Does Nighttime Potty Training Impact Sleep? Plus 6 Top Tips For Success at Night.

Introduction

For many parents, starting nighttime potty training raises concerns about its potential impact on their child’s sleep. As a Child Sleep Specialist, I often hear questions about whether nighttime potty training will disrupt sleep patterns, cause more frequent night wakings, or affect overall sleep quality. For some clients, they feel the potty may have caused the sleep issues in the first place!

Understanding the Impact of Nighttime Potty Training on Sleep

Transitioning from nighttime nappies can indeed feel like a significant milestone, and parents understandably worry about the potential challenges involved.

Parents, particularly those with children aged 3-6, frequently seek advice on this topic, wondering if it’s the right time to start nighttime potty training and how it might affect their child’s sleep. Addressing these concerns and understanding the relationship between potty training and sleep can help ease the transition for both parents and children.

So, how do we manage nighttime potty training without causing disruptions? I ask Children’s Research Nurse, Potty Training Expert and Founder of Little Bunny Bear, Rebecca Mottram.

Rebecca Says…

There’s a common myth that children can’t be dry at night until their hormones change. The ADH hormone, which helps regulate urine production at night, is present from birth. Only a small number of children (less than 5%) have issues with hormone production. 

Parents often wonder if they should wait until their child is consistently sleeping through the night or waking up dry before starting nighttime potty training. The answer is both “no” and “it’s up to you.” Introducing potty use at night can benefit children of all ages. If you have a baby who uses the potty at night, you’ve probably noticed that it’s less disruptive than changing their nappy. Because daytime potty training strengthens the connection between the brain and the bladder, once your child has mastered potty training in the day it’s common for them to be dry at night. This usually occurs within about six months of daytime dryness.

Some parents wait for dry nappies in the morning before ditching them at night. This is definitely the easiest way to manage the transition, but be careful: some children will never become dry at night as long as they are wearing a nappy. This is because disposable nappies are so convenient and many children just use them when they wake up because they can. The longer this habit goes on, the harder it can be to break it.

For children over 3, it’s important to start nighttime potty training within six months of completing daytime training. Prioritising sleep is crucial, but nighttime potty training should not be delayed excessively.

What About a Dream Wee?

A Dream Wee (or lifting) is not a recommended strategy to teach night time dryness. The recommended approach is to promote optimal bladder health by ensuring sufficient daytime fluid intake, promoting healthy bedtime habits and teaching the child to use the potty or toilet upon waking. Parents may help rouse the child sufficiently so as to be able to sit unaided on the potty or toilet but they must have the awareness of what is happening.

We discuss the Dream Wee further in this blog post!

Rebecca’s final thoughts

Nighttime potty training does not necessarily disrupt sleep if approached correctly. Children who are daytime potty trained may wake at night because their brain has got used to responding to the bladders signals. This is good as waking up to a full bladder is better than waking up to a wet bed!

The key is to understand the link between daytime and nighttime dryness and foster healthy habits as your child grows and develops. Most children will naturally adapt to nighttime dryness within a few months after daytime training.

Guidance recommends doing a 1-2 week trial without nappies and seeing how your child gets on. If you are getting wet beds every night, you may be able to improve things by addressing fluid intake habits and working on ensuring a good brain-bladder connection.

Occasionally, there may be other underlying concerns to consider, such as constipation. So if you have seen no progress after 2 weeks, it’s a sign you need to consider what might need to change.

Patience and consistency are vital during this transition. It’s important to address any concerns or setbacks with understanding and a positive attitude. Each child is unique, and the journey to nighttime dryness can vary.

Rebecca’s Top 6 Tips for Nighttime Potty Training

1. Start Sooner Rather Than Later: If you have a baby, introduce the potty from when they can sit up (or sooner if you want to), alongside using nappies. Early exposure helps establish good habits. If your child is now a toddler, start building skills and look to stop daytime nappies as soon as possible. 
2. Ensure adequate fluid intake: Ensure your child is drinking enough in the day to promote optimal bladder health and strengthen the brain-bladder connection. Most toddlers need around 1 L a day, with water being the best drink. Help your child drink most of this in the morning and afternoon so that you can reduce fluids in the hour before bedtime. 
3. Listen to the Podcast: Rebecca Mottram’s podcast offers science-backed insights and practical tips on potty learning
4. Use Nap Time as Practice: Establish potty use before and after naps to create a routine that can extend to nighttime. Help get your child used to napping without nappies to build their skills. 
5. Ditch the Nappies, Protect the Mattress: Avoid disposable nappies at night to help children recognise their body’s signals. Use mattress protectors to manage accidents.
6. Be low key: Maintain a calm, low-stimulation environment when helping your child use the potty at night. Keep a potty nearby and teach your child to use it independently if they wake in the night. This might mean removing cot sides so if you dont think it’s the right time for this, teach your child how to wake you up to let you know if they need a wee in the night so you can help them. 

Resources

For further information and support on nighttime potty training contact Rebecca at www.littlebunnybear.com

You can also get a copy of Rebecca’s Go Potty guide.

Get in touch!

If you are experiencing difficulties with sleep – whether a regression or something else, please get in touch, follow me on instagram, or read my other blogs.