How can I get my 5 year old to go all night without a pullup?

Melissa - posted on 09/30/2009

We have this same problem only it is with my step-daughter. She is 6 and doesn't care that she has to wear a pull up. She even has an accident every now and then in her pants during the day. She will try to hide it from me. It is so frustrating! Her real mother doesn't seem to want to force her to go without a pull-up or doesn't seem to think it is any big deal for a 6 year old to have accidents during the day. It makes it very difficult when my step-daughter spends her time with us. Im sick of all of the accidents and pull ups. We have tried getting her to want to change but she really could care less. I feel your pain! We have even tried making her go to the bathroom before she goes to sleep. No liquids past a certain point. Nothing helps. I have read that there are sometimes medical conditions associated with it and we have ruled those out. I blame it on her stubborness - she gets that from her dad! lol

Tracey - posted on 09/10/2009

My oldest was a night time bed wetter from the time he was potty trained, until he was 5 1/2. It was an every night occurance. It didn't matter if we limited liquids, woke him up every few hours to use the bathroom...he would always wake up wet. Talked to the doctor and he assured me that most children will outgrow it and it isn't any sort of medical issue. If it does become an ongoing issue there are tests that can be done to make sure the bladder is the right size, and there are medications that can be given to help them recognize the "gotta go" feeling at night. Luckily for us my son outgrew it overnight. He woke up dry one morning....then the next morning. By the time knew it, he'd gone a whole month without wetting. I know the laundry is exhausting to do, but it's just another fun part of being a parent.

Christina - posted on 08/05/2009

My daughter will be 6 in Sept. and has been done with pullups for about 2 months. We actually ran out of pullups and I told her I wasnt buying anymore. We made her sit on the toilet for 20 minutes before bed. And nothing to drink. She has had 2 accidents with I am proud of her. My 4 year old has been potty trained day and night for over year. So it just depends on the child. Dont push her if shes not ready. Good luck...Shell get it in time!

Ilene - posted on 07/31/2009

from what I understand staying dry at night is not a "training problem" You can't train your child to be dry all night they will when they are ready. Kids tend to be deep sleepers. My son was like this as well and still has occasional times where he wakes up wet (he's five 1/2) I took the pull ups a way a few months ago and put mattress pads down. He is doing better.

Katina - posted on 06/08/2009

My son is 5 1/2 and still can't stay dry overnight. Since he is an only child we never bothered taking the monitor out of the room (he had sleep apnea until last year). So I know he isn't waking up at night- he sleeps right trough being wet. (He has also fallen out of bed without waking up but that is another story!) After talking to my MIL I found out the my husbands brother wet the bed until he was over 8 YO and the doctor finially gave him meds for it. My pediatrician agreed that family history can play a strong role in bed wetting and when the child is physically able he will stop wetting the bed.

Su - posted on 06/02/2009

If she is a "sound sleeper" it may be the case that she is so heavly asleep she doesn't wake. There are products that lie under the child and when the start to wet it wakes them up so they can go to the toilet. Might be good to ask a doctor about them

Julie - posted on 05/20/2009

I limit drinks after 6:30pm and make sure she goes to the bathroom before bed. However this does not mean she always wakes dry. 99% this works. But late nights and busy busy days sometime alter this even if I do above. She has been better and now has started to wake when she needs to go. I do not know if it is age (she is now 6) or she has just started to notice the signs... Good Luck!

Shannon - posted on 04/25/2009

Hello! My son is 4 and my daughter is 3 they wet the bed sometimes as most kids do. But for the most part they make it to the bathroom. I dont let them have anything to drink 1 1/2 hours before bed. It works really well for me. Mabey you could try it. Let me know.

Shan

Kylie - posted on 04/23/2009

For the past 3 weeks my 4 year old daughter has been waking up with a dry pullup I've asked her if shes ready to wear nickers to bed now but she likes the security of the nappy still. Most mornings she comes into my room and whispers in my ear "i woke up with a dry nap" and i get very excited and jump out of bed and congratulate her. I was getting worried about the night wetting and those drynight nappies are expensive but this new development has just happened naturally. She has about 200 mls of milk at bedtime, during book reading then we get her up and she brushes her teeth, does a wee and goes to sleep. I never made a big deal about the night potty training but i would say things in a nice way like "oh no thats a big wet one" or "oh dear wet sheets, help me strip your bed " i was also getting her to put her wet nappy in the bin herself. i think having her take a bit of responsibility when it comes to the night wetting has helped her really want to be a "big girl" My daughter has been day potty trained since she was 20 months. i think a rewards system would help a 5 year old want to become dry sooner. Give it time, don't make a big deal and praise her if she gets up in the night to use the toilet or wakes up dry. good luck!

Jennifer - posted on 04/21/2009

Honestly that was the hardest thing to get through with my now 6 year old son. I stopped giving him drinks after 7:30 unless it was a small sip and then I made him go to the bathroom at least 2 times before he went to bed and that really helped but to get him out of the pull-ups I had to take him and let him pick out special underwear that he wanted to wear to bed and after I started letting him pick his underwear he had no problem throwing out the pull-ups.

Beverly - posted on 04/19/2009

I read that the average age for night time potty training is 7. Your child just may not be ready. We tried and tried with my oldest child, who is a really sound sleeper, and finally I decided she'd just wear pull ups until SHE was ready. One day around age 7 she just said 'I don't want to wear pullups anymore' and she hasn't worn one or had an accident since. (She's almost 9) My kindergartener still wears them and he's 6. I plan to try to get him out of pullups this summer because he is not as sound a sleeper as my daughter and I think he may still wear pullups because its easier than getting up in the night. LOL. But, if he really can't do it, we'll wait.

Lyndsay - posted on 04/16/2009

My child is 4 and will be 5 this year going into Kindergarten. I do not allow her to have anything to drink after 7 because her bed time is 8:30. I make her go to potty at least 2 times before she heads to bed and it works! Cut back the fluid intake right before bed and it should work. Also I went to Wal-mart and got a mattress protector so that if she did wet the bed the mattress wouldn't be soiled with urine

Amy - posted on 04/15/2009

I have the same problem with my daughter. She is such a sound sleeper she wont even wake up when she wets. I feel good knowing at least I am not the only one out there dealing with this issue.

Heather - posted on 04/11/2009

My duaghter took a few extra years to be night trained, but we finally made it!  First consideration is the possibility of mild sleep apnea, cuased by tonsil or adnoid disruption, you may not notice it, but is disturbs sleep patterns enough that it is known to cause night accidents in day trained kiddos.

Otherwise, take the pull-up away, how bad is one sheet, and a change of clothes added to your laundry?  Our daughter would not wear pull-ups, we changed sheets every night for years, but it made her more aware after a while (not at first) and she celebrated her own dry nights, it made her proud.  Also definately no liquid within 1 hr of bed (a few sips of water at bedtime is fine, but not much!)

Good Luck!

Melissa - posted on 04/05/2009

We have talked to our daughter about not wetting her pull up before she goes to bed, we have her use the potty. Then if she wakes up with a dry pull up for a few days she has earned a pull up free night. But if she shows no interest, some girls are late bloomers n that area, I wouldn't push her into thinking she has to be dry if she's not ready

Samantha - posted on 03/19/2009

My daughter has been night trained for about two years now, What worked for her is putting a plastic sheet on the bed under her regular one and let her wet herself. the plastic won't absorb the pee making it uncomfortble to sleep in. She only wet her self a few times after that. Also try making her use the restroom right before bed, and don't give her any drinks close to bed time.

Jen - posted on 03/15/2009

You know we have the same issue. Our two youngest girls wear pull-ups to bed. Our kindergartener tried for a little while but then gave up. Our pre-schooler doesn't even try. I don't know what to do. Would love some help also.

Alisson - posted on 03/13/2009

I wish I knew, we have the same concern. It will be interesting to see a response from a successful parent.

Schmoopy - posted on 03/05/2009

My husband takes my DD to the bathroom every night before he goes to sleep. She stays dry - never has an accident. And she's so sleepy that she falls right back to sleep.

Tammy - posted on 03/04/2009

My daughter has been "day" potty trained for over 3 years now, but really just shows no interest at all in going all night. It is easier for her to wear the pull up than it is for her to try to get up at night. She is a fairly sound sleeper, but my son was as well, and he didn't have any troubles at all in going all night. I almost think that she is just lazy. I have tried offering her "treats" for when she does go all night, and it works in the beginning but then she quickly loses interest. I wished she was embarassed, but it really doesn't seem to bother her that all of her friends and even a cousin that is her age dont sleep in pull-ups.

Jamie - posted on 03/03/2009

My 4 year old has been potty trained for well over 2 years and still wears a pull up also.  He is very embarrassed by it though.  I put it on before going to bed and and insists on covering it up immediately with a pair of pants.  I think my son just sleeps through it. 

Is your daughter a heavy sleeper?