Night Time Potty Training – Just go with the flow!

So your child has successfully mastered using the bathroom and staying dry during the day. Congratulations to you both! But what about at night? Nighttime potty training is hot topic for parents of children of all ages. Bed-wetting is more common than you would expect, and can actually be prevalent until the onset of puberty. In fact, in the U.S., about 5 to 7 million children aged 6 years or older suffer from primary nocturnal enuresis also called nighttime bed-wetting or the involuntary loss of urine at night when they could reasonably be expected to stay dry. If a child wets the bed after age 5 or 6, there is an 85% chance he or she will still do it a year later, based on statistics from the National Kidney Foundation (NKF).

Alan Greene, MD, an assistant clinical professor of pediatrics at Stanford University in Stanford, California explains, "Bed-wetting is very common in younger kids, in fact, it is so common that it is even considered normal before age 5. Nighttime dryness is the last part of toilet learning that kids achieve. At ages 6 and below, bed-wetting only needs to be addressed if the child is feeling really bad about himself as a result, he says. Unless there is some other medical or emotional issue, the rule of thumb is that bedwetting should not be considered a problem until a child is at least six or seven years old.

Young children sleep very deeply and this makes it difficult for them to wake up to use the bathroom. Young children are still developing the control of their bladder, which is a major developmental milestone that can take many years to master. Keep in mind that bedwetting is also hereditary. If you or your husband were chronic bed-wetters or “late bloomers” in this area, chances are your child will be too.

Helpful hints to guide your children toward success:

• Limit you child’s intake of liquids two to three hours before bedtime.
• Wake him or her and encourage them to use the bathroom before you go to bed.
• Encourage your child to use a potty that you have placed in their room. This may make it easier for your child to use the bathroom because they will not have to leave their room, walk down the hall, and turn on a bright light. You can set up a potty in their room, and call it a “nighttime potty”.
• Get up before your child in the morning. At the first sign of wakefulness, get them up and have them use the bathroom. Studies show that children urinate within 15 minutes of stirring from a sleep.
• To make life easier on you, I encourage the use of what we have named “night time underwear”, or pull-ups.

Remember to be patient and positive. Your child can not control this behavior and will be more successful with your casual manner about the issue. This too shall pass but for now - just go with the flow!

Colleen Newman, CHBE, is a Mom, author, and the owner of My Baby and More Parent Coaching and Educational Services. She has her degree in Early Childhood Education and Psychology. With several years of teaching experience; working with infants through adults, she has a passion for helping each child and parent live happy, healthy, and secure. Colleen also loves spending time with her best friend and husband, John, and raising her 2 year old son and infant daughter. © Copyright 2005 My Baby and More All Rights Reserved.