Potty training going so well that he's waking up a 4am asking for a wee! Help!

[alicesma]

We started training DS (2.10 yrs) a couple of weeks ago and he's now got the hang of knowing when he needs to go. He's still in a nappy at night time and he woke up with a dry nappy for two nights (never done that before) and then cried when he weed in it the next night, and last night woke up DH at 4am saying he needed to wee. DH didn't know what to do so told him to go in his nappy which he did and went back to sleep.

I don't know whether to encourage this or not. The problem is he's still in his cot and sleeping bag which he loves, and I'm not sure if he's ready to go into a big bed yet (he says he still likes his cot) - so he can't get up and wee by himself.

Also would it be too much change all at once with potty training and moving into a big bed? We're also still having trouble with the poo aspect of potty training - he seems to be holding it for a couple of days and then he'll have an accident, so he's not completely comfortable with potty training and I don't want to add any more stress for him.

My DD was in night time nappies until she was 4.5 and decided she didn't want them anymore but she never had a dry one before that so I don't have any experience of getting rid of night time nappies so early.

Any help/advice appreciated!!

alicesma my dd is 2.7 and we've finished potty training she is the first of my dcs to call in middle of night for a wee, your right it is a good sign I wouldn't encourage him to wee in his nappy as this will lead to problems later on

Try to restrict drinks from a certain time in the evening and always make sure they wee before going to bed

I've noticed that the only nights my dd wakes for a wee is when she has had a drink later than usual, I also tell her right no more peepee's until morning when I put her to bed, she took her own nappy off the second week of training her and won't wear one to bed

Sorry poo thing not too sure about, but I did a sticker chart and dd always got a bigger sticker for poos

But I do know alot of people who have trouble with the poo bit,

Thanks for replying PlumBumMum

Is your DD in a bed? Would she get up for a wee by herself or is it just not an issue as she doesn't need to go?

I guess I could leave him in the cot if we cut down on his bedtime milk and then he might not need to go. But do I just go for it and take off the nappy?

As for the poo - we have been doing sweets, stickers, presents - every bribe you can think of, but he just keeps holding on to it. I'm hoping it will sort itself out once he gets really used to using the loo for wees.

We took our DS' cot side off altogether from 2.6 yrs, to get him used to a bed with no side, and a pillow on the floor in case he fell out. (He wasn't dry at night until 4.7 though.)

You could do this for your DS, put him in pull-up nappies and pyjamas, and help him practise pulling them up and down. Place a potty in his room and a night light, and he is all set to go for a wee by himself. If he calls you, the sooner you respond, the sooner you can all get back to bed!

Make sure he has lots to drink during the day if you are restricting fluid after tea, and try to make the last wee just before going to sleep, if there is a long time between then and getting ready for bed. Easier said than done if they fall asleep during their story!

alicesma my dd is still in the cot, I'm struggling with moving her into a bed as shes my no3 (trying to pretend shes still a baby)
I stopped giving her a night time milk so the last fluids she gets is prob around dinner time and its rare now for her to need to go in the middle of the night

Thanks girlywhirly and PlumBumMum!

I think I will cut down his bedtime milk and see what happens tonight. I don't really want to change the sleeping arrangements until I really have to! He loves his sleeping bag so it would mean giving that up too. If we still get wake up calls I will think about taking the side of the cot off as you suggested, girlywhirly

Well, we had a dry nappy this morning and no wake up calls

I think I'll give it a few more nights in the nappy and the reduced amount of bedtime milk and see what happens...

We got some great washables from Flame which were training pants with more absorbancy than standard ones and ds was in these for sometime after training - which he did at 2.2. These were much more like pants than a normal nappy - they didn't totally prevent accidents escaping, but they significantly reduced the impact.

We had no problems changing into child's bed - got the one from Ikea with the dog and cat on and he loved it - although we left the cot in his room for a while. He did move to sheets and a blanket at this stage.

However, a colleague at work has two boys older than ds and they were still in their sleeping bags, wandering around and going up and down stairs aged 4+ - so a sleeping bag doesn't necessarily preclude sleeping in a bed and being able to walk around...

My DD is 2.2 and has been dry at night since 23 months. She was already in a cot with the side taken off so could get in and out. As soon as we left the nappies off she would regularly wake us up at night for a wee - she still does now, but less regularly. She has a potty in her roon, but can't do the lights and the landing light isn't really enough. Also she isn't very good at wiping yet, so we do need to supervise. She does go straight back to sleep aterwards, so we don't really see it as a problem (I often get up to pee in the night myself).

I dont; like to restrict drinks, especially as we tend to eat lateish as a family. However it probably does contribute to the night waking, so may be a tactic worth trying. I wouldn't advise telling your son to pee in a nappy - it gives the wrong messages when he is obviously able to control his bladder - may lead to a backward step.

mistlethrush - Thanks for your reply. He doesn't seem to be too bothered about wearing a pull up to bed, but I guess the training pants might encourage him to stay dry more (although he was fine last night). We have a cot bed so we could just take off the sides and see what happens...It's not so much being able to walk around that's a problem in the sleeping bag, but I don't think he'd be able to take it off and wee by himself if he needed to. They do look funny when they walk in sleeping bags though

LionstarBigPants - Thanks! My DS is a bit older so I think he might be all right if we put a night light in his room. Also he doesn't really need to wipe so that's easier! I'm not really restricting drinks, just giving him half the amount of milk at bedtime, and he has a beaker of water in his cot at night if he wants it.

It's all so weird to me having had a DD who never had a dry nappy at night. It would be great if he just sorts it out himself though

Oh, and he managed a poo in the potty last night - hurrah! He was a bit distressed about it but very proud once he'd done it and got a Lego police motorbike

Ours were more of a 'these are nighttime pants, not a nappy' solution - and also worked out less expensive - more of a bit of a safety net - and you will still have a wet sleeping bag if its a big wee, but it won't be as significant a problem ifykwim.

BTW ds never has water left in his room. Very occasionally he wakes up and needs a drink - I take a very small one in for him. Normally he waits and has a big drink with breakfast.