When to Start Potty Training at Night?

Updated on June 19, 2009
L.W. asks from O Fallon, MO
11 answers

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

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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T.M.

answers from Kansas City on

My son was a very heavy sleeper and didn't go through the night dry until he was pretty old. I think you just have to wait until they wake up dry for several day's, the only other thing for you to do is wake up yourself and take her to the potty at times during the night. Just give her time!

S.L.

answers from Kansas City on

It's always been my understanding that the night-time dryness usually comes before the daytime dryness in mist cases. In fact, that's listed as one of the signs for a child being ready to potty train during the day. My 4 daughters started waking up dry by age 2 and never needed pull-ups at night once we let go of them during the day. Most of my daycare children start waking up dry from naps between 2 and 3 years of age. Some even start before age 2. But, it's not abnormal for some children to be incontinent at night for quite a long time. It does sound like she isn't ready. I don't think it's a matter of "training" at night. She will naturally stop urinating in her sleep when the time is right for her. It also seems to run in families. I've known people that had multiple bed wetters under one roof. Have you asked your mother and mother-in-law how old you and your husband were?

Suzi

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K.B.

answers from Wichita on

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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B.A.

answers from St. Louis on

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.

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S.H.

answers from St. Louis on

with the children in our family & with my daycare, the nighttime always came after the daytime training. & the nighttime is not a training period, but should come naturally...not enforced. I think what surprised me was that it's been 10 months since she was daytime trained... usually it's just a couple of months later when you get to eliminate the nighttime diaper!

There are some things you can do to aid the progress: don't wait until 2 hours before bedtime to cut off liquids...do it immediately after dinner. Just allow small sips up until that 2 hour mark, then none at all from that point on. Also, does she wear a diaper/pullup for naptime? Eliminating that will aid in moving toward the nighttime issues. Also try to monitor how frequently she uses the bathroom during the day...& how much her output is. Another thing to think about would be- before you began this, were her diapers/pullups wet or completely soaked? Did it feel like one or more releases? Until you have several dry mornings, your daughter is not ready.

One more thing to think about is that many people have bladders smaller than usual. That's why there are so many drs who specialize in incontinence issues. If this continues to be an issue, please talk to your dr...help is available!

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R.N.

answers from Kansas City on

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.

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J.H.

answers from St. Louis on

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.

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L.B.

answers from Columbia on

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

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J.H.

answers from St. Louis on

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.

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A.R.

answers from Wichita on

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.

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