night training - to lift or not to lift, that is the question.

[blushingmare]

I'd assumed DD (3.5) would just "get dry" at night once that hormone thing happened. But actually, I've been leaving a potty in her room for the last month, which she has been using and the last couple of weeks she seems to have had a dry nappy (hard to be absolutely sure). So last night she did the first night with no nappy and she stayed dry However, I did sit her on the potty at 11pm, because I went into her room to put away some clothes and she kind of woke up, so I just took the opportunity to give her an extra wee.

Should I go in and lift her every night, or leave her and see if she wakes up? What's the recommendation with this?

I did this with DD1, after talking about it to her and making a reward chart. It worked very well indeed and she soon got the hang of things.

I was also waiting for something to kick in, but despite being dry in the daytime by 2.5, it still wasn't happening at night, so I had to intervene!

Sorry, should've added that DD was 4 when I started lifting her at night.

My parents lifted me and my brother and we both used to wee the bed. Ended up at the GP about it. I remember having an alarmed mat and being old enough to change bed myself.

My DD aged 2.5 has been dry at night from almost the same time as being potty trained through the day. We never lifted her - our HV said it trains them to wee in their sleep.

So, just what you were after - entirely contradictory advice!!

DD was dry at night before we potty trained during the day, it was how I knew she must be ready.

DS practically trained himself during the day but is still wet most nights now at 4, sometimes he wakes up around 10pm for a wee but I am not going to start lifting him as I think it needs to come from him. I don't think it is a big deal at this age, he can wear a pull up and he will get there eventually.

No that's interesting Bushy. I'd wondered if it might. I kind of feel like seeing as she's been dry (I think) while wearing a nappy and she's been getting up a few times and using the potty, maybe I should just leave her to it. Just harder to do that when there's no nappy safety net!

Check out the ERIC website. I'm pretty sure lifting is not recommended but we did it as dd1 was upset about needing a night nappy when dd2 didn't. Dd2 was dry at night as soon as she was dry in the day but dd1 was 5 and showed no signs of being dry at night. We lifted her each night before we went to bed and that seemed to sort the issue. However, I carried out lots of ERIC's tips like increasing daytime drinks and weeing twice before bed (before and after story) so hard to know what worked?!

I've never lifted DS 4, I limit drinks after supper which seems to work.

Thanks Charming. Didn't know about that site - it's useful. Didn't lift last night and she wet the bed. Maybe she's not ready. Still not sure what to do or how long to persist!

I don't think you can really "train" a child to be dry at night; it's a combination of having the awareness to wake up at night when the bladder is full, plus hormonal production to suppress urine production.

I wouldn't stop night nappies until a child has been consistently dry for a couple of weeks. I know some people who have lifted their child, but it doesn't teach them to learn to recognise their bladder is full.

Do have a look at the ERIC website mentioned up thread.

Watching with interest as I'm not sure how long to persevere with DD. We haven't been lifting as I read that it wouldn't really help her to learn. I did the first couple nights before I found that out, and she was dry, after that she's been wet every night for a couple of weeks. Not sure how long to give her before giving up!

My daughter was 6 before being dry-pull ups were sodden every day. One day she decided she wanted to do it and only had a couple of accidents. If she wakes I send her to the loo but don't lift ever (except sometimes at friends houses if she has had juice and I'm worried about wetting someone else's bed.

Thanks Sauvignon. She has been dry in her night nappy for a couple of weeks and sometimes taking herself
for a wee on the potty in the middle of the night, which is why I've decided to give it a go, but it's plunged me into uncertainty about whether it's the right thing to do now!!

Giraffes- yes that sounds like us! The ERIC site seems to say avoid lifting them, but if you do lift them then make sure they are actually awake when they go to the loo, so they're not just going in their sleep, but on the loo. I'm going to try her again tonight without lifting and if we have another accident then maybe it's back to night nappies.

Just saw our GP earlier about DS. She has given us urine specimen bottles to check for infection/glucose. We've to see her a week after for the results. She seemed to be suggesting an alarm thereafter. DS is 7 now, so hoping this does the trick.