Just turned 3 year old refusing night nappy but not ready?

[Ponka]

My DS (just turned 3), who has been trained in the day for some time. Has now decided he doesn't want to wear a nappy at night. I don't blame him, the poor chap. He seems to get eczema underneath it and it drives him mad. If I manage to persuade him to wear a nappy, he takes it off through the night. So we are reluctantly trying night training. I know that people try and succeed even before this age but I was hoping to wait a bit longer.

We have been limiting liquid after tea and have also been getting him up when we go to bed to do a wee on the potty but despite this, he has an accident every night. I'm thinking perhaps he's just not ready.

Has anyone been through anything similar? Can anyone offer any advice? We are going on holiday in a caravan soon, too.

I was thinking perhaps I could get some natural cotton training pants and see if they let his skin breathe more. There are so many out there and I'm not sure what's good.

I don't really want to force him to continue wearing nappies at this age if he doesn't want to. I don't think it's right.

Am I being too impatient and expecting him to 'get it' too soon? We've been trying 2 or 3 weeks. To me, it doesn't seem like something they can learn. It's a physical thing of being able to wake up when your bladder is full. You either can do it or you can't....... and he can't.

when does he have the accident? has he wet the bed by the time you go to bed?

It can be any time, belgo. If DH has gone to bed a bit later (12/1) he has wet the bed a couple of times around that time. Otherwise it is usually anything between 3 and half 6. Half 6 today (hence why I'm up) but he wanted to go back to bed!

if he wets that bed at a regular time, then you could lift him before this. But it doesn't sound like this is the case.

I'm not sure if there's anything you can do to get him dry in this situation.

The cotton training pants probably aren't absorbant enough on their own.

Hmmm. I wondered if they wouldn't be. Pehaps a proper cotton nappy then.

I don't really want to carry on like this for a long time. He is so tired and grumpy. We are tired, too.

that's a hard problem to solve.

what about something like the pampers feel and learn nappies? They would absorb a couple of accidents in the night but not be as absorbant as a nappy so he should still feel a bit of wetness. They also have spider man on them so might encourage your lo to wear them!!

and a pampers bed mat on the bed to make it easier if he has an accident? ds1 will be 4 in September and still isn't dry at night, he just can't do it. if he has a night where he really doesn't want to wear a nappy i let him, but he sleeps on the bed mat, which absorbs the wet and then if he does wet i can just change this instead of having to strip the bed

I'll perhaps experiment with a few different nappies, feel and learn and perhaps a cotton one, I think. I think we still have some of those pampers mats from potty training but he tends to sleep all over the bed so that may be a bit hit and miss. Hit and miss is better than miss completely, though .

DH and I are starting to argue about it. He thinks we should insist he wears a nappy, even if it means tantrums (which it will) and finding a way to physically keep it on, like gaffa tape (which it will). I think that's harsh, really.

physically it is very hard to force a three year old to wear nappies. I think that will only cause more upset and tantrums.

How about a washable pull up, the mother of eden over night undies will absorb a good big wee. The outer layer is breathable too. They are a bit pricey but worth it. At three he may need the 4/6 size as they are on the small side. Alternatively a Minki Yoyo.

I would still try lifting him when you go to bed, even if it isn't at a regular time.
ds1 decided he didn't want to wear a night nappy at 2y11m, I lifted him at around 10/11pm for about 3/4mo (until I was too big and pg to actually lift him - lol).

Well, DS happily put some disposible pull - ups on tonight and he's still in them (thanks Seona)! If that doesn't work every day we will try him in a Minki Yoyo, I think.

Thanks everyone.