DS2 wants to be nappy free at night but needs lifting

[hanbee]

DS2 has been dry in the day time for over 6 months, he's now 3y 5m. He's now insistant that he doesn't want a nappy at night and that he wants to be grown up. He's said this once before and I gobbed him off with night pull ups as I thought he wasn't ready as I knew his nappy was full in the mornings. Time has passed and he doesn't want his pull ups and yet I know he's having a wee at around midnight and one about 4.30am.

Don't want to put him off and miss an opportunity but will I just end up lifting him twice a night?

Any advice gratefully received!

fobbed not gobbed obvs!

If he needs to be lifted he isn't ready. It is unfortunately the way it is. It can take up until the age of 8 for him to be ready biologically.

Do you really want to only get broken sleep every night to lift him a at midnight and 4am? It will take its toll on you after only a few days but four and a half years will send you crazy.

I would just explain that he is not alone and that he needs to wait. Start training him by putting a potty in his room and getting him to wee in it by himself when he goes to bed and when he wakes up. After a few weeks, months or years he may start taking himself in the night to stay dry.

Thanks. That's confirmed my instinct that he's not ready. DS1 has cerebral palsy so DS2 is like a first child in respect of potty training! But I definitely noticed a time with DS1 when nappies were much drier in the morning, this hasn't happened with DS2 yet.

On the other hand we just went for it with our ds when he was only just past 2 at the same time as day potty training. We weren't fussed if we had to go back to night nappies but he took to it straight away and we only lift him at whatever time we go to bed then he's dry till waking up time with very few accidents. This was 7 months ago.

If he needs lifting twice, his body is not producing enough of the hormone to suppress wee production in the night yet. You really do need to wait for the nappies to become dryer. My DC1 was dry at night at 3y but my DC2 took until 5y11m. It really varies a lot. I know 2yos who don't need night nappies but 8yos who do need them.

You could always try it with no lifting for a couple of nights and see how he goes. I wouldn't lift twice a night, that way madness lies...

I'm used to little sleep because of my older son so I guess night waking isn't such an issue in our house out of necessity!

I will wait though, I left him one night and his bed was wet by midnight.