This post is sponsored by Pampers but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board. We only recommend products we genuinely love.
"When it came time to potty train my children, I was very nervous. I kept putting the process off because I was afraid of how time-consuming it would be. When the time finally came, I blocked off a four-day weekend to focus solely on potty trainingājust me, the kids, and the potty. I was prepared for weeks of cleaning up pee from the floor and a mounting frustration on my part. To my surprise, the potty training went better than expected. There were a few accidents, yes, but my well-planned positivity and patience was the key to their success. Potty training during the day was a success, but what about overnight potty training? How do you potty train children who are, you know, not awake?
What Iāve learned is that you canāt really train your kids not to potty during the night and that you have to wait for them to be developmentally ready. After all, it’s their unconscious brain that needs to inhibit bladder releaseāwhich is no small feat. Some moms suggested that I awaken my kids at night to allow them a “midnight pee.” I quickly decided against this advice because 1) I don’t want to wake up at midnight, and 2) once my kids are awake, they are awake, and it would take them forever to get back to bed.
Now that my children sleep through the night successfully without wetting the bed, I’ve rounded up six things that have helped us through the process. It took significantly longer than potty training during the day (like close to a year), but we’ve come out the other end dry and happy.
1. Use Training Undies
Possibly the most reliable product to help with nighttime potty training is training pants, so choosing a brand that prioritizes comfort and absorbability is key. But the main complaint parents typically have about training pants is that they still feel like diapers. So thatās why we swear by Pampers Easy Ups since their material and cut feel similar to big kid undies (and they’re more affordable than other brands). Transitioning to Easy Ups before officially starting nighttime training allows toddlers to make a clean break from the diapers and practice their pushing and pulling skills.
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Easy Ups have dual leak-guard barriers with up to 100 percent leakproof protection so no messes overnight. My kids have sensitive skin and haven’t experienced any skin reactions using Easy Ups seeing as theyāre dermatologically tested and hypoallergenic. When my LO is too close to āgoingā to push them down in time during an emergency midnight run, Easy Ups have easy-tear sides to make removal extra quick. In preparation for nighttime potty training, I created a reward chart system based on how dry their Easy Ups were every morning. Each day with dry training undies got them one sticker, and after two weeks of waking up dry, they got a small toy of their choice. We were able to transition to underwear soon after starting this method. All in all, Easy Ups made the learning curve and transition to undies seamless.
2. Encourage consistent daytime potty breaks
Setting up good habits for daytime potty breaks greatly helps during the nighttime hours. My kids are notorious for waiting until the last minute to go potty, so Iāve been adamant about asking them every so often if they need to use the potty. This is especially important when theyāre playing as they will often ignore their bodiesā cues and would rather continue to play than to take a break and go potty.
We still have accidents every now and then, but for the most part, they know how to listen to their bodies and go potty right away instead of waiting. The better they are at understanding this, the better they will do at going potty during the night.
3. Limit liquids
Between dinner and bedtime, I limit the amount of water my kids will drink. If they do ask for water, I give them the smallest cup we have in our cupboard. I try to discourage them from drinking any water an hour before bed, but this is tough during the summer months when it is still hot outside. I just try to make sure that they are well-hydrated throughout the day so that they arenāt so thirsty later that night.
4. Potty before bed
Our bedtime routine always includes going potty before we settle down for a book. After books are read and cuddles have been given, I will ask them one more time if they need to go potty.
There have been a few nights (like nights when weāve stayed up way too late due to holidays or special events) when bedtime was rushed and I forgot to remind them to go potty before bed. Of course, these are the nights when accidents happen.
5. Follow your childās cues
My daughter was ready to sleep without her training undies way before my son was. She even asked not to use them anymore. My son expressed concern and was nervous to stop using them, so I didnāt push it on him. I waited until he became more confident and was eager to try sleeping without them. When he was finally ready, he successfully started waking up dry.
6. Prepare for accidents
Accidents will happen, and you need to be patient when they occur. The first few nights of sleeping without training undies, I had my kids sleep on an air mattress with the rubber side up. If they had an accident, it was easy to wipe off.
As we transitioned back into the bed, I placed water-resistant pads under their sheets and just made sure to have fresh sheets always ready to switch out. Iām not going to lie, there were a few weeks where it felt like all I was doing was cleaning soiled sheets, but it quickly passed, and weāve been accident-free for a while.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gabriela Garcia, Contributing Writer
Gabriela is a Chicago-based writer, mom-of-two, and founder ofĀ The Beauty Edit. She loves to cook food that her children don’t eat and pretends to be a bibliophile when in reality she’s a Bravo TV and chip addict.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
McKenna Pringle, Branded Content Editorial Assistant
Ever since she began her editorial work and interned for The Everymom during college, McKennaās dedication to this field and drive to gain as much knowledge as possible has only continued to grow day by day. She draws from her experiences as a nanny and passion for topical conversations to write thoughtful pieces on news, entertainment, culture, and lifestyle.
This post contains a sponsored inclusion of Pampers but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board. We only recommend products we genuinely love.