batteries, which are included, are 2 x CR2025 lithium batteries.
Pros
- Very low cost; good starter choice if you’re on a tight budget
- Simple to use – lack of options and customizations means you simply “plug and play”
- Company is responsive to support and concerns within the 30 day warranty period
Cons
- No option to select vibration only – operates solely in sound + vibration mode
- One alarm sound only: most other alarms have multiple sounds
- Some complaints that the alarm sound isn’t loud enough; although this can heavily depend on how deep your child is sleeping
- Refund and exchange policy valid for 30 days; most others extend to one year
- Might not be the longest lasting alarm – weak design points can shorten its life and usability
How Does It Compare?
Let’s get straight to the point:
The Dr Madre doesn’t hold up against other enuresis alarms, whether they are close to this price point or higher priced.
Lacking some of the basic features that make a bedwetting alarm effective, like multiple different sound types and the ability to switch between vibration/sound only, the Dr Madre provides little flexibility compared with other brands.
Conclusion
While the Dr Madre can indeed work well to train children to stop wetting the bed, there are other bedwetting alarms out there that are far more superior in both quality and performance.
Check out the Dr Madre alarm at Amazon, or see our reviews of other bedwetting alarms.