Potty Training Advise for Night Time

Updated on August 29, 2008
C.S. asks from Franklin, PA
19 answers

Hi ladies! My daughter who is 2 1/2 years old is currently potty trained....during the day and naps! She wears her undies all day, with the exception of maybe 2 hrs., when she refuses and is naked! :) However, for bed time, she's in a diaper! We have tried several times to leave her in her undies at night...but comes in our room after 5-6 hrs. of sleeping, and is hysterical because she peed her undies! We explained to her that it's an accident, and that it's ok...but how do I get her out of the diaper at bedtime? She REFUSES to wear the PullUps, and either wants undies...naked...or the diaper. So, at bedtime we just do the easy thing and put the diapey on her. Any advice will be great! We're just lost at how/what to do about this!

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So What Happened?

Thank you so much for all the great advice! Today she actually woke up from her nap and told me she had to pee, and went, and then finished her nap! I was so shocked!
It's a great thing, and we're taking it one baby step at a time for now. I don't want to rush her to grow up any faster than what they already do! Plus, she may revert soon since the baby is due in 2.5 weeks!!! But, we're ready for it!
Thank You all again for the great advice!

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C.M.

answers from Allentown on

2 1/2 is awful young for staying dry all night. She probably is not developmentally ready to stay dry all night. My daughter is almost 4 and wears pull-ups at night.

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N.S.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Hi C.,

I would make sure she doesn't have much to drink an hour or so before bed and make sure she goes potty before she hits the sack. As far as the Pull-Ups are concerned, if you would like her to wear them, then put them on her, whether she likes it or not! Do you like changing a bed every night? She'll get over it-trust me. I had the same issue w/my son who didn't want to wear them b/c he was a "big boy" but i just told him he had to wear them until he didn't wet himself at night, then he can wear big boy undies all the time! It was a struggle for about the first 3 minutes of the first 2 days, but he got over it b/c I'm the boss (LOL)! Seriously, just try a few different things and she'll get better at staying dry!

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L.B.

answers from Philadelphia on

I would leave her in the diapers at night. She obviously gets stressed about it when she has an accident. Also, she is quite young to be dry overnite. My kids were like a week before their 3rd birthday before they were sleeping overnite in underwear.
Also, I agree with another respondent...once the diapers are dry for a week straight, then I would put the underwear on overnight.
Hope this helps.

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S.L.

answers from Philadelphia on

Wow, I do not have much advice for you because I am in the same boat!! It is nice to know that other people have similar problems. I just keep telling myself that it will come and she will not be 20 years old and wearing a diaper...

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A.S.

answers from Allentown on

Ask your doctor, but many kids bodies just aren't mature enough to stay dry all night. It has nothing to do with how much you give them to drink or how much they want to stay dry. On rare occassions this can occur until they are 9-10 years old. They are just NOT capable of holding it all night, that's also why she's not waking to go. We wore diapers until they were completely dry every night for a week, never used pull ups, they are chepaer, why not? Good luck.

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B.S.

answers from Philadelphia on

2 1/2 is young!! Let her wear the diaper at night, make a point of checking in the am and pointing out to her when she's dry. If she is dry every morning for a month or so, then see if she's ready to try undies again. If she's not comfortable with that, let her wear the diaper longer--eventually she'll feel ready to wear undies at night when she's more confident. What's your rush? Why upset her by putting her in the situation of wetting herself/undies/bed at night?

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K.B.

answers from York on

Did you try to stop fluid an hour before bed time? and make sure she potties right before bed time?
Maybe some one else will give you the answer mine are 6 and 7 so of course i have forgotten that stage already.
K. B

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M.W.

answers from Philadelphia on

I tend to agree with other responses. It took my daughter a lot longer to stay dry at night. She wore pull-ups at night and we called them "night time underwear."

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C.Y.

answers from Allentown on

My son is 3 and is daytime and naptime potty-trained as well. He is okay with Pull-Ups at night and wakes up with a very wet Pull-Up every morning. Since waking up dry for naps is something he's only done for a couple weeks (after HE told ME he wanted to wear underwear for naps!) I am hoping the same thing happens at bedtime. Since he hasn't woken up dry from bedtime, I am waiting until he does for a few days in a row before I try underwear for bed. I would be interested in other people's advice and suggestions as well! :)

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V.N.

answers from Harrisburg on

A few things I did to ease the transition. After dinner I allowed my son one drink and when it was finished he couldn't have anymore. I also make him go to the bathroom last thing before bed.

Then try cloth diapers. I use BumGenius but there are ALOT of different brands and styles, some are so close to regualar underwear she might not know they are actually diapers. They fit up to 35 pounds (give or take) and they are alot like underwear but she won't feel as wet and her bed will be saved.

Good Luck!

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S.R.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I don't see this as an issue.If she wants to wear a diaper at night,let her.It is going to save you the hassle and extra laundry when she wets the bed.Since she is doing well during the day,there will come a time when she no longer wants them.
Why stress yourself over such a simple thing?

B.K.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Hi C., All three of my girls potty trained around age three. We used pull-ups at night until they asked to wear panties to bed and consistantly woke up with dry pull-ups. Relax, use the diaper at bedtime and save yourself & your girl the middle of the night drama until she can wake up dry! Best wishes!

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I would let her do what she wants for awhile more. My son wanted to wear a Pull Up at night--even though it was always dry in the morning. O. night after his bath he just stated that he wanted underwear that night and that's how it's been ever since.
You will know when the diaper/pullup/sheets are dry for about 2 solid weeks that she really IS ready to lose the diaper at night for good!
Have you tried those new Underjams? She might like it more than a pull up......just a thought.

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L.L.

answers from Allentown on

Dry at nighttime is going to take a little bit longer. When our almost 3 daughter had the same problem, we purchased a generic "pull up" that was white and did not have the fancy designs on them that she would recognize. We called them "big girl sleeping pants". They were only wore at night. After a few weeks, she was consistantly dry and we discontinued using them. Good luck!

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M.G.

answers from Philadelphia on

I stopped giving my kids any drink 2 hours before bedtime. It is hard to do and they will ask for drink, but I think it is key to keeping them dry at night. It took about 2 months of this before my daughter could hold it all night long. If for some reason you forget and give her some, I always took mine to the bathroom around 10-11pm(when I was going to bed). I read a book that said putting diapers on the kids will just confuse them. You will have more laundry to do for the first week or two, but putting undies on them is the best thing, even when they are having accidents. They won't like the feel of the accident and they will eventually begin holding it.

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D.M.

answers from Philadelphia on

C., we are also in the process of potty training our 2 year old. I am taking my moms advice and waiting to move her out of pull-ups until she wakes up dry. Good luck with the potty training!

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S.C.

answers from Phoenix on

My ped said not to worry about night time til they are older. Just go with whatever she's willing to wear (diaper/ pull up) until she wakes up dry 7- 10 days in a row. That is when you know she is truly ready to be dry at night. He said that night dryness/ wetting has recently been found to be tied to heredity. So, if you or your husband wet the bed til 4 or 6 or whatever, you can expect your kids might do the same. He said not to push and potentially cause esteem issues/ anxiety. Good luck!

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E.S.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Hello!
It is very good that your daughter is upset by the wet undies...that's motivating for her to not pee in them! Do you have a fish tank near her room? That could be causing the wet bed. Also, be sure to cut off fluids before bedtime and make sure she goes on the potty right before laying down. I know these are probably things you are already doing, but these are the things I found when I potty trained my daughter. I also discovered that she wasn't aware that she should be waking me up to go pee if she had to in the middle of the night...my daughter was potty trained the weekend she turned two and the underwear only method is really what (I think) sped up the process!

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