Night time pull ups for older child - recommendations, pros and cons?

[TinyTeacher]

Hi Mumsnet,
One of my 5yos is not dry at night. Not remotely - he has limited liquids in the last hoir before bed (tricky doing no liquid in this heat) and has a wee before bed (between 8&9pm). I take him for a wee a bit after midnight and he does one, but is still wet in the morning. He needs something to wear for nighttime.

Anyone that has used pull ups for a child that is not toddler sized? Its miserable for him to he soggy every morning. He doesnt want a nappy - he has a twin brother who has been dry at night bar the odd accident for well over a year, and now his sister who is 3 years younger than him no longer has a nappy at night its a bit sensitive for him and he has started trying to hide his wet pjs. His twin brother tells him off sometimes as if he's being naughty (obviously i try to step on that, but there's a lack of emotional maturity there).

5yo in question has some level of developmental delay and is being assessed for ASD. Likely that he won't be dry for a while, hence looking for a solution that doesnt involve soggy trousers and miserably shamed boy 😫

Also, if you used pull ups, what's the exit strategy? I've never needed them for my other 3 kids

It’s not anything unusual really. There are night pull-ups specifically for this age range: Ninjamas or Huggies night pants, which look more like pants than nappies. Both of mine have taken a while to be night dry after being day dry, DD2 just turned 4 and is in pull-ups overnight, DD1 was just about to turn 5 when she stopped needing them, I had 7yos at Brownie camp wearing them. It’s not uncommon or anything that needs to be ‘solved’ immediately. If the hormone hasn’t kicked in then it hasn’t kicked in.

some children just take much longer to be dry at night, it might also be a medical condition and struggling to hold bladder. Also, he might just be in that much of a deep sleep he doesn’t know. Please encourage other children to be kind and reassure him it’s okay.

there are dry nites for older children. Think they go up to age 11 (it is that common!)

It really is pretty common for a 5 year old, especially a boy to not be dry at night. I suggest pyjama pants they are easy to pick up at all the supermarkets. Nothing to be concerned about at all.

Ninjamas are the best of those I've tied. Look very comfy too.

• tried

My 12yr old (disabled) fits in tesco size 9 pull ups, drynites age 13+ and nundies age 8-15. Steer clear of ninjamas they leak terribly. They all hold full a wee and most of a number 2, so you should be good with those brands x

Edited to add that pampers are not great either. It's taken us all our DS"s life to find something that works (Incontinence clinic only provide pads which are easily pulled out).

Ok a few things to try there, thank you for recommendations!

I know its not a big issue really. Its very hard to stop him making comparisons with his identical twin, and his younger sister being dry now has made him suddenly seem ashamed (her ditching nappies at night seems to have triggered hiding his pjs instead of telling me). Just went in now to take him for his wee and he was sittting up awake in bed looking worried with his sheets sopping and his wet pjs shoved under the bed.....So something that isnt too nappy-like in appearance will be easier for him i think.

His identical twin also has some ASD traits, so isnt great at understanding empathising. He doesnt understand why his brother isnt dry and tells him he must be drinking before bed time.

I use Nundies for DD7. Never had any leaks.

I would personally try a few different ones as they are all going to have a slightly different fit! The Tesco and Pampers pull ups go up to a size 9 and would be considerably cheaper, I’ve also found them far better than Drynites. Lidl and Aldi also go up to a size 8. When they start getting drier at night then I would stop putting them on him.

I would put the pull ups where the others can’t see/find them, don’t make a big fuss about it and get it off first thing in the morning, it’s completely normal at his age and is better than accidents.

Good luck 🌺

its quite common and night time dryness isn’t something you can teach. He will be dry when he starts producing a hormone that wakes him up when he needs a wee.

we called them ‘night time pants’.