OT-Night time Potty training tips/advice?

[mla2177]

I can't believe how many people like throwing their $$$$ away on Pull ups just so they don't have to change sheets in the middle of the night!! Didn't you have to get up with them in the middle of the night when they were newborns? My DS wet the bed when I was potty training him, and I never used pull ups or diapers at night. I put a water proof sheet under his bed sheets, and yes, had to change sheets in the middle of the night. After about 2 solid weeks of that, he got the hang of it because he didn't like sleeping wet. I've never had a problem since.

 

[bartleby1]

I can't believe how many people like throwing their $$$$ away on Pull ups just so they don't have to change sheets in the middle of the night!! Didn't you have to get up with them in the middle of the night when they were newborns? My DS wet the bed when I was potty training him, and I never used pull ups or diapers at night. I put a water proof sheet under his bed sheets, and yes, had to change sheets in the middle of the night. After about 2 solid weeks of that, he got the hang of it because he didn't like sleeping wet. I've never had a problem since.

And don't you think that washing sheets costs money? I always watched for sales and used coupons for pull-ups. They usually cost me around 20 cents a piece. I can't run a load of wash for 20 cents. Not to mention the lack of sleep and energy spent to do the wash. Just not worth the aggravation in my opinion for something that many kids cannot control.

And yes, I did get up with my kids when they were newborns and that is what stinks about having a newborn, lol! Moms shouldn't have to to go sleep deprived for years. It is bad enough having to do it for months when they are so little. 20 cents for a pull-up is worth a good night sleep for me and for my children.

 

[mla2177]

I only had to do wash for a couple of weeks, you have been buying pull ups or diapers for 5 yrs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I used coupons all the time for diapers when he was in them, and I NEVER paid 20 cents a diaper!!!!! I'd love to know where you're shopping.

 

[deedeetoo]

I only had to do wash for a couple of weeks, you have been buying pull ups or diapers for 5 yrs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I used coupons all the time for diapers when he was in them, and I NEVER paid 20 cents a diaper!!!!! I'd love to know where you're shopping.

It sounds like you were very fortunate to have a child who potty trained easily and it only took two weeks. Not all chidren are the same. If a child is not ready to be dry at night, two weeks of wet sheets is not going to change that. It is just going to make everyone involved tired and cranky.

Our pediatrician tells us it is a developmental thing. When they are ready they are ready. You're method is not the perfect way to do it. You were just lucky that the timing was right and your child was ready when you tried it.

 

[bartleby1]

I only had to do wash for a couple of weeks, you have been buying pull ups or diapers for 5 yrs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I used coupons all the time for diapers when he was in them, and I NEVER paid 20 cents a diaper!!!!! I'd love to know where you're shopping.

When my oldest was in them it was during the priceline grocery shopping years and I got incredible deals on diapers/wipes/etc. You used to be able to 'bid' on groceries and then still use coupons! Those were the days.

For my DS, I was able to stock up about two years ago at Target when they were clearancing out the big cases of pull-ups. They were 75% off, plus I used coupons. I probably didn't even pay 20 cents a piece for them with that deal. Diaper companies change their packaging and marketing techniques quite often (usually by reducing the number in a pack) and when they do, you can often find the old style packs clearanced out at really low prices.

Otherwise, you need to watch for sales of $7.99 per jumbo pack and use a $2 off coupon. $7.99 sales are hard to find, but they do happen. $8.99 and $9.99 sales are more common but I stock up during the $7.99 deals. The key is always to stock up during the sales and being a really good guesser on how long your child will be in each size!

Thankfully, my target stock up worked out perfectly. I'm down to my last pack of pull-ups and my son really doesn't need them anymore (he doesn't pee in them anymore since he started sleep-walking and peeing all over my house instead, lol!)

So, that's my thrifty tip of the day, lol! Sorry this is so off-topic. Now, if you have any suggestions on how to stop my DS from peeing all over my house in his sleep, I'm all ears, lol!

 

[mla2177]

It sounds like you were very fortunate to have a child who potty trained easily and it only took two weeks. Not all chidren are the same. If a child is not ready to be dry at night, two weeks of wet sheets is not going to change that. It is just going to make everyone involved tired and cranky.

Our pediatrician tells us it is a developmental thing. When they are ready they are ready. You're method is not the perfect way to do it. You were just lucky that the timing was right and your child was ready when you tried it.

I beg to differ!!!! There have been 10 children in the family that have been trained this way and ALL of them were trained within a month. some as short as a couple of days. I don't think that is pure luck. My grandmother was very old school and always said once you decide to take the diaper off, NEVER put it back on because it gives mixed signals. Just like with discipline CONSISTENCY is key!!!!!!

 

[BlondeAlligator]

I beg to differ!!!! There have been 10 children in the family that have been trained this way and ALL of them were trained within a month. some as short as a couple of days. I don't think that is pure luck. My grandmother was very old school and always said once you decide to take the diaper off, NEVER put it back on because it gives mixed signals. Just like with discipline CONSISTENCY is key!!!!!!

The difference between discipline and potty training is that potty training involves a physiological function that no one has control over except the child. You cannot "make" a child have a BM if there's nothing "there"...they have to listen to their own body. Same with night training...if he/she isn't physiologically ready to go all night, you can't make them. 10 kids having done quick training in your family to me means you were either REALLY fortunate with timing or there is some genetic connection that meant all 10 were "ready" at about the same time.

I still go with my trained, PhD'd behaviorist who says that night "training" will not happen until the child's body is ready. She did say that once you take the diaper off during the day you should not go back, but that "rule" does not apply to nightimes; a child can wear underwear all day long & still have a Good Nites at night & be successful. Like I mentioned before, nighttime wetting isn't an issue until about age 8. For kids who aren't ready, wetting their bed every night can become stressful, shameful and embarassing. Why put a child through that? Just to save a little money? Not in my house...kids should be potty trained because and when they are ready, not because Mom is sick of spending time & money on pullups.

Please don't flame me...it's just my opinion & it is all said with a

 

[deedeetoo]

I beg to differ!!!! There have been 10 children in the family that have been trained this way and ALL of them were trained within a month. some as short as a couple of days. I don't think that is pure luck. My grandmother was very old school and always said once you decide to take the diaper off, NEVER put it back on because it gives mixed signals. Just like with discipline CONSISTENCY is key!!!!!!

I've got to admit I am a bit disturbed by the comparison between potty training and discipline. I hope this was just accidental and children in your family are not disciplined or made to feel like they have done something wrong because they are slow to to potty train.

I have to agree with BlondeAlligator about the genetic connection. My ds who is late potty training is adopted. Our ped. has told us that late potty training is usually inherited and his bio parent were probably also late. If all 10family members that you mentioned are biologically related that could be why they were able to be trained by this method. It makes me wonder though. What would happen if somone in your family adopted a child who was a late trainer and who didn't respond well to the family method. (I'm still shuddering about the mentioning of discipline in a potty training thread.)

 

[A&CsMom]

Like several PPs, I agree on limiting liquids after dinner to small drinks, making sure the child goes immediately before going to bed, and I think they will not be able to be dry all night until their body is ready. My DD turned 5 in February and was only dry every night consistently around Christmas time, so only about 6 weeks before her 5th birthday. We tried many different things, but nothing worked except letting it happen in its own time. My DS who is almost 9 was dry all night every night except the odd time before he was 4, and I truly believe every child is different, no matter their gender. If I had a third child I would be putting nightimes or pull ups on them and waiting until they were consistently dry and not worrying about "training" them. Just my HO.

 

[mla2177]

That's my whole point..................it has nothing to do with the child not being ready to do it( I mean at age 5), but the method in which you use.

BTW, my grandmother was a pediatrician with a PHD

I'd also like to add my child was praised the entire time I was potty training!!! If he had an accident, I always told him it was ok and that he would get it next time. I think the child senses if the parent is confident or not, and I was even though I was skeptical. I agree the child has to be ready, and that is key. I started training my son a couple weeks before his second birthday, but he was a very aware child. He knew his ABC's by that age. If the child can tell you when they want to eat or drink then they can tell you they need to use the bathroom!!!

 

[BlondeAlligator]

That's my whole point..................it has nothing to do with the child not being ready to do it( I mean at age 5), but the method in which you use.

BTW, my grandmother was a pediatrician with a PHD


I'd also like to add my child was praised the entire time I was potty training!!! If he had an accident, I always told him it was ok and that he would get it next time. I think the child senses if the parent is confident or not, and I was even though I was skeptical. I agree the child has to be ready, and that is key. I started training my son a couple weeks before his second birthday, but he was a very aware child. He knew his ABC's by that age. If the child can tell you when they want to eat or drink then they can tell you they need to use the bathroom!!!

You contradict yourself here...first you say "it has nothing to do with the child not being ready" and then you say "I agree the child has to be ready, and that is key."

Just because a child can request food, drink, or anything else, doesn't mean that his/her body is physically capable of going all night without wetting the bed. It usually happens shortly after day training, because the brain is successfully "rewiring" it's "rules" for when & where to eliminate. For some kids, it takes longer, especially if they are heavy sleepers. The point here is that night training has to happen in its own time, and there is no rush.

Your original point was that you couldn't believe that some of us would continue using pullups on our older kids at night, insinuating that we are too lazy or something to change sheets every night. If Mom is fine with buying pullups & using them until they are consistantly dry in the morning, that's not a problem as far as the child's progress is concerned. It's far worse to put a kid through night after night of lost sleep & wet beds & embarassment (which a kid can feel no matter how much praise you give him...they are human after all), especially if the kid isn't physically ready because that process could go on for months.

Again, all this is said with a and a friendly "to each her own" attitude.

 

[sskem96]

My oldest DD potty trained easily at about 19-20 months. I didn't expect her to be able to stay dry all night at that age just because she was so little. We continued to put her in pull-ups at night and just didn't worry about it. Then DD#2 came along, was potty trained for poop at about 18 months, but for pee, not til she was almost 2 1/2. She was dry at night right away, and DD#1 was still wearing her pull-ups to bed and wetting almost nightly. She was over 5 by this time. We tried putting her to bed in underwear, but she still wet and slept right through it, so then she had to take a full bath every morning before school. We put her back in pull-ups, and she was finally dry at 8 1/2 years old. It was like a switch just flipped one day and her bladder figured out how to hold it all night. At the time, I was feeling like I should have bought stock in Huggies though!

 

[02AggieGirl]

I want to thank you all again for your help. I did not mean to spark a debate by asking for any advice you might have. Like I said, she is my oldest and so I'm still learning with her. Although, it's obvious by all the posts that it is just an individual thing for each child and parent. So I might just learn a whole new lesson when the time comes with my youngest.