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Potty training

Is your child ready for potty training at nursery? Here's the place for all your toilet training questions.

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Original poster

2.5 year old fully potty trained but waking for the toilet at night time is a nightmare

18 replies

LJDJGJFJ · 25/09/2023 11:47

My son has now been fully day time potty trained for 2 months (he did it straight away and has had no problems).

He has managed to train himself at night too - great developmentally (well done to him!) but sleep wise for me and himself, not so much! Always wakes with a bone dry nappy but that is after waking up to 5 times at night time for a wee. I'm absolutely drained and feel like I have a newborn at night times again with the amount we are having to get up.

He obviously still wears a nappy at bedtime as I was always expecting to do bedtime toilet training when he is a little older (my eldest did daytime and night time training at different times, nighttime when he was older). Even when he doesn't have a drink after 6pm (bedtime is at 7pm) he is still needing the toilet at night time. Even after he wakes for a wee once or twice and has nothing to drink during the night, somehow, he still has enough in him to need more wees later in the night! I don't think it's UTI because they aren't small and often, they are big wees.

Normally wakes for a wee at:
(7pm wee before bed)

10pm

-1am -3 am -5 am -6 am (wake up for the day)

This has been happening ever since he cracked the day time training so no good sleep for nearly 2 months now and I'm struggling.

Any advice about this would be much appreciated.

OP posts:

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Original poster

LJDJGJFJ · 30/09/2023 17:46

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OP posts:

fearfuloffluff · 30/09/2023 17:55

Can you do away with the nappy and put a potty by the bed so he can wee and get straight back in without waking you?

Spookymormonhelldream · 30/09/2023 17:57

He’s old enough to be told, if you need a wee at night time, just go in your potty. Mummy doesn’t need to be involved! Weirdly I bet Daddy isn’t so bothered 😕

Original poster

LJDJGJFJ · 01/10/2023 12:59

@fearfuloffluff @Spookymormonhelldream

He is still in a cot at the moment and even if he was already in a toddler bed, he would struggle to pull his pants down and up (we practise that in the day but aren't anywhere near him doing that alone yet). We would end up with lots of accidents if we told him to do that.

He is only 29 months and I personally don't know anyone who has trusted their 29 month old to go to the potty alone .

Also, his dad does help and get up and down too FYI.

OP posts:

Crumbcatcher · 01/10/2023 13:37

Take the side off the cot? If he's always dry, just use a waterproof sheet and he can wear pjs, no pants, and use the potty by himself. That's what potties are for!

Original poster

LJDJGJFJ · 01/10/2023 16:22

@Crumbcatcher

Currently, he only goes to the toilet with an adult in the day time.

Please can you enlighten me on how getting him to use the potty without supervision in the middle of the night (half asleep may I add) when he hasn't yet grasped doing it without supervision in the day time?

If he struggled to pull his bottoms down/back up again on his own in the day time, I can't see night time being any easier for him?

Surely for me and his dad, that will then mean less sleep due to having to clean up numerous accidents in his bedroom that have happened due to him having no help to pull his pants down?... he's just not ready to do it unsupervised and as his mum, I know that 100%.

Honestly, I really can't see any of the logic in these responses

OP posts:

Angelik · 01/10/2023 16:41

He's too big for cot. I'd introduce toddler bed first. Keep practising with going potty on his own in the day and I expect it will just happen. You've been given options here. There is no magic Bullet solution, I'm afraid.

Noseyoldcow · 01/10/2023 16:43

That seems a lot of volume of wee at night, most people produce less at night. So I would get that checked out in case there is a problem. If he can't use the potty solo during the day yet, he can hardly be expected to at night. So practise during the day.
My daughter was very good at using the potty solo at night/early in the morning. But take a tip from me - don't have a slide in the room and the potty at the landing end of it!

Crumbcatcher · 01/10/2023 20:12

LJDJGJFJ · 01/10/2023 16:22

@Crumbcatcher

Currently, he only goes to the toilet with an adult in the day time.

If he struggled to pull his bottoms down/back up again on his own in the day time, I can't see night time being any easier for him?

Honestly, I really can't see any of the logic in these responses

Sorry, my mistake, I thought you were looking for ideas. You crack on.

hangingonfordearlife1 · 23/03/2024 18:56

having a 2 yr 3 month old i don't understand the responses either. he can barely get out of bed himself let alone undress get on potty and dress again. bit of a ridiculous expectation for a little toddler

OneMoreTime23 · 23/03/2024 18:59

Currently, he only goes to the toilet with an adult in the day time.

So not fully potty trained then. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Skybluepinky · 23/03/2024 19:07

Very unusual for a child of that age not to be able to pull clothes up and down at that age, but wouldn’t agree with potty in the bedroom.
Do they drink squash or fruit shoots, if so knock them on the head and just plain old water, as both are diuretics so they will be weeing more?

MrsSamR · 23/03/2024 19:34

I'm a bit confused as to how you thought he could be night trained while still in a cot. Of course he has to wake you as he can't get out! Were you expecting him to not need the loo for 12 hours straight? My daughter night trained at the same time she daytime potty trained at 2 yrs 7 months but she would just use the potty in her room and not wake us and we'd empty it in the morning. But then she could pull her pyjamas bottoms up and down herself. You need to remove the cot sides and teach him to pull his pyjamas bottoms up and down and use the potty in the night. I don't see any other way.

Hg07 · 10/09/2024 06:12

I came on looking for some advice around a similar situation and just shocked by the responses. Advice is valid and useful but most of these comments are just dismissive, not sure why mums tear other mums down!
My little one is 2 years and 4 months, wakes a few times a night for a wee and very upset when she’s awake because she clearly doesn’t want to be. She gets herself out of bed for the potty but is usually disorientated so we have to get up and assist.
All these people suggesting a 2 year old just gets up on their own, what if they miss the potty? How do they get toilet roll to wipe themselves properly? If she doesn’t wipe she’ll get sore or a uti, as would an adult 🙃
Also don’t think it’s that odd for a 2 year old to be assisted by an adult, this happens at nursery, if they’re able to recognise they need a wee and are able to sit on a potty by themselves with adult supervision, I would say they’re still potty trained. Sounds like some people expect A LOT from such a young child, it’s ridiculous. We don’t praise small children enough for their massive achievements.
For anyone struggling with the night wakings, hang in there and remind yourself you’re doing a great job giving your child the support they need ❤️

Sadmamatoday · 10/09/2024 06:28

LJDJGJFJ · 01/10/2023 12:59

@fearfuloffluff @Spookymormonhelldream

He is only 29 months and I personally don't know anyone who has trusted their 29 month old to go to the potty alone .

Also, his dad does help and get up and down too FYI.

I had the same issue with my 2.5yo. You'd be surprised re the potty if they have easy pants to take off, mine can go to the potty, then empty it into the toilet and will wash his hands. Think there has only been spillage once. Probably the wrong advice, but mine also was waking to wee, so I told him it was ok to go in his night nappy for the sake of sleep. Good luck, I feel your pain. There's always something isn't there

SunQueen24 · 10/09/2024 06:29

Do you think he’s waking with worry that he might have an accident?

My now 5 year old started dry at night 2 when we first potty trained, but he was the same frequently waking for the toilet and I also had a newborn. So I never took his pull ups away. Then he started sleeping through but not being dry - I think he was so worried about being wet he couldn’t sleep. Ultimately I thought it was better he slept than was dry, but he’s still not dry at 5! His brother on the other hand has been dry at night since he trained at two aswell. Just a cautionary note for you to stick this out!

Blarn · 10/09/2024 06:43

How much was he waking before? He might have realised that 'oh, I don't have to try to get back to sleep, I can tell mummy and daddy that I need a wee and get to see them and be tucked back in which is much nicer!' Which would account for some of the waking. But as he is going a couple of large wees could it be that he is withholding a bit during the day? Dd1 did this when we first potty trained her, she was actually dry in the night before she was out of nappies in the day but then they were soaked again and sometimes needed changing in the night. Perhaps working on his confidence and ability to use the potty during the day would help?

jellyfish3 · 10/09/2024 06:44

It may not be this, but for a family I know all their children had this issue on needing a wee at night consistently, which continued to lead to bed wetting when they were older.

It turned out to be hormonal. Once they realised, for a week or so, they were given medication by the GP (not sure what) that stopped the urge at night. That provided enough of a reset to then break the habit of waking up to wee in the night.

Your child is quite young but something to keep in mind if this continues.

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