Nighttime Potty Training - Brick,NJ

Updated on January 19, 2011
E.M. asks from Brick, NJ
11 answers

My daughter was potty trained during the day by age 3. She is now 4.5 and still wears a pull-up every night. I have not even tried to see if she can go all night without a diaper because her pull-up is wet, sometimes soaked, every morning. I try to limit liquids before bed and always make her use the potty right before, but she still wakes up wet. Is there any way to potty train her for the night? Should I go a few nights without the pull-up and just be prepared to change the sheets as needed? I thought she might start holding it on her own but she is getting older and there's still no progress. Thank you for the help.

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P.G.

answers from Dallas on

It's not a training thing, it's a biological/physiological readiness thing. At night, they don't control it. I've heard it can take as long as 5-6 years old or more, depending on the child. You're doing fine, don't worry.

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K.W.

answers from Youngstown on

My daughter was potty trained at 2.5 and recently turned 5 and still wears a pull up at night. She is usually soaked every morning. Her doctor said it is something she will have to out grow. Good luck and just let her be. You can't train them at night.

3 moms found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

You do not 'train' for night time.
Night time dryness or nap time dryness... is something that is not BIOLOGICALLY attained... until even 7 years old.
It is normal.

It is about the physiological development of a child... not the child being unwilling or naughty.

Daytime pottying is entirely different and separate... from night-time dryness.

Pull-ups for night-time... is useless.
It is expensive. It does NOT hold much, and WILL leak. It is not the child's fault.
Just use a good ol' night time diaper.
It makes more sense.
AND get a waterproof bed pad to put directly UNDER your child (not under the fitted sheet), as they sleep. I got all of mine from Amazon. I have about 4 of them... that my kids who are 4 & 8 years old.... still use under them. Because... they have accidents too. Normal.
It is childhood.

Waterproof bed pads, makes clean up WAY easier. With these, I don't even have to launder the sheets/bedding, because it does not even get wet, if my kids have an accident.

Your child is real young.
Don't worry about it.

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M.R.

answers from Columbus on

You are right, but you don't get to choose how old that is! Maturity is what she will take before she is dry. Just wait it out. She is so not alone, but she lives in a time where there is terrific protection for her so that she does not have to be misserable while she grows.

Think of it this way, what was the last thing you learned while you were sleeping? Same for her. Just let her body grow, she will get it when her body is ready.

M.

1 mom found this helpful

A.G.

answers from Pocatello on

I wouldn't push it. If she is still wet she probably can't hold it all night yet. I was told that it's a completely different part of the brain that triggers the whole waking up if you need to pee sensation. So just cause she is day time potty trained doesn't mean she's ready for night time. My daughter was potty trained at 2 and she wasn't ready for night time until she was 3 1/2. I never pushed her, I just waited for her to be ready on her own. One night she said she didn't want to wear a pull up to bed anymore. But she always had a really wet pull up every morning so I wasn't ready to have in underwear and pee the bed. So I told her if she could have a dry pull up every morning for a week then I would let her wear underwear to bed. And that was it. Next morning she was dry and has never wet the bed since. So don't worry. Just keep her in pull ups until she is ready.

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L.A.

answers from Dallas on

i feel your concern. my daughter just turned 5. we stopped the pullups on her 5th birthday back in nov. because she had some successful nights, & she has progressed. but if you know that she wakes up wet every morning, likely she is not ready. i know it seems that by 5 she should be, but everyone is different. go to goodnites.com & there is alot of great information. although i just got their sample, & its no different than the standard pullup. but really, i've read about it, and all websites say it is different than daytime potty training- its not trainable. i even just had my daughter's pedi checkup last week & there was no concern when it came up that she wasnt night potty trained. so don't worry. just obviously never punish her. keep up with what you are doing with limited water intake & going before she goes to bed. i've also read to try sticker charts. i think i am going to start that now that my daughter has had more success.
good luck to both of us.

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B.B.

answers from Missoula on

I think the other 2 moms are correct that there isn't much you can do to "train" your daughter to remain dry overnight. It isn't uncommon for kids to be completely potty trained during the day and need nighttime diapers for several years. It is more of a physiological issue than her not having learned what to do or not do. Our pediatrician suggests waterproof bedding, sticking with the diapers and waiting until the kiddo is ready. Be patient, it will happen eventually.

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R.Q.

answers from New York on

Is she wet at night or is the pull up full from her early morning pee (they tend to be huge)? Go in and check her a few hours after she goes to sleep and see if she's dry. If she is, make an effort to watch her in the early morning and when she starts to get restless, get her out of bed and on the potty ASAP. She can always got back to bed afterwards.

If your daughter is not dry when you check her at night, watch for her to be uncomfortable and restless during the night--if she is, take her to the potty (don't totally wake her up, just sit her down and tell her it's time to pee). Eventually, she'll be able to do this on her own, but it will take time.

C.B.

answers from Kansas City on

i am right there with you sister! and the answer i have gotten, like you, is, until they're ready there's not a darn thing you can do. frustrating, right? i am SO ready to stop buying pullups. my son is so insistant he wants to try, so we are wearing underwear at the moment, and getting up to change wet pants/bedding every night. i am still trying to figure out whether to force him back into pullups (inciting WWIII) or hang in there and hope he gets it soon....

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W.M.

answers from New York on

You received alot of really good answers. I would recommend, if you want to make the switch to underwear at night try the Gerber training underwear. They are regular underwear (cotton) just slightly thicker so she will feel wet, but it won't soak through as bad or as fast as regular undies. My son (3 1/2) wears them & the occasional accident never made it to his PJ's even. Here is a link to a place to get them/look at them http://www.pottytrainingconcepts.com/30GTPG.html

Good luck!

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L.L.

answers from New York on

Yes you have to just ditch the pull-up. The reason she's still going at nighttime, is because the pull-up is on. Have a chat with her beforehand, telling her instead of the pull-up, you're going to just have her wear undies to bed and that if she wakes up and has to potty, to go to the toilet. When PT my son, we didn't use them at night, just went cold turkey all together, and he's never wet the bed. I think they get the sensation in their sleep that a diaper is on so they feel it's okay to go. Just be prepared, like you said, for a couple nights of changing sheets, or put a really thick towel underneath her. But I have a feeling she'll do just fine. :)
Lynsey

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