He wakes 2-3 times a night and won't go by himself...

[hancan]

Feeling desperate for ideas - any tips? or ideas?

DS toilet trained just after 2nd birthday which was back in February. From the moment he was trained in day, he stayed dry at night so he doesn't wear nappies and is always dry.

However. He now wakes up to 4 times a night needing a wee. We do try to limit his drinks after 6pm. but he seems genuinely thirsty despite copious amounts of drink during day.

I have lowered bed so he is at floor level and given him bucket rather than potty so he has large target area in the night. he has a night light. theory is he can roll out of bed and pee and get right back in. but no.......

we have now been pretty sleep deprived for 8 months with toddler and not baby (until recently) which is sort of grating.. (sorry to moan. just tired)

forgot to mention that we 'dream wee' him before we go to bed and that he has always refused pull ups.

My DD 3y8m still wakes at least once in the night for a pee. We have just negotiated that she will go by herself rather than waking me (and therefore the baby), so I feel your pain - harder too with girls as they need wiping, no bucket etc.

Anyway, it occurs to me if he seems genuinely thirsty then maybe he isn't getting enough fluid. Therefore maybe his bladder isn't getting stretched so that it learns to hold more fluid to last overnight (or at least maybe only one waking). Perhaps the reason he is waking is thirst not bladder? I used to put DD to bed with a drink (sippy cup) in her room, she would drink quite a bit overnight, but only wake twice. She doesn't need it now, but equally I don't restrict drinks in the evening. So if you gave him free access to water, maybe it would take a bit of time, but his bladder should learn to adjust.

Also he is only small - much as you have given him the facilities, in the middle of the night maybe he needs your comfort to go back to sleep - DD has only just got past this point (fingers crossed)

Good Luck, sleep deprivation is a real drag!

I went through similar with both my DDs. With DD1 it happened soon after she was first night trained (2.5) and with DD2 it was when she was around 3.5 after we moved house and she became unhappy about going to the bathroom by herself in the night as she had done in our last house. Like you I put potty in the room next to bed and thought that would be ok but they would still wake up and call for me. What really worked for us was sticker charts. 3 nights in a row not waking me got a small prize, a full week without waking me up got a bigger treat. It worked really well and they were soon very comfortable using the potty at night without waking anyone.

hancan, sorry, but i think you are pretending too much from a two and a half year old child. He is so small and i think you are actually lucky he doesnt wet the bed!!!! :)

sea74. my mum also says he is so little. just interested in ideas i guess. also he goes to montessori nursery that is all about independence...and they have really encouraged him to do alot by himself which has been successful and he feels so proud...just want to help facilitate a natural transition....maybe i will wait til he is 3....

Nelly - great idea. i will use this feb time..when he hits 3...