How do you know when your toddler is ready for no diaper at night time?

Keri - posted on 02/05/2013

my daughter has been potty trained for almost a year now and she still requires a diaper at night. I don't know why as she NEVER has accidents during the day but at night we just don't get the same results! She will be 4 yrs old next month. She has to sleep in the same room with our 1 yr old, so getting her up in the middle of the night isn't really an option for us. I figure we will continue with diapers at night until she stops wetting them and then we will switch to underware. I just hope we can stop using diapers before she's 7!!!! LOL!!

Stacey - posted on 02/03/2013

My daughters 22 months and full daytime potty trained wears underwear during the day and a pull up only when going to bed....she potty trained so fast cause i put her in underwear during the day while she was training and hated being wet so she would take her undies off run to the bathroom and with in 3 months she stopped having accidents and uses the potty now

Shauna - posted on 02/02/2013

I am having the same issue with my 26 month old. She rarely has accidents during the day and the last week she has been sleeping pretty much all night and has been staying dry til about 6 in the morning and then she gets up and goes. Today she woke up and was wet and had pooped in her diaper and she hasn't done that in I don't know how long. I too was wondering when I should try her in underwear if she would be ok to do it now.

Paula - posted on 01/25/2013

Right. That makes sense. Thanks for the part about going back to diapers if things do not go as planned. Whatever works for us right. Glad so many mom's appear to have some pleasant things to say about potty training..Nice to hear such positivity in an area that can be a challenge. Mom's give yourselves a pat on the back. Not all experiences need to echo disaster or frustration..;)

Gigi - posted on 01/25/2013

I'd first make sure she goes to toilet before bed, then see how is she doing during night. My daughter was potty trained this summer and she did it the whole way - no daytime and no nightime peeing at once. She'd wake up and ask for potty if she needed to go. We still put diapers on until we run out of them and that was it. So, we stopped with diapers since she was dry during the night.
I don't think its a big deal if you go back to the diapers if things don't go as planned.

Paula - posted on 01/25/2013

Thanks for all the responses. I feel much better now and more prepared as to what to do when we do start diapers free night times. Great advice and ideas..;)

Liz - posted on 01/24/2013

I like the idea of layering the sheets! Never thought of that! With my 4.5 year old, I just bought the cheapest vinyl mattress protector that I could find. Lucky for me because they can rip pretty easily and need to be replaced occasionally, especially if you have a rambunctious boy sleeping on top of it :) On his bed, I have the mattress protector and then only a fitted sheet (no flat sheet) and then a heavy blanket (no comforter or quilt) as this makes sheet changing much easier and faster in the morning.

S. - posted on 01/24/2013

Denikka what a good idea to couple layer bedding for night changing, I wish someone had suggested that to me when I was at that stage. So simple but such a good idea.

Denikka - posted on 01/24/2013

Watch the vinyl protectors. I used one for my own mattress while I was breast feeding (horrendous leaking XD) and I found that they have a tendency to rip if you toss and turn a lot in your sleep.
One thing that I have heard suggested for younger kids is using a couple layers on the bed. Mattress>vinyl protector>sheet>vinyl protector>sheet. It's easier and quicker to change out in the middle of the night. I would also highly suggest fitted sheets (with elastic around the corners) and vinyl protectors instead of flat sheets.

As for the underwear, I say find something that she'll WANT to use. Either take her with you to pick some out, or find something with a favourite character on it, or a favourite colour. If she's excited to get to wear them (make a big deal out of picking them out :P) it may help to encourage her to use them properly.
And be warned....kids undies are freakin expensive XP Tiny little pieces of cloth, generally 3 to a pack for about $8...closer to $12 if they're *special* (have characters or whatever). In my area, I can get a pack of 6 for an adult for about the same price XP

S. - posted on 01/24/2013

I bought just a inexpensive mattress protector and I put a pampers bedding pad thing on top of that I find they suck up any wet away from the quilt cover so you have less washing and drying.
I think it's wise to wait until the cold weather drops a bit too.

Paula - posted on 01/24/2013

My daughter stays dry for most nights and rarely has had an accident since she learned to use the potty. Even though she wears a diaper when we are out, she asks to go and we do. I am not ready for her to go without a diaper when we are out for long periods. Just too cold. Can't imagine what it's like to be under a bunch of clothes and possibly cold and having to wait some time til we find a warm inside place to change her. Thanks for the help everyone. We are going to buy some underwear as soon as the windchill is less than -35. Mattress protector. Forgot about that. Any particular one that works best for your family? Good idea about underwear for naps first. Any particular kind that works best for you and your family?

Janice - posted on 01/24/2013

I think if she is dry often she is ready. Every child is different. My daughter has been potty trained for a year but still wears a diaper/pullup at night because she can not stay dry at night. Bed wetting runs in my family so I know trying to night train probably wont work. However, it sounds to me like your daughter is ready. I would start with leaving her in underwear at nap and once she is dry most naps start doing overnight too.

S. - posted on 01/24/2013

With mine once they'd mastered the day times I started the night times, as long as you have patience, spare bedding and a protective mattress sheets. My nephew wet the bed for 3 years solid and like Liz she couldn't go back to nappies so my sister just dealt with it, I was lucky all 3 of my girls took roughly 4 weeks to be day and night trained.
My advice would be, be well equipped with extra dry stuff, bedding, spare clothes when your out. Take her to toilet when your going to bed (mine often stayed a sleep on the loo, super cute)
You can buy car and pram seat liners for when your out (I made them using pampers sleep sheets and masking tape) and be prepared to do a bit extra washing.
Good luck.

Liz - posted on 01/23/2013

With my oldest we just tried putting underwear on him at night. We would take him to the bathroom once in the night, and that lasted about 2 weeks. After that he stayed dry every night. He was very easy to nighttime potty train. My second son, however, is 4.5 and still wets the bed. I can't put a diaper on him though, as he will be lazy and poop in it (!!!!). Very frustrating. Anyway, I don't know if I was much help, but I would definitely suggest buying a vinyl mattress protector before you try putting her in underwear. They're fairly inexpensive.

Denikka - posted on 01/23/2013

I agree with Amy. My kiddo has never had wet/dirty night time diapers (got SUPER lucky XD) but we waited until her was fully day trained and then had gone for about a month with no accidents, either at night, during the day, or while out.
What we did was get him fully trained at home. When there were no accidents for a LOOONG time (I think it was about 3-4 months) then we went out during the day on occasion and left the diapers at home. We went for about a full month of absolutely no accidents, then tried him on underwear at night. Worked for us. It's very rare that he has an accident (he's almost 4 and been fully potty trained almost a year) and when he does, it's usually because he's dramatically overslept. But he will get up during the night to go now.

Amy - posted on 01/23/2013

I waited till about 2 months of waking almost 100% dry, it's not uncommon to have to wear a diaper for quite a while at night. Once we did go diaper free at night I made sure that there was a mattress protector on the mattress just in case.