Potty Training Through the Night

Updated on November 07, 2007
J.H. asks from Roseville, CA
8 answers

I have a 2 1/2 year old son, who is potty trained through the day (and has been for 5 months.) Soon after he was trained in the day, he became trained through the night (unbelievable!) However, I've changed his nap schedule when he started a small nursery school two days a week. Now he almost never lasts through the night. I've heard that children regress during change, but, it's been going on for almost two months now...any thoughts???

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K.C.

answers from San Diego on

Get a sticker chart going and get him all excited about earning a sticker for being a "big boy" and have the prize at the end of about 2 weeks be something he would really want. Remind him when you tuck him in about getting up to go potty all by himself so that he can get the sticker in the morning and then make a big deal about putting the sticker on the chart the next morning. All you need is to get him focused on earning the prize and within a week, you should notice a big improvement. Oh yeah.. NO liquids after 6;30pm.

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T.W.

answers from San Francisco on

We are going through the same process with our daughter. Exact same scenario. She's 2.5, started a playgroup 2 days a week, etc. She's gone through many, many changes in the last 3 months. We are still trying to get her trained through the night.
We've resorted to having her wear a pull-up so that I don't have to do laundry every day. She doesn't like to wear them and on those nights we allow her to wear panties and just encourage her to use the potty before bed. I was taught that you watch them throughout the night. After a few nights you can figure out what time he usually urinates his underwear. Then, you wake him 10-15 minutes prior to that and get him to use the potty. It's a lot of work for us parents, but supposedly it works. I haven't tried it yet because I haven't had the energy. I'm such a bad parent! Good luck! Please let me know what works for you as we need help too.
sfmom

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E.K.

answers from San Francisco on

We also had this problem. The doctor suggested no milk at night. It helped a little. My son would eventually (at 4) wake up in the middle of the night and walk to the bathroom. He's 5 now an is able to make it all night - most nights.

Friends of mine who had this issue used a special sensor that would make an alarm when it senses moisture. Good luck!

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H.F.

answers from Los Angeles on

My daughter went through a small regression at night when she was 3. She had been potty trained for nearly a year and half but we moved and that is what set it off. I made the mistake of stressing out about it and sometimes getting upset. What finally worked though was that we set an alarm for around 2 am and then took her to the potty. She stayed asleep for the most part and we put her back to bed just fine. After about a week she started making it through the night again. But she still had accidents so we learned to watch for the signals such as - going to be really really tired, having a lot to drink etc and we set our alarms on those nights as well until she was 7.

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W.W.

answers from Sacramento on

Hi J., it may not be regression, just age related. Most children will not truly be potty trained at night simply because children sleep deeper than adults do. That is way they can sleep through just about anything! That also means sleeping through the urge to wet the bed. Give him some time and he'll grow out of it. If you don't want to or can't you could try taking him to the bathroom at the same time every night. My mother used to take me and I still go every night at the same time so it does work! Other people have luck limiting fluids at night, but I don't have the heart for that. When I'm thirsty I want a drink, so I cannot deny my child a drink of water if he asks; but that is an individual choice. Good luck and remember, this is only a developmental stage, he'll grow out of it as his body matures.

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I.C.

answers from Salinas on

Put a diaper on him and wait for him to outgrow this. All three of my boys went through phases like this.

It's a lot easier to change a diaper than to change a bed.

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C.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

This kind of regression is SOOO common when kids start preschool. Don't let it stress you out because it will only give him more stress. I would not put him in a diaper for the night because he will use it, and will not get back into the habit of using the toilet until he's back in underwear. Just don't let him drink much before bed, make sure he gets into the habit of using the toilet whenever he wakes up, and if all else fails, wake him up and have him use the toilet one last time before you go to bed for the night. It is just a phase & he will outgrow it.

C. : )

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K.F.

answers from San Francisco on

Make sure to put disposable incontinence underpads under the sheets so if there is an accident it's not a catastrophe.

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