Night Time Potty Training

We all come to a big milestone in our child's life when it is time to potty train.  Potty training, as we know, isn't always that straightforward. However they get to an age and stage where we might be starting to see signs of readiness such as:

• They're aware if they're wet or dry during the day.

• They are taking an interest in the potty or the toilet.

• They're able to follow those instructions
  
  Then we get to that point where we go, okay, is it time?

Now, you might give it a go during the day and realise that actually it isn't the right time and they aren't ready. Don't feel deflated! They will get there, but they do need to be fully ready. The key milestone they eventually hit during potty training is that recognition of "needing to go", and once they master that then we can move forward with confidence.

Once we feel that they have nailed potty training during the day, we then think - and what do we do about the nights? To put your mind at rest, daytime readiness does not necessarily mean night time readiness. It could be weeks, months or even years before we see it come through. There are often a lot of pressures these days for our kids to be dry at night, but do please take the pressure off of yourselves.

There will come a time though when they are ready to go, and this blog will help you navigate it.

Daytime Potty Training and The Impact on the Nights

During daytime potty training, we may start to see some disconnect in the nights. For example:

• Delayed bedtimes with "one more wee". (Routine charts and positive boundaries can help here if we are getting lengthy settles back and forward to the loo!)

• Recognition of waking up feeling wet, which could bring extra night wakes or early rises.

• Increased awareness of body sensations.

• Anxieties around accidents.

Some kids may sleep as normal!  Night-time potty training looks like hormones play a huge factor in it. There's lots of studies to suggest that where there's a hormone that they need to have or develop before they can start to feel dry throughout the night. It's also really hard to control as parents and how dry they can be overnight. Here are some key signs that they may be ready for bigger changes:

• Being dry throughout naptime.

• They start waking needing to pee.

• No anxieties around peeing in the night.

• Developmental readiness.

One of my golden tips once you get to this stage, or to gauge when they are going overnight is "dream weeing". This is a concept that may not be for everyone, but it can work really well navigating the nights and it worked like a dream for my two kids as well as families that I have supported.
The concept is: at 10/11pm when they are in deeper sleep, lift them from bed and sit them on the toilet. They will be sleepy, but now that they already know the cues for peeing in the toilet they will instinctively go. Settle back into bed and monitor to see if they then become dry in the mornings. If they aren't, they are definitely not ready. If they are, keep going with this for a week or so before then trialling a night without the "dream wee". If they are dry - it can be time to move from the nappies!

If you try this tip, do let me know how you get on!

It is hard to navigate night-time potty training, and if it doesn't go as planned don't panic. My eldest caught on very quickly and naturally after daytime potty training, but my youngest was at least 18 months later! Every child is different, so please don't compare to others. If you need to pause, reset and refocus on the routine then do that.

Listen to the full Potty Training & Sleep episode on Behind The Wake Ups Podcast

If you need support in navigating this, or if sleep is already feeling so hard with your toddler that you can't even fathom the thought of trying to support night time training then you are in good hands.

You are welcomed to access my Toddler Sleep Blueprint: The 2 Week Transformation to help support you, or book in a call with me today.

Jade