🌙 Nighttime Potty Training

🌛 Overview

Nighttime dryness is a separate developmental milestone from daytime training — and it can take longer. While some kids stay dry through the night soon after daytime training, others may need months or even years. It’s perfectly normal.

You can’t teach nighttime dryness — but you can support it.

âś… What to Expect

  • Most kids stay dry at night between ages 4–7
  • Nighttime dryness is related to:
    • Bladder capacity
    • Brain-bladder connection during sleep
    • Hormone levels (ADH helps the body reduce urine at night)
  • Occasional accidents are still common up to age 6 or 7

🛏️ Signs Your Child May Be Ready

  • Stays dry during naps
  • Wakes up dry several mornings in a row
  • Shows interest in wearing underwear to bed
  • Wakes during the night to pee or tells you they need to

🧩 Tips for Nighttime Success

  • Use waterproof mattress covers and have extra bedding ready
  • Encourage potty time right before bed
  • Limit fluids 1–2 hours before bedtime (but don’t restrict if child is thirsty)
  • Dress child in easy-to-remove pajama bottoms
  • Celebrate dry nights, but stay neutral about accidents
  • Consider using training pants or pull-ups until dry nights are consistent

🧠 What Not to Do

  • Don’t punish or shame for accidents — they’re not intentional
  • Don’t wake them up multiple times during the night (can disrupt sleep cycles)
  • Don’t compare to siblings or peers
  • Avoid pressure — it can delay progress

⚠️ When to Talk to Your Pediatrician

  • Child is over 7 and still regularly wets the bed
  • Was dry for months, but starts wetting again suddenly
  • Accidents are causing distress, embarrassment, or avoidance
  • Signs of UTI, constipation, or disrupted sleep (snoring, breathing issues)

đź“š Sources

  1. American Academy of Pediatrics. “Bedwetting and Nighttime Training”
  2. HealthyChildren.org. “When Is My Child Ready to Stay Dry at Night?”
  3. Mayo Clinic. “Nighttime Potty Training Tips”