toilet training for four years old in the night time

Jocelyn - posted on 11/13/2011

Each kid is SO different. I have 5. I have 3 that were potty trained and never needed a pull up at night from that moment on. I have 2 that still need pullups through the night. One is 8, almost 9 and another is 5 years old. The only tricks are to be on them to not drink before bed but it's hard for me to remember, especially when your getting home late, each is taking care of themselves, I don't know what they are all doing at every moment! haha...I think as they get older there is something they can take to help with their bladder control but I've not gotten to that point to find out about it. It can be very frustrating, especially with laundry. I have just made sure they know to put their things in the washer and not make them feel bad for it. I just hope they grow out of it!!! Good luck mom! :)

Jessy - posted on 11/12/2011

I agree that many children can wet the bed until the are in their teenage years. For many reasons. Genetics play a part as well. It is not something you can train them to do. If they are deep sleepers it will be harder for them to wake up on their own. Wearing Goodnights or Underjams are a great idea to keep the bed dry. Using a reward system is a very bad idea because they will feel that they have failed when they have wet themselves, and that is not something they have control over, and really hurts their self-esteem and can drag the whole process on longer. We also use waterproof mattress covers to protect the mattress.

Please keep in mind four is very young and it is natural for them to wet the bed at this age. Making them feel bad about it and making a big deal will also effect them emotionally. Many children need fluids throughout the night. So it's best to be patient, rather than dehydrate your child.

Some pointers I have seen people use, for older children are: To have extra sheets and a towel and extra pajamas beside their bed. Also a potty in the room (however most 10-15 year olds will not use a potty.) If they wake up wet they change their bed themselves. And this will not only make them appreciate the work involved, but also theit bodies will start to get used to waking up in the night and getting up, and they will find it easier to just walk to the washroom...eventually. Also, if your child wants to sleep naked instead of putting on new pajamas, I don't see the harm in it. If he's comfortable just let him be. Maybe new underwear would be a good idea to some parents.

But really, I think you're being too hard on him about it. He is doing nothing wrong or out of the ordinary. Too many parents want their child to be potty trained and dry at night. Maybe because other kids are or maybe they want to be done before other kids are. But all kids are different...even siblings. And comparing them to one another is not nice.

Anke - posted on 11/08/2011

I agree with some of the other posts- maybe don't give him so much milk to drink so late, and otherwise, he is only 4, many kids, esp. boys, take much longer to be able to stay dry overnight. Use pull-ups for the night, and a rubber sheet so the mattress doesn't get soaked, and just wait a bit longer! No point getting stressed and waking him and yourself up all night! Good luck.

Kathy - posted on 11/02/2011

You may be expecting way to much of your child. I had a similar problem and when I talked to my ped. he put my mind to rest. Some boy (especially boys) bodies are not mature enought to remain dry at night till about 5-6 years of age. Once beyond six then we were recommended a night alarm system. Go with the overnight disposable underpants till then get some sleep.

Tiffany - posted on 10/30/2011

My son who is 4yrs old he still have accidents at nite time but he will also have an accident durning the day and when he has an accident durning day i will take things away that he likes but at bedtime i dont get on to him because it is alot harder to potty trained nighttime though

Renee - posted on 10/27/2011

My son was day-time potty-trained just before his 3rd birthday (we had hoped for sooner, but our house burned down, and we decided to put off the training because of the stress he was dealing with as well as us). He wore a night-time pullup until he was about 4yrs 3 months. We were trying to figure out a way to get him to wake up during the night, but my son is the deepest sleeper I've ever encountered (I could literally set off alarms in his room and he doesn't even stir). So, I started taking him to the bathroom before I went to bed. He wouldn't wake up even then, he'd sleep walk to the bathroom, sleep pee and then sleep walk back to bed, and have no recollection of doing this the next morning. We did this for a couple of months, and one night my husband forgot to take him to the bathroom before he came to bed, and our son woke up dry. So, the next night we did the same thing, and he has only had 2 accidents since. He gets praise every morning when he wakes up dry, and revels in it.

Lisa - posted on 05/19/2011

Hi
Our son who is 6 now was trained day and night when he was nearly 3. Why is he drinking so much milk? Cut down the intake, and give him water or juice. in small amounts. If it keeps up, you might need to put pull ups on him at night, you cannot go on like that, waking him every few hours. Best of luck.

Amanda - posted on 05/19/2011

Hi Francoise, how is it going, make sure he is aware of awards he can get if he doesn't wet the bed. Some children go into a deep sleep, i have three children and my daughter who is now 12 did the same but i cracked it in the end. Reducing fluids before bed and putting her on the toilet also explain to your son what has to happen xx

Megan - posted on 05/05/2011

My guy even with a night time pullup tends to wet the bed every night. Im not even sure how it is possible. Perhaps he drinks a gallon of water when Im not looking. hehe

Brittney - posted on 05/02/2011

I used pull ups on my son at nights up until a few weeks ago (he will be 4 on the 11th). Once he started sleeping dry through the night I took the pull ups off. It just kind of depends on child to child. My older 2 were trained day and night at 3 1/2. Just be patient and it will happen.

Julia - posted on 05/02/2011

Children can be up to 15 years old before they get night trained. Its mainly to do with a chemical that has to kick in which is different in different kids.
Getting him to drink regularly during the day and cutting out liquid in the hour before bed can help, but really you just have to be patient.
Use Night knickers so he can feel comfortable but don't worry about it.

Michelle - posted on 05/02/2011

Hello Francoise~
With my oldest child who now is 6 and a half, we would stop all liquids by 7:30 pm. By bedtime which was 8pm he would try and go and then again around the time we his parents would go to bed. Around that time (10 pm / 11pm) he would go, and he and we got into this nice rountine for a couple of wks and he wouldn't wet the bed anymore. He was four when it ended the bedwetting.
Now, my daughter who will be 4 by the end of this month was potty trained at nite first and then for the day. But unfortunely when she was 2 and half had a bad food allergy and we started the whole process over again. Proudly, since Jan of this yr she has had extremely few accidents during the day. For nighttime unless it was a food allergy that she eat for dinner, like spaghetti sauce for example she know to go before bedtime and sometimes Once around 10pm. She knows the deal : in the morning dry Pull-up, a reward!!! She's done great for about the past month or so!!
Blessings towards you and your son and praying that you both get more sleep at nighttime!!! God Bless!! ♥

Kathy - posted on 04/12/2011

My son will be 4 in May as well. We put pull ups on at night and have him go potty before bed. If he wakes up with a dry pull up he gets rewarded. He will either wake us up at night if he needs to go or we here him in the bathroom on his potty and we get up to assist. He does at times wake up in the morning with a wet one but he gets very disappointed with himself if it's wet.