• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

A Moment With Franca

A Family, Lifestyle & Travel Blog

  • Home
  • About
    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
  • Family
    • Family Events
    • Family Life
    • Family Days Out
    • Birthdays
  • Lifestyle
    • Home & Interiors
    • Bathrooms
    • Bedrooms
    • Garden
    • Kitchen
    • Health
  • Travel
    • Days Out
    • Things To Do In London
    • Holidays
    • Press Trips
  • Reviews
    • Toys & Games
    • Days Out
    • Fashion
    • Beauty
  • Seasonal
    • Christmas
    • Halloween
    • Mother’s Day
    • Father’s Day
    • Easter
    • Valentine’s Day
  • Giveaways
  • Show Search
Hide Search

Potty Training at Night

amomentwithfranca · 23 February 2016 · 50 Comments

I hope I’m not alone to say that potty training your kids is one of the most tedious jobs ever. It is just one of those things that you wish you don’t have to deal with and hoping for your kids to kind of learn it on their own! Well at least that’s the way I feel, lol.

Potty Training at Night

Potty training Bella during the day was a task but she eventually got it very quickly in about a week. This was at her second attempt at 3 years old as the first time we tried it, when she was 2 years old, was just not possible as she wasn’t ready.

The problem was that she had a few regressions caused by an unfortunate constipation. She suddenly didn’t want to use the toilet anymore as she was scared. Things like that were always a step back but then she finally mastered it and things were great during the day, so no more nappies and hello to normal underwear! Well at least during the day.

Our problem was always the nights. This was something that Bella was struggling with for years! We let her have her Pull-Ups during the night and we just decided to wait for the correct moment to try to stop using them. The first time we tried she didn’t manage to keep dry. We persisted for a few days but it was always the same so we decided that she was definitely not ready for this yet and it was better to wait. The next time we tried, Bella was using Pyjama Pants and not Pull-Ups anymore. It is a similar idea to Pull-Ups but they can hold more pee during the night (Bella at this stage was 4 years old). I was pregnant with Sienna and desperate to get Bella out of her Pyjama Pants. We tried for a couple of weeks and she was successful at the beginning but then the accidents started again and I had to keep changing the sheets (up to 4 times one night) and so I decided to stop again, returning to the Pyjama Pants. I guess being pregnant wasn’t really the best state of mind in which to be dealing with this so with hindsight it was perhaps obvious that this wouldn’t work out but I just wanted to try. 

The next attempt was last summer, a few months after Bella had turned 5. It was of course a big concern for me as she was getting older and older and we were still regularly stocking the wardrobe with Pyjama Pants. I was actually worried that she would be wearing them forever, even on her wedding day, LOL!

Anyway, this time we all decided that it was time to get rid of the Pyjama Pants once and for all so when the last pack ran out I had a conversation with Bella and said that she was already 5 and she was now big enough to go to the toilet during the night and that she will not be wearing Pyjama Pants anymore. It was an easy conversation for once as she actually agreed with me.

We started to make a conscious effort to cut her liquids after her evening meal and I was constantly talking to her about it so she was mentally prepared. She went to the toilet before she went to bed and we told her that later in the night we were going to take her to the toilet again. We also put a waterproof sheet underneath her while she slept just in case. At about 11:30 we took her again to the toilet. She was confused but she actually did pee and I was of course constantly monitoring her that night. I think I hardly slept worrying that she would wet the bed, but she didn’t. It was a successful first night.

The following night we did exactly the same thing and it worked again. She was like this for about 4 days. On day 5 she had an accident! Oh no I was so disappointed! Why did she have an accident? What did we do wrong? I was confused. 

The following day we did the same routine but she had an accident again. It was so confusing, but then after a few days of failures she had a dry night again. The celebrations didn’t last long. She managed to be good for another week but a week later she had a few more accidents. The whole process was so frustrating and we were like this for months, some nights good but then an accident!! Cleaning sheets and changing pyjamas were just part of the routine! One thing we did do this time was to stick with it with no return to Pyjama Pants, even if it meant waking her in the night to empty her bladder. From the moment we said no more Pyjama Pants, that was it, there was no going back!! This is the best recommendation I could give to any parent trying to potty train during the night. 

I must admit that I was really worried about this whole process. I didn’t understand why Bella at 5 years old was still wetting the bed. She had a GP appointment for her eczema and I discussed it with the doctor just in case. The doctor explained that each child is different and of course some kids develop at a different pace to others. The bladder should mature enough in order to be able to hold the pee for the whole night. Apparently this wasn’t just something that needed teaching but it was something that needed lots of patience because you just need to wait for this moment to come. She said that wetting the bed up to 7 or 8 years old was still considered normal but perhaps after that age it could be possible that there could be some other issue. If it was still happening then, we could discuss about it at that time. 

I felt more relieved after that conversation as I felt that it was still okay if Bella wasn’t ready for this because her bladder was not mature enough to hold her pee for the whole night. We just kept trying and remained persistent with it. The routine was to always make her do a pee before bedtime and then take her to the toilet later in the night to make sure her bladder was empty and this would allow her to get through the whole night. Since then, Bella hasn’t had any more accidents. I guess this is a routine for her now so she knows that she needs to go to the toilet if she needs to pee and not do it in the bed. Also her bladder has matured as it is holding much more liquid during the night from 11:30 to 7:30 am, so it is definitely a huge improvement.

At this stage I can say that she is finally potty trained at night if you would like to call it like that but my only concern now is for how long do I need to encourage her to go to the toilet later in the night. I’m hoping that soon she won’t need it and that she will go all night without having to go to the toilet or better still, gets up and goes to the toilet on her own if she needs to without us asking her to do it. I hope this will just come with time. 

This post is for all the parents out there that are struggling with potty training their kids during the night. I think it is important to be persistent and always to keep trying. It is not easy but eventually will happen. Just be aware that the bladder needs to mature enough in order to hold the amount of liquid your child needs to keep dry during the night. For this we just need to be patient and give it time.

I guess if you are concerned it is always better to have a conversation with your GP as the one I had actually helped me and gave me more hope. I was more relaxed and less worried after that and I just knew that things would progress with time and if not there is always the option to have the proper conversation with the doctors when that moment comes and there has been no progress at all.

Have you had any problems like this with potty training during the night? What was your experience? Do you have any tips to improve this process? Please leave a comment below as I would love to hear what you thing.

Thanks for stopping by,

Love you all ❤️

Franca  💋

Related

Filed Under: Bella, Development, Parenting Tagged With: Potty Training at Nights

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. charlotte says

    28 February 2016 at

    we still get the occasional accident now! we found it was because he was scared to go in the bathroom on his own at night (we left the lights on) so we moved the potty closer to his bedroom in the evening and he was fine to go in there! I think it differs from child to child you just have to find whats best for you x

    Reply
  2. laura dove says

    28 February 2016 at

    Ahh it’s so tough, my daughter is 4 and still has accidents at night. I have a 2 and a 1 year old who need to start potty training this summer and I’m dreading it!! #KCACOLS

    Reply
  3. Someone's Mum says

    28 February 2016 at

    Sounds like she’s doing really well now 🙂 Potty training is a massive ordeal for us. My son is autistic and it can be a big challenge for those on the spectrum. He is 3 yrs and nearly 5 months and nowhere near close to potty trained, day or night. He understands it all, can communicate well enough to easily tell me he needs to go if he wanted to – but he just doesn’t recognise the urge and so while he will sit on the potty and use it happily he can’t wear pants at all. He also finds it extremely stressful if we push the suggestion of wearing pants and so his paediatrician warned us to take it extremely slowly. If he is dry in the day by school time I will be so happy! #KCACOLS

    Reply
  4. Min says

    28 February 2016 at

    I’m glad I read this post, as I am clueless about potty training. I really need to read up some more about it as my mother is convinced that me and my brothers were all potty trained stupidly early, and is encouraging me to try to train Piglet even though he is only 19 months. Good to hear about the conversation you had with the GP about their bladders simply needing to be ready for it. Congrats on all your hard work-sounds as though things are going well. #KCACOLS

    Reply
  5. The Speed Bump says

    28 February 2016 at

    Dreading potty training more and more the closer we get to it! Glad to hear you’ve cracked it 🙂 thanks for hosting #KCACOLS x

    Reply
  6. The Pramshed says

    28 February 2016 at

    Potty training sounds so hard, even harder at night. We are a few years off from that yet, but from reading this I am dreading it. I know that every child is different, and I hope that we have an easy-ish run at it. Thanks for sharing this, I’m sure that in a few years time I’ll be asking for advice. Claire x #KCAKOLS

    Reply
  7. Mum in Brum says

    28 February 2016 at

    I’m sure this post will reassure a lot of parents out there who are having a similar issue. Taylor’s too young yet, but I’m sure I’ll have these sleepless nights to look forward to! I remember my sister was adamant she wasn’t going to potty train my nephew too soon – despite my mum encouraging her otherwise. As you say, all children develop at different rates. It sounds like you’re doing a great job – fingers crossed it lasts for you and Bella won’t need to still go late at night soon xx #KCACOLS

    Reply
  8. Mummy here and there says

    29 February 2016 at

    Well done on getting nighttime potty training, it is a very challenging times X #kcacols

    Reply
  9. crummy mummy says

    29 February 2016 at

    BB still isn’t dry at night and she’s four. The problem is she simply won’t get out of bed once we’ve put her to bed! I know I shouldn’t complain as we’ve never needed a stair gate or anything…I’m hoping it happens in her own time #KCACOLS

    Reply
  10. becca farrelly says

    29 February 2016 at

    Oh well done! and Well done Bella! Its so tricky isn’t it?! We were like you and had 2 false starts with potty training in the day and then Mia decided about 4 months ago that she was ready at 2 1/2yrs old and she did it overnight! They are strange sometimes! She is also dry overnight too but not quite sure how she managed that however we have the odd night where she wees straight through her pullups and I didn’t realise you can get pyjama pants so I will have to have a look for those as they would be perfect! 🙂

    #KCACOLS

    Reply
  11. Becster says

    29 February 2016 at

    We’re just going to try and test potty training with our toddler (she’s just over 2). She seems to be giving us the signs but as yet we’ve not managed it. But she has managed it at her Nain’s house. So there may be hope! I’m just going to let it be what it is because it’ll happen in it’s own good time x #KCACOLS

    Reply
  12. Pen says

    29 February 2016 at

    Hi Franca, Cygnet is 18 months old and I am already absolutely dreading the whole potty training saga that I have in store for me. I had been told that if you start potty training at age 2 you finish at age 3. If you start at age 3 you finish at age 3. The moral being, start potty training late for your own personal sanity. I hadn’t really considered that nighttime might be a whole different story… Oh my! #KCACOLS

    Reply
  13. Nicole says

    1 March 2016 at

    Potty training is such a challenge. Congrats on getting it done though! Hopefully things continue to go well. #KCACOLS

    Reply
  14. Mudpie Fridays says

    1 March 2016 at

    I think is great that you are sharing this as there is so little information around. When I potty trained Monkey I really didnt know what I was doing and just relied on my instincts. Its good to know about the maturing bladder thing as that would never have occurred to me after all if they can do it in the day why can’t they at night. This makes complete sense. Thank you for joining us at #BloggerClubUK hope to see you again this week x

    Reply
  15. Harry's Honest Mummy says

    1 March 2016 at

    I’ve got this to come – very soon. Harry is almost there now during the day. I just need to have a few days off in a run to make sure he gets it and then we move on to tackling the night time. Although, I might give myself a break (rather than anything to do with him) as it’s bloody exhausting = both mentally and physically! KCACOLS

    Reply
  16. Becky at PinksCharming says

    1 March 2016 at

    Ah it’s so hard isn’t it! We didn’t have such a hard time with Ava but we did have quite a few accidents, and waterproof sheets are a Godsend! We still use them just in case. I was gutted last year, when we realised with had left two of the sheets at Centreparcs! You’re doing a great job xx #KCACOLS.

    Reply
  17. Mummy and the Mexicans says

    2 March 2016 at

    We’ve got all this to come, as Emma is about to turn two I’m wondering when would be a good time to start daytime potty training. I’m not sure what the signs are to tell whether she’s ready or not and I don’t want to push her into it too early before she’s really ready. Most people I’ve spoken to about it say they had relatively quick and painless potty training experiences, during the daytime at least, and all between two and three years old. I think being informed and having all the right information would be really helpful for parents like me abou to face this rather daunting challenge! Thanks for sharing! #KCACOLS

    Reply
  18. Tammymum says

    2 March 2016 at

    Oh well done Bella! It does sound like perseverance is key but you got there in the end. We’ll done on sticking with it, and yes they are all so different and do everything at their own pace! #kCACOLS

    Reply
  19. Rachel (Lifeathomewithmrsb) says

    2 March 2016 at

    I have to say i was so lucky with both of mine children as they were quick to become dry through the day and night relatively quickly. Well done for keeping the night time routine going! Before you know it Bella will be dry through the whole night soon enough 🙂 #KCACOLS

    Reply
  20. Laura @ Dot Makes 4 says

    3 March 2016 at

    As Mikey is a lot older, I’ve luckily forgotten the ‘joys’ of potty training! Although Dot is still a bit young, we are starting to think about it. I can’t wait!

    Laura xx
    #KCACOLS

    Reply
  21. Kathy @ hopes, dreams and chocolate says

    4 March 2016 at

    Well done Bella and Mummy on cracking the potty training! I felt the same as you about potty training. My first girl decided to potty train when I had her newborn sister to look after too! She had shown no signs or interest and then one day just decided she wanted to do it – she was 2 years old and I was totes unprepared! She wasn’t dry at night though until she was 4 and close to going to school. I was told it was a hormone that has to develop for night time so we kept her in nappies until they were constantly dry. Daughter number two trained at age 3, but was completely different. She was dry day and night straight away! Both so different. Thanks for hosting 🙂 Kathy x #KCACOLS

    Reply
  22. Tori says

    4 March 2016 at

    Fortunately I did not experience this with my daughter – We let her wear pull-ups until she began to stay dry through the night for about a week. She has had a couple accidents, but for the most part we were very lucky. My 4 year old nephew, however, is having a very difficult time with this. He wets through his pull-ups all the time and needs frequent clothing and linen changes. All-in-all a very stressful situation, especially since my sister just had a baby. I’m going to look into these pajama pants a little more and see if we can find her something similar because it seems like he just isn’t ready. He even has been having frequent accidents at school, and could potentially be regressing because of the new sibling. I feel so bad for her!
    Thanks for sharing your insights 🙂
    #KCACOLS
    Tori
    http://www.themamanurse.com

    Reply
  23. New Mummy blog says

    5 March 2016 at

    Oh wow, sorry for catching up late, I did read all last weekend but kept being distracted by a cheeky monkey! I really dread potty training, so I have no clue on what to do, but I found this really informative. It sounds hard!!! Well done on persevering!!!! #kcacols

    Reply
  24. BRIDGET says

    31 March 2016 at

    We’ve still got all this to come but it’s so great hearing other people stories and advice as I know it’s a tough one to crack. Sounds like you’ve been very persistent and patient with it, it’s funny how all these stages happen in their own time. Great post, really enjoyed reading it x

    Reply
    • amomentwithfranca says

      31 March 2016 at

      I’m so happy that you enjoyed reading this post!! My daughter now doesn’t even need to do the trip to the toilet at 11 pm so she finally mastered it all and I’m so happy for her! It was a long journey but eventually happened!! Thanks so much for your lovely comment! 🙂 x

      Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

HI THERE, I’M FRANCA!

Hi, I'm Franca, a lawyer mum of 2 gorgeous girls married to my best friend, living in London. Award nominated parenting & lifestyle blogger. Read More…

Family Days Out

  • The Best Light Trails In London 2022
  • The London Transport Museum At Christmas
  • Monopoly Lifesized Review

Collaborative Videos

Popular Videos





AWARDS

BritMums



BritMums

Tots100

Tutora Best Parent Insight Blog Award Shortlist

RANKING

Tots100
Top 20 UK Parent Blog 2020

Flea Network Top 20 UK Parent Blog 2018

MEMBER

LINKY

Keep Calm and Carry On Linking Sunday
✨ Cat Cafe In London✨.📍Bella and I went t ✨ Cat Cafe In London✨.📍Bella and I went to @javawhiskersuk , a cat cafe located in @westfieldlondon . This was my present for Mother’s Day from her🌸.🌟 Before we went inside, we had to go to a separate room to wash our hands and remove our shoes..🐾 They have 2 different rooms: the Cat Lounge and the Kitten Lounge and you can choose to stay from 55 mins to 1hr 55 mins. The prices vary depending on the room you choose and the length of time..🍰 When we stepped inside the room we were greeted by a group of gorgeous kittens. We ordered (before we went inside the room) a latte and a delicious chocolate muffin with chocolate melted inside that was so good. This was served to us in the room while we were surrounded by these adorable kittens..🐱 We spent 55 mins playing and petting the kittens. They were so cute. We loved interacting with them..🥰 Their cafe is also a foster home for homeless cats so if you are looking to adopt one, this is the place to visit! They have had 230 successful adoptions already! 🙌🏻.🚨 The only downside is that you have to be over 10 years old in order to be allowed inside the rooms 😬.🐈 If you are a cat lover like us, I highly recommend you visit Java Whiskers! It is the perfect place to unwind and relax with these beautiful kittens! 🙌🏻.Have you visited a Cat Cafe before? 🐈‍⬛ .#javawhiskers #catcafe #catcafelondon #londoncafe #westfieldlondon #londondayout #daysout #thingstodoinlondon #newplaces #londonguide #lovecats😻 #catsofinstagram #catloversday #londonthingstodo #whatsonlondon
✨ Happy Mother's Day✨.If you are in the UK, ✨ Happy Mother's Day✨.If you are in the UK, I hope you are having a lovely Mother's Day! 🌸🌸.We actually started the celebrations yesterday as Bella took me to @javawhiskersuk a new cat cafe in Westfield as a present for Mother’s Day. We spent 55 mins arround gorgeous kittens. I had a great time! I am a cat lover so this was a fab present for me! I will talk more about this experience on another post but if you swipe left you can see a little peak of our time there! 🐈😉.Today, the girls and Nick took me for the actually Mother’s Day celebration 🎉 to @cafejackss in Queen’s Park where we had brunch. It was a yummy treat. Swipe left to check it out! 😋 .After that we went for a walk. There was a small market nearby so it was nice to have a little look around 😍. We then went back home and spent the rest of the day chilling which is something, I’m not going to lie, I love doing! 😉😂.How was your day?#mothersdayuk #mothersdayweekend #mothersday2023 #motherofdaughters #mumoftwo #mumofgirls #mydaughters #lovemydaughters #daughterslove #mummydaughtertime #daughtersarethebest #daughtersrock #spendingtimetogether #happyfamilytime #familytime💕
✨My Girls✨.Due to the strikes we had Sienna ✨My Girls✨.Due to the strikes we had Sienna at home yesterday and today, and Bella only today. I thought it would be very chaotic but despite it always being louder when the girls are at home, especially my youngest one, lol, we did well..Bella did school work at home today and had the afternoon free. Sienna didn’t do school work. We only asked her to carry on doing Spanish and Maths via Duolingo. She also had Spanish lessons this afternoon (every Thursday she has lessons) so both days were manageable thankfully 😍.How was it for you? Did your kids stay at home or did they go to school? .PS: let’s hope things get better for teachers. I fully support the strikes. .#sistertime #sisterlylove #sistersgoals #hermanas #sistersforever #sistersforlife #sisterslove #siblingslove #lovemydaughters #raisingdaughters #mydaughters #londonkids #WembleyPark #wembley #londondesigneroutlet
✨Happy Weekend✨.How is your weekend going so ✨Happy Weekend✨.How is your weekend going so far? I am finally feeling more normal after the massive jetlag I had after my trip to South America. I am not sure why it hit me so much this time but it has taken me about two solid weeks to properly be back to my routine without feeling right. Waking up in the mornings was the worst. It was very hard, especially when I had to be on time for the school run! 😩.Anyway, everything feels better now! 😊.How long does it take you to be back to normal after a jetlag? Do you have any tricks or tips to speed this process? .📸 Selfy taken in Barranco, a lively district in Peru considered to be one of the most romantic and bohemian places to visit and being the home and working place of many Peruvian artists, musicians, designers, photographers among others 😎.#thisisme #selfie #instaselfie #smilemore #brunettehair #greeneyes #over40#over40blogger #overforty #overfortystyle #over40andfabulous #over40mom #outandabout #barrancolima
✨The Costa Verde✨.Lima, the capital of Peru ✨The Costa Verde✨.Lima, the capital of Peru is located on the coast. Walking along the sidewalk of the Malécon in Lima’s picturesque seaside district, Miraflores, you can admire the most beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean. .The “Costa Verde” is a coastal road. It runs along the south-central part of the Lima coast. You can visit in the morning for a jog or in the evening to enjoy a relaxing walk. It is a very lively where people have fun in the open air..This is one of the best attractions on the coastal road. You will see several parks with sculptures of famous artists that make this walk even more unique and enjoyable. Along the route, you can find numerous recreational activities such as surfing and paragliding..If you keep walking you will arrive at “Larcomar” which is a shopping centre and has many restaurants and cafes so you can enjoy a coffee or a meal with the gorgeous ocean view too. .Pictures explained below:1. Start of my walk with the view of the ocean showing one the most gorgeous restaurants in Lima “La Rosa Nautica” where you can walk along the pier and then seat down for a meal with a sea view. Very scenic 😍2. 📸 Greater view of the coast showing the Pacific Ocean3. 🎥 Parque Chino (Chinese Park)4. 📸 Parque El Libro (The Book Park) showing a colorful sculpture, “Silencio” created by Peruvian artist José Tola.5. 📸 Parque del Amor (Love Park) showing its larger-than-life sculpture of two lovers in a deep embrace called “The Kiss”. The monument to love was created by Peruvian artist Víctor Delfín. 6. 📸 Faro de Lima (lighthouse)7. 🎥 View of the Pacific Ocean from Barranco area where you can see Lima Marina Club, a members only club. .If you visit Lima, I highly recommend you to have a walk along this gorgeous area. You won’t regret it! (Save this post for later 😀).Do you enjoy walks with a coastal view? When was the last time you did a walk with a scenic view? .#oceanviews #oceanview #costaverde #costaverdelima #miraflores #lima #visitlima #limaperu #mirafloreslima #limacity #cometoperu #limaperu #beautifulviews #beautifuldestinations #perutravel
✨Peruvian Suspiro Limeño✨."Suspiro Limeño" ✨Peruvian Suspiro Limeño✨."Suspiro Limeño" is one of my favourite Peruvian desserts. When I was In Peru, I of course, made sure to have it not only once but several times 😉.This dessert is made of manjar blanco (milk, sugar, almond flour, egg yolks, vanilla) and meringue (egg whites, port, cinnamon) 😘.The history behind this dessert starts with Amparo Ayarza who was the creator. Her husband, José Gálvez Barrenechea was a poet and was the one who gave it its name. The poet called it "Suspiro de Limeña", which means, 'Sigh of a Lima lady', because it is soft and sweet like the sigh of a woman. Love this 🥰.Have you ever tried "Suspiro Limeño"? Or have you heard of it before? Would you try it? .📸 Picture taken @panchitasazoncriolla in Lima that has one of the best versions of this dessert 🙌🏻.#suspirolimeño #peruviandessert #meringue #merengue #desserttime #dessertlover #dessertpic #dessertgram #peruvianfood #cocinaperuana #gastronomiaperuana #perufood #peruviancousine #whatisfordessert #dessertsofinstagram
Load More… Follow on Instagram
Copyright © 2023 · A Moment With Franca · Privacy Policy