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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

Night time toilet training 5 year old

14 replies

Cindy1802 · 01/12/2025 20:08

My son is about to turn 5 and is still in night time nappies. He's been successfully potty trained (day time) since he was 2.5, with no issues. He doesn't have accidents during the day and hasn't probably for about 2 years.

At night though, he's never once had a dry night. His nappy is always super full in the morning, and probably leaks once a week it's that full. Weve tried limiting drinks before bed, putting him on the loo when we go to bed, but had no success.

I know that night time training issues can be hormonal and can last longer than 5YO, but am I safe to assume that's what's holding him back? Is there anything else I should be trying? Has anyone used the cotton night pants that get advertised on the likes of Facebook, that are meant to make him feel wet?

I'm not trying to push him if he's not ready, but I also want to make sure I'm doing everything I can to help him - he is starting to make some comments about it and I have a feeling my youngest will probably be night trained before him!

Some people have suggested just going cold turkey on the nappies and letting him wet the bed and that he'll learn in a few weeks using that method, but the thought of having to change sheets every single night doesn't sound very appealing...

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Bringemout · 01/12/2025 20:10

We just stuck with the pull ups and DD was dry just before 6. I couldn’t face the washing either. She was also potty trained at around 2 so no issues with being peeing aside from at night. I do know someone who got great results from an alarm as their son was just an extremely deep sleeper.

Daisylove1 · 01/12/2025 20:11

My daughter was still wet at night at 5 years old- I think it’s pretty normal? Having said that I tried to go cold turkey, like you’ve been suggested and we just ended up washing the sheets daily. She just got there in her own time.
My youngest was dry of a night pretty much straight away- I’ve heard it’s got something to do with them producing a hormone?

Spaceman101 · 01/12/2025 20:12

We had a great success with a mat which sounded an alarm. I was skeptical at first but it seemed to kickstart some kind of natural response. Only had to use it for a couple of weeks.

Jubu22 · 01/12/2025 20:15

I seem to remember with my children i waited until their nappies were dry in the morning before going without. If they are dry most nights then transfer to a waterproof sheet on the bed. This is in conjunction with what you're already doing. It is a physiological thing so children will get there in their own time

InsideJob · 01/12/2025 20:16

Another one to say alarm. We used it for two weeks and it worked. We tried cold turkey prior to this for three months as part of a clinical trial and it didn't work. We just had lots of washing.

SquigglePigs · 01/12/2025 22:09

DD was the same. Somewhere about 6.5yrs the hormone kicked in and it was like a switch flipped, dry just like that.

Original poster

Cindy1802 · 02/12/2025 10:36

Thanks all.

For those who mentioned alarms, can anyone recommend one? He is a deep sleeper, once he's asleep at night he realllyyy wants to stay asleep. We can make loads of noise and carry him around and he'll not really rouse.

Otherwise I may just leave it another while to see if the hormone kicks in!

For those who had very full nappies each morning, which nappies did you use?! I've tried loads and I'm currently on ninjamas. They aren't cheap and we still get a few leaks.

OP posts:

titchy · 02/12/2025 10:46

Alarms?!!! Dear God he’s only 5. It’s totally hormonal btw - not ‘can be hormonal’. If he hasn’t started producing the hormone by the time he’s 8, then try alarms, artificial hormones etc. Right now - chill. At least a third of his class will still be in pull ups at night.

Devilsmommy · 02/12/2025 10:51

Cindy1802 · 02/12/2025 10:36

Thanks all.

Otherwise I may just leave it another while to see if the hormone kicks in!

For those who had very full nappies each morning, which nappies did you use?! I've tried loads and I'm currently on ninjamas. They aren't cheap and we still get a few leaks.

Honestly there's no way to train them to be dry at night. It's not going to happen until the hormone kicks in. So it's just a case of waiting for him to have consistently dry nappies/pull ups in the morning really. 5 is still young so he's still got plenty of time for the hormone and going cold turkey is just pointless, all you'll be doing is creating constant washing and who wants that really 😬

Devilsmommy · 02/12/2025 10:54

@Cindy1802 pampers do pull ups nappies in a size 9 now so if your ds isn't massive then those could be worth a try

user2848502016 · 02/12/2025 10:59

He’s still very young, I would just leave him in pull ups for now. It sounds like he just isn’t ready yet.
I would think wetting the bed every night would be worse for him than being in a pull up, just explain that lots of children his age need them and he will stop needing them soon.

You could try taking him for a wee when you go to bed, and a potty in his room though to make sure he isn’t weeing in his nappy in the morning because he can’t be bothered to go to the bathroom!

Nighttime wetting isn’t considered a “problem”
until at least age 8.

IsItBedtimeYettt · 04/12/2025 07:59

I agree with PP’s - it’s hormonal he’s still young! Better off using nappies/pull ups until the hormone starts being produced.

Another vote for Pampers! We use the nappies still but my DD is tiny! Rarely have leaks and they are normally on offer somewhere with 2 jumbo packs for £20

Nearlyamumoftwo · 12/12/2025 23:21

I could have written this post myself so thanks @Cindy1802for getting there before me! My son is 5 soon and I'm noticing no "progress" in his nappies - they're very full the next morning. He is also aware that I've got an interest in it and has started to refuse to go to the toilet before bed, and won't take his nappy off for ages in the morning so when I feel a heavy nappy, I don't know when he did the wee if that makes sense... anyway I think I'll hold off worrying for now based on what others have said. And we use the Aldi pull ups and never had an issue with leaking

MummaMummaJumma · 12/12/2025 23:28

My nearly 5 year old has been dry for 3 weeks now. Once his nappy was dry for a week we just stopped putting them on. He was very proud of himself as he believed he was “the only boy in reception still wearing nappies at night” 🥹. They get there when they are ready, OP. We never made a thing of it or used alarms and it just happened.

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