DD aged 4.5 still wet at night

[patriciawentworthheroine]

Hi, I am really struggling here and would appreciate any advice.

DD1 is 4.5 and came out of nappies around age 3. However, she never really mastered being dry at night. We kept putting it off, letting her stay in nappies, saying 'it will come in time' etc. Had concerted go at it last spring, but after 2 months of washing bedclothes every day, gave up as DC3 about to arrive and DD1 about to go to school. Thought it would be too stressful for her (and us).

Have now started trying to get her to sleep in pants again (wrong time of year - wet bedclothes freeze on washing line!) but it's hopeless. We put her on the toilet at about 9pm and again when we go to bed if we remember, but the bed is always wet again in the morning. She simply doesn't wake up if she needs to go.

I know some children are late to crack this, but DD1 now seems on the REALLY LATE side of late, and worse, I simply can't see where it will end. I used to think she was just a bit young to understand, but clearly not at 4.5, so how will she ever learn? Any suggestions/similar experience? (Sorry for long post!)

Hi,

we have got dd2, at the grand old age of 4.7 to be dry at night!

Actually, she has been dry for about a week, so I may be speaking too soon.

The main thing that we changed was that we don't let her have a drink after tea. She can drink as much as she wants up and during tea but then no drinks at all till the morning.

And she must go to the toilet before she gets in bed.

Good luck.

My understanding is that before 7yo, doctors don't see this as an issue - it's actually more common than you are probably feeling!
Unlike daytime dryness, there is a hormone that needs to kick in before they physically can be dry at night - this hormone inhibits nighttime wee production, basically. So until she is ready, there probably is relatively little, if anything you can do.
Fwiw, I have a nearly 5yo ds who is also still in night time nappies, having been daytime dry since 2.5yrs. They have always been sopping in the morning. He has suddenly (in the last week) started being nearly dry in the morning, and is expressing interest in coming out of nappies (we call them pj pants for his dignity ) Otoh, my daughter was dry at night almost st away when she was potty trained. I didn't do anything different - just different children.
So, if I was you, I'd just relax, and just wait for a good few months.

(Someone more knowledgeable might be along soon, but I've read on here that lifting (ie getting them to wee when asleep) can be counter-productive - as it means that their bladders don't learn to stretch to accomodate lots of wee. Think that one is more contraversial though )
HTH

My 5.5yo dd is still in nappies at night.
Not unusual at all.

One of her older sisters was turned 5 before she was dry at night.
One of her brothers was 9+.

Our earliest to be dry at night was a dd who was just turned 2y. Another just after 2y.

There is a wide normal range for being dry at night. At 4.5y I wouldn't be worried at all.

Phew, feel much better (although now feel guilty for nagging at DD1, 'all your friends wear grown-up pants in bed' etc etc etc' )

Will ask GP about the hormone theory - sounds interesting (and hugely reassuring, so hope he will tell me it's true even if it's not ).

Will tell DH and maybe we'll stay with nappies pyjama pants (love the euphemistic approach!) for a bit longer.

feel better reading this thread! DS is 4.6 and day dry at 2.5, but still on nappies at night. tried this summer leaving him in pants, lifting etc, but his nappy is always full and often the bed is still wet in the morning even with the no-drink after 6pm rule! gave up as DD was on her way and arrived 10 days before he started school. I've given up tbh, my brother wet the bed til he was 6 and one day (or rather night) he just stopped. I might give it another go in the summer, but as you said, too cold now!

My DD2 is 4.6 and suddenly over Christmas (when i forgot to buy more nappies) she started waking up and going to the toilet. Only 1 wet bed since then.
As funny said, it is down to a hormone kicking in and all kids are different. DD1 was dry day and night at 2y.