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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Hmmmm, talk to me about the night time nappy/ no nappy issue

18 replies

robino · 18/08/2009 07:39

So, DD1 (2.7) had a dry nappy this morning (she's been dry during the day since 2.3) and it got me thinking....

How often was your DC dry before you decided to get rid of the nappy?

Did you "lift" them before you went to bed?

DD still has a fairly large cup of milk just before bed, I'm assuming that as she managed it last night she will eventually be able to do it even if she still has her milk? Or did you make the last drink earlier?

I realise that this is jumping the gun a bit, have no intention of sticking her to bed without her nappy soon but am interested.

Have just realised am going to have to take the sides off her cot before we do this aren't I?! I know, I'm mean but she's never tried to climb out of it, DD2 was born before we wanted to chuck her out of it (16 month gap), then we moved house, they now share a room and then had an absolute nightmare getting DD2 to sleep for ages. And I can't be bothered to unscrew it all and re-build it

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Runoutofideas · 18/08/2009 08:10

Hmm - don't know what to suggest but am watching with interest as I feel I've done this all wrong with my dd1. She's been dry in the daytime since 2.4 but is now 4.5 and is still in nappies at night and they are pretty much always wet. I think she might be weeing in them because she knows she can, but am not brave enough to take them off as I really don;t want to be changing sheets in the middle of the night as well as invariably getting up with dd2........

Portofino · 18/08/2009 08:14

When dd was 3.5 she had been dry during the day for a year, but still had nappies at night. They were mostly wet. We came back from holiday and I'd run out, so I said - well you're a big girl now dd, lets try without one.

I tried waking her for a wee whn I went to bed, but she was having none of that. Apart from the odd accident (maybe 2 or 3 times) she has been dry at night ever since. I thought maybe it's psychological - if the nappy is there it's OK to use it.....?

HSMM · 18/08/2009 08:26

I left my DD in nappies at night (even though they were almost always dry) until she said "I don't think I need to wear a nappy at night time any more Mummy". I know it's the lazy way, but we only ever had wet sheets about twice.

Pitchounette · 18/08/2009 09:10

Message withdrawn

secretskillrelationships · 18/08/2009 09:35

I kept my DD in nappies at night largely cos her big brother was still in them. But when she got me up at 5am on several nights to use the potty I stopped! Just left the potty in her room and a nightlight, and she sorted herself out without needing to wake me! Took big brother a few months to notice that I only put him in a nappy after the bath and not her .

She potty-trained herself at 21 months and was dry at night not long after. I genuinely take no credit at all, it was all her own doing. DS was a whole different ball game!

DC3 was different again. Reliable by about 18 months with nothing on, completely unreliable for ages in clothes!

secretskillrelationships · 18/08/2009 09:38

Also, never lifted them, or reduced how much they drink or encouraged them to use the loo before bed. They go when they need to. I realise how 'trained' I am as I can't go to bed without going to the loo first and have to go first thing after I get up. None of my DCs do that!

ithinkmydaughterispeppapig · 18/08/2009 09:43

My DD (3.3years)is still in pull ups at night, she did have a week where she woke with a dry nappy and I decided to put her to bed without it, but she wet the bed .

This week I have bought Pampers feel and learn pull ups to see if that makes any difference. If not I plan to just out her to bed without one, wake her for a wee before I go to bed because she is starting to complain about putting it on.

I think if you prepare yourself for wet bedding, it won't be too much of a problem!!

DD was in her cot until just before DS3 needed to use it, she was 2.9 so don't be embarassed!!

llareggub · 18/08/2009 09:45

My DS (2.10) told me a few weeks ago that he no longer needed a nappy at night. I hadn't noticed him being particularly dry in his nighttime nappy, but he had recently stopped breastfeeding before bed and I've wondered if the two are connected. He'd only been dry by day for 3 days when he asked.

I don't lift and he doesn't wake during the night to use the loo.

It worked out easier for us to wait until he did things of his own accord, and I've also heard that children need to be ready before going through the night with no nappy. But hey, I'm certainly no expert, we got there through accident, not design!

thehairybabysmum · 18/08/2009 09:56

DS1 was dry in the day from before 2.5 yrs then after a few weeks he said he didnt want nappy on at night i was a bit as didnt think he would be dry at night so young, plus a boy. His nappies were sometimes dry int he am sometimes not. I thought i would go with it though as he had asked.

He was actually fine the odd accident in the first 2 weeks but then absolutely fine.

What i do though is have one of those pampers bedmats under his sheet and i think for thte fist week i had one on top too. Therefore if there was an accident it wasnt a major hassle to change/wash sheets.

I would say if your dd is dry in the am go for it...if after 2 weeks she is not getting the hang of it then you can always go back to a nappy.

I have never lifted DS, he also has a drink before bedtime but we give him theis downstairs and he has to sit on loo after teeth done. He does say sometimes i dont need a wee, so i jsut say well sit on loo anyway and see what happens...i also threaten noo story if he wont sit on loo.

The only time he ever has an accident is if he is unwell (he is 3.5 now). I still have a bedmat under sheet as it is also good if htey are sick in night.

Pitchounette · 18/08/2009 09:59

Message withdrawn

notyummy · 18/08/2009 10:07

DD was 2.5 when we took the sides off the cot, and a month later put her in pants at night. We stopped milk at bedtime and just gave her plenty to drink with dinner. She has a sucky cup of water in her room so she can have a drink at night if thirsty. We always put her on the potty at 7 30 before bed.

We bought the disposable sheets to go under the cover that protect the mattress, however since she was put in pants (7 months ago) she has only wet the bed 3 times.

Have plenty of sheets ready just in case - makes the changing the bed at 2am easier!

Runoutofideas · 18/08/2009 21:48

Well - my dd1 has gone to bed tonight for the first time ever with no nappy.....light is left on in the bathroom and absorbent mat on mattress just in case..........fingers crossed

rasputin · 18/08/2009 21:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

GoldenSnitch · 18/08/2009 22:05

Apparently the trick is - waterproof cover on the mattress then a fitted sheet, then another waterproof sheet and another fitted sheet. If they wet the bed, you whip the top layer of fitted sheet and waterproof sheet off, revealing the second layer and can then get them (and you) back to bed in minutes rather than having to remake the whole bed in the middle of the night.

Won't be happening here anytime soon though. DS is fab with his potty training and dry during naps now 90% of the time but refuses to learn how to pull his own pants down so still needs help to go!

Runoutofideas · 19/08/2009 08:27

Didn't work. She wet the bed and carried on sleeping. Maybe she's just a really heavy sleeper.....?

Original poster

robino · 20/08/2009 07:12

Thanks for all suggestions. She hasn't had another dry nappy but I think that might be due to her weeing in it first thing in a morning. Think I'm going to hang on a bit, she might decide not to wear one soon enough.

I'm surprised by how many don't lift, going by my only experience which is my friend who still lifts her son who is 5.5 I thought it was a given! Mind you, I'm lazier than her...

Did you try for a second night runoutofideas? How did it go?

OP posts:

Runoutofideas · 20/08/2009 09:07

No - she was quite upset about having wet the bed, so thought I'd leave it again for a few days. Will try lifting when we go to bed next time but don't really want to get in the habit of having to do that every night....Maybe she'll just wear nappies til she's 18!

puffylovett · 20/08/2009 09:15

DS 2.6 has been dry in the day for about 3 months and pretty much dry at night from 10 days after his daytime training. He still has a big nightime milk drink but seems to have great bladder control.
He's been in a bed for months, so would just get up if he needed a wee and come and drag me out of bed like he did at 6am this morning
I've only just plucked up the courage to stop the nappies though, and only because we've run out ! But I don't see the point anymore - it was a hassle to get him out of them in the morning and was preventing him learning to get himself to the loo. This way I can grab a few more winks in bed

I'm saving a couple just for ill nights / extremely shattered nights which is when we've had the odd nighttime wee.

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