Potty Training My 3 1/2 Year Old Daughter at Night Time

It's more common than you think. My 4 yr old son still wears a diaper to bed. It's way wet in the morning. He just isn't ready for underwear at night. I have a friend whose 7 year old son still had to wear a pull up to bed.

All kids are different, your daughter just isn't quite ready yet. Does she have any sleep issues?? I remember my mom getting so mad at me because I wet my bed almost every night when I was little. My dad urged her to take me to the doctor to see if something was wrong and it turned out that I had a sleep disorder. I slept "too deep" and wouldn't wake up when I had to go to the bathroom. I'll never forget that mat i had to lay on...it was kind of funny now that I think about it. It was supposed to shock me a little bit when moisture hit it. My dad said it must not work cuz she's not waking up. He laid on and my mom poured a little water on it...I never heard my dad scream like that...it was funny as hell!!! It didn't wake me up for anything though!! Enough of my stories...everything will work itself out in time. One thing you said I don't like though...yell at your husband for me. If he thinks potty training is totally up to you he has another thing coming. He should be helping you with that...afterall he is the FATHER. It's just as much his responsibility as it is yours. Good luck with everything...if your husband needs a good talking to, you let me know!!

Thank you Kellie G. I was reading the advice responses to this problem and only one of the 13 responses said what I was thinking.

Your husband needs to change his attitude. NOW. Some men need to realize that parenting is not just a mom thing. I think that you should give him a good whack with a frying pan. Try a cast iron one, that may knock some sense into him.

He needs to be involved and he needs to care about it. I'm sure that you've heard this before but kids know. Kids can pick up on things like their parents not caring and even though it's just bedwetting it can still make a difference.

Do what works for you, whether it's Pull-Ups or Goodnights or going to the doctor, whatever. But make sure you reassure her (BOTH of you - Grrrr) that it's ok. It's not a bad thing, just something that happens.

Make him take care of it with you!

have u tried the award thing?

To be completely honest with you, I myself wet the bed WAY longer than I should have. Some childrens bladders dont develop as fast as others. Using pull-ups is a good way to keep the sheets and her clothing in good condition. If you are doing everything u can and its not working, its probably because of the size of her bladder and that is no ones fault and has to grow on its own.

Hello K.,
It is quite normal for a 3 1/2 year old to not have control of their bladder while sleeping. I have a 4+year old neice who has to wear a diaper to sleep because she has NO control but is totally fine during the day. On the other hand, my 4 year old has been waking up dry since she was 2. Every child is different when it comes to this. Talk to your pediatrician for reassurance. I've been told that some children aren't able to get thru the night without an accident until they are 5 or 6 and that is not abnormal. I don't think that I would wake your daughter up to use the bathroom. Just relax, she's not going to be wearing a diaper to school-it sounded like she's only having issues at night-which is OK. I understand your concern with one child being easy to and the other one having issues. My 4 year old showed an interest at a very young age on the other hand my 2 1/2 year shows no interest whatsoever in going on the potty which is odd to me becuase our 4 year old was totally trained by that time.

Remember, you still have a year before she gos to school & when you're talking about a 3 1/2 year old, a year is a lonnnnggg time-plenty of time for her to get to the point where she has more control, but it's possible she may take longer and that is ok-she likely won't be the only kid that has that issue.

Good luck!
A.

Potty training at night is a difficult thing to do! My daughter is 4 and has just now started wearing panties to bed! She still once in a great while has an accident. The thing that has helped me the most is not letting her have a lot too drink atleast an hour before bed time. If she is thirsty I let her have a sip. I make sure she goes potty right before she goes to bed. That is what has worked for me, give it a try and I wish you luck. Some kids just sleep too hard to wake up when they have to go potty.

hi.. my son is 4 and still wets the bed at nite.. i also pulled the luiquids.. and i dont wake him at nite as he thinks then its time to stay up.. i have him in preschool and they dont say anything as hes potty trained for day.. does she hold it during the day and goes when she has too?? cuz if she does i dont think you should have a problem sending her to school.. keep your head up high and keep trying..

Hi i have read your problem. I do daycare for 1 family and it involves 3 girls. 1 child is 5 and goes to kindergarden and the other 2 are twin girls that are 14 months. The 5 yr old wets her pants when she is here almost everyday weather she is awake or asleep in the morning. I have told the mom, she finally took the little girl to the doctor. The doctor told her no pop, no chocolate, nothing might contribute to caffine. I dont know that this pertains to your household but, it was just something i thought i would mention. I have an almost 4yr old son who is potty trained and the only thing i did with him is stopped liquids after 6pm like you have. The only other thing i stock him to go potty not just once but continuely up until bedtime. I sound like a broken record!!LOL!! GO POTTY, GO POTTY!! GOOD LUCK
S.

You're not alone - my 3-1/2 year old son still wears a pull-up at night. He just doesn't wake up to go! Sleeps too soundly. I'm not worrying about it, since he is fine during the day, and even naptime at preschool. Sorry I don't have advice, but I think some kids just aren't physically ready at this age to make it through the night. Just keep encouraging her. I have told my son that when he keeps dry all night, he can pick out some new underwear! He's excited about that...

be patient and do not get angry if she has accidents. my daughter was still 3 1/2 wearing pullups at night. gradually switch her to underware, limit liquids and make her go a couple of times before bed. she will have accidents...change the sheets and go on trying. she is now in ft underware and has about one month of no accidents. we give her stars if she wakes up dry and she earns .25 each week she fills up the chart. a little incentive never hurts!

Night time wetting is not the same as being potty-trained during the day. There are chemicals released during sleep that tell the body not to urninate. This release starts at a level of maturity that is different for each child, but tends to be genetic. So if you were dry at night at age 4, your child may be also, but if these chemicals were not being released until you were 12, that may be normal for your child also. Late-age onset of this chemical release is common in my family, but my oldest daughter began having sleepovers at friends around 8 and it became a sticky situation. She was okay with "goodnites", but she had to hide them in the morning in her suitcase! SO...we bought, through her pediatritian, a alarm that connected to her panties at night. This alarm was LOUD! It woke everyone, but within two weeks, her body learned to wake her up when she needed to go, and she has never had a recurrence. So, I wouldn't worry about it until she is around 8.

A girl thing? My 3 1/2 y.o. son does the same thing. I even tried letting him sleep in regular underpants in the hopes he'd wake up hating the wet pants, but he's back in "night time pants" again. Otherwise his potty training is pretty good. even though he still usually wants his pants all the way off, which is a problem in public bathrooms, not a problem, more of a pain. Tell your husband it's not a girl thing and that he needs to step up to the plate and help with the potty training. you shouldn't be burdened with all the potty trauma. I'm not sure what to suggest otherwise, but i wanted you (and hubby) to know, it's not a girl thing.

Don't Rush it is the best advice that I can give you! Our son Andrew was not ready to wear underwear to bed until just before his 4th birthday. My husband wanted to have him just learn how to get used to the feeling but my son was just not ready. I let him be in charge of when he wanted to be ready. It took a couple of nights of bed wetting before we got to where we are now however it is smooth sailing (with only an occational bump!)! Good luck, L.

K., you are doing NOTHING wrong! Every child is different and needs to go at their own pace. 3 1/2 isn't that old. I know 5 and 6 year olds that still have nighttime potty issues. It's OK. When she is 10, worry about it. The stress and pressure will make it worse and make her self conscious. It will also make her feel like she is letting you down. When it happens, just say things happen and let it go.

Your hubby on the other hand? I am guessing he just doesn't understand because she is a girl and he is too embarrassed to admit it. It is easier to say it's a girl thing and hopefully not have to deal with it. It's a man thing.

I have twins, and one trained faster than the other during the day, and the one that trained fastest during the day, is still struggling to make it through the night. All kids master it in a different amount of time. If you are really concerned, talk with your pediatrician. Otherwise, a little patience is all it will take. Good luck. Remember, when your kid is a teenager, you will never remember this.