L.W. asks from O Fallon, MO on June 18, 2009
When to Start Potty Training at Night?
Hello everyone! My daughter is 3 years and 4 months. She has been day potty trained since last August. At what point do you know when it is time to train them at night? We started it last week and stopped her drinking 2 hours before bed but she has made it through the night one time. I am sure this is normal and from what I hear night potty training takes a long time but could she just not be ready yet? How long does it normally take to train them at night? Is there something I should be doing to help the matter? We have the rubber sheet under her normal sheets and we have her bathroom light on so she can go in there if she needs to go. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
THANK YOU!
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A.R. answers from St. Louis on June 19, 2009
You are doing everything you can do, maybe just keep a diaper or training pants on at night, eventually she will wake up dry or will wake up to go potty at night. They have alarm underwear but I think that she is too young to worry. I think it is normal to wet at night until 4 or 5?? The rubber sheets are a good idea and the light but beyond that there is not much training only learning on their own!
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A.R. answers from Wichita on June 19, 2009
None of my boys made it through the night dry consistently until they were past 4. For one of them it was closer to 5. Even now, the two older ones will occasionally wake up wet. My advice would be to keep those rubber sheets on the bed for several years to come...they're also very helpful in cleanup if you have any nighttime vomiting episodes.
A.R. answers from St. Louis on June 19, 2009
You are doing everything you can do, maybe just keep a diaper or training pants on at night, eventually she will wake up dry or will wake up to go potty at night. They have alarm underwear but I think that she is too young to worry. I think it is normal to wet at night until 4 or 5?? The rubber sheets are a good idea and the light but beyond that there is not much training only learning on their own!
J.H. answers from St. Louis on June 19, 2009
I agree with the other responders. My daughter is 5 and still is not dry at night. She was day trained at 2. I have had her in cloth diapers, pantless everything. Most of the things I have read say that children wet the beds at night because they are heavy sleepers and can't wake up. As they get older they outgrow it.
At my daughter's check up my pediatrician was not the least bit concerned about it. There are bedwetting alarms that some parents report success with. I think they don't really encourage using them until they are older though. The bedwetting store is an online store and they seem to have some resources.
Good luck.
L.B. answers from Columbia on June 19, 2009
When I had my son in Pull Ups over night, I told him when he could stay dry for a week, he wouldn't ever have to wear another Pull Up again.
That worked pretty well. We've had several accidents, but some are to be expected.
One nugget of advice that has really helped us (and I got it from the wonderful mothers here on Mamasource!) is not only cut back on liquids before bed, but cut back on MILK in the evening. I experimented with this and every time I gave him milk for dinner, he had an accident that night...no matter if it was at 6pm when he drank it and he went potty right before bed...he still would have an accident.
Just last night, we were at a friend's house for dinner and they gave him chocolate milk. In my head I was like, "ohhh, that's gonna be trouble, but we'll see how it plays out".
He had 2...TWO...accidents last night! Should have listened to my little voice, but worth the experience to be able to conclude my experiment and tell you about it today.
Gosh, I think I just rambled...sorry. I hope it helps!
lb
J.H. answers from St. Louis on June 19, 2009
I'm the opposite if you - I sort of used the fact that my son was no longer wetting at night as a sign that he was ready to start training during the day! :o) The night thing just sort of happened with him all on his own. He is 3 years and 4 months old also and has been potty training for only a few weeks.
R.N. answers from Kansas City on June 19, 2009
I don't know how you can "train" kids at night - when they are asleep. It's just something their bodies eventually learn to do. You go potty right before bed. You encourage them to get out of bed and use the potty if they wake up for any reason. You remind them over and over...but that's all you can do. Just put her in PullUps at night and don't worry about it. I know 5 year olds who still need a pullup at night and 3 year olds who don't. There's no way to set this in stone on your schedule.
B.A. answers from St. Louis on June 19, 2009
Theres no way to train at night. I thought I was going to lose my mind over that! We tried everything, but she just wasn't ready. My daughter is 7 and has been night trained for about 4 months! Just one day she didnt need the pull ups anymore.
K.B. answers from Wichita on June 19, 2009
Good Morning L., Myself would just keep her in pull-ups at night until she stayed dry for at least a week or so.
Then take her and let her pick out some pretty big girl panties for night time.
She might be the type of sleeper who just doesn't wake up to go potty during the night. I must be lazy cause I don't like the idea that was given a few weeks ago of waking them up and taking them before you go to bed and then getting up again a few hours later to take them to pp. It might work, just so glad I don't have my little guys at night...lol
Best of everything to you and your family L.
God Bless
K. Nana of 5
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