Hello all!
We've been increasingly having issues with DS, he'll be 4 in a few months, and has been potty trained during the day for quite some time now. However..we still have issues at nighttime, which have become increasingly frustrating over the past few months.
We've had him in the Pull up, which we usually can find in the 'nighttime' version when we go shopping. Even with the additional absorbency (vs a normal pull up) he's been leaking through almost regularly for the past month. We've already tried limiting drinks to basically nothing before bed, and yet the problems haven't lessened, if anything he's been leaking through more often.
A friend mentioned Huggies Slip On's, which I have no experience with. DH suggested simply going back to regular diapers, but I was wondering if we could instead find something more like a pull up with more absorbency?
Does anyone have any experience with the Slip-On's? Would they work for nighttime potentially, or should we just think about going back to a normal diaper? He's been day trained for a while so I'm a bit rusty on what diapers out there would even be an option. He never had a specific night diaper prior to potty training, as leaking was never an issue back then.
Edit:
Apologies for not being clear enough! Just to clarify, DS does usually drink a tiny amount of water sometimes before his bedtime--I've been fine with this as it's usually not very much anyways, and I've learned over time that it doesn't seem to have to big of an impact on nighttime. He's a very VERY deep sleeper, and has routinely slept upwards of 12 hrs since birth. He often doesn't even wake up to a wet bed/leaky pull up!
We've made sure never to punish him for accidents, particularly ones that occur at night--because I know he's a hard sleeper (why can't DS 2 be like this as well?! Gah.) it's only become a real problem recently due to the the fact that stripping beds late at night often runs the risk of waking his 8Mo old brother. This is not good.
Thanks a ton everyone! We did indeed go to the store and I managed to pick up some of the items suggested. I wasn't able to find the 'doubler' inserts, but hopefully I'll be able to find some online in the coming days if they become needed.
We ended up buying the Slip-On's, I was about to buy some of the larger sized 'overnights' but ended up holding off. If we need to consider that in the future though--at least now I know what to look for! DS was happy to switch to them for bedtime as they are apparently a bit more 'comfy' than the pull ups we had been getting before.
We've only had one minor leak using them this far, which I think is due to him being a belly sleeper/being a skinny kid. His bed/pjs were damp, but I noticed the Slip On's were mostly dry that particular morning (???).
Do they still make GoodNites?
Nighttime dryness is about physiology, not training.
He'll be dry all night when his bladder & muscles are strong enough.
Til then, layer sheets and waterproof pads to make bed changed as easy as possible.
Don't bother limiting drinks, etc. not gonna help. Time is the only thing that will.
Good luck!
There is a brand called good nights that are meant for older children. You can also get absorbent pads to lay under him to help keep sheets dry. If all else fails double layer sheets with waterproof covers so if there is an issue late at night you can simply pull off one layer and have a clean one already to go underneath.
There is no way to night train, and it is considered normal for kids to be as old as 6 or 7 before they mature enough to wake when they need to pee, but many kids are even older. My nephew was 9, my cousin was 12.
http://www.amazon.com/Huggies-GoodNites-Disposable-Mats-C...
Night time training is related to hormone production in the brain. When there is enough being produced, then they are capable of holding it all night long. My son just turned 7 - he wasn't ready till just before he turned 7 - he could stay dry for a week or so, almost 2, but not consistently enough. One night, he fell asleep in his underwear and stayed dry. Then he wanted to just wear underwear. We make sure he goes right before bedtime, and he's been dry ever since. Only since he turned 7 has he woken up to pee.
Generic pull ups worked fine for him. I always got the bargain brand. Plus, they pull on like pants, and I called them sleep-pants and not diapers. I think the distinction is important, your son isn't a baby. There are also mattress pads that are good - I put them on under the sheet.
Both of my kids were later at mastering nighttime training. It happens when their bodies are ready and isn't at all like daytime training. Not even four? You still have a LONG time to go before your child is remotely considered delayed at it.
I second the GoodNites, then the GoodNites pads on the bed when he's ready to try underwear at night. Both products worked great with our kids.
Try underjams. They are specifically for nighttime use. You may also want to use those disposeable sheets you can put over the fabric sheets to protect the bed. And consider going up a size if he's in between AND/OR using a brand (like Pull Ups) that allow you to adjust the leg holes from the side.
Back when my kids were in diapers/pull-ups I recall the recommended weight was not always the best. I would recommend getting the next size up. It made a difference when it came to preventing leaks.
GoodNites are by far the best brand for this sort of thing! I have two kids under 5 and we have them both where them at night\for traveling\any time when we are worried about accidents. We have never had a leak or chafing. We used Pampers brand training pants and both girls had chafing on the inner thigh. We switched in June to GoodNites and love them.
Huggies slip on's are a good option. It is the same absorbency as the "Little Movers," which is heavier and more absorbent than the "Snug & Dry" but not quite as thick and absorbent as the overnights. It did the trick for us until our son outgrew them.
But please don't limit his fluids. This is a phase that he'll outgrow. Right now he needs his fluids.
There is a product called diaper doublers. They are a thick absorbent pad to put inside a diaper. I found them the first time at Rite Aid several years ago. With my newest granddaughter I had to order them on line. I suggest you google hospital supplies or home health supplies or even incontinence supplies. You might find something else to help.
I bought waterproof pads from thrift stores several times. They're heavy fabric with something sandwiched between two layers. They're approximately 45"x45" or a bit larger for less than $5 each. You lay them on the bed under him and over the sheet.Then you'd just remove the wet one and replace with a dry one. They're sold for adults, are very sturdy. My mom used them and now my daughter has used them for 4 babies.
Since he's a sound sleeper you may be able to roll him and replace it without waking him.
I'll look up the web site I used if you're interested.
Please search this topic in the search engine. I type the same answer several times per week...
You cannot make him stay dry at night and neither can he.
Pull ups serve one main purpose. They work like underwear and they also are more prepared for holding all that urine from the whole night. Night time diapers are usually for smaller bladders and younger kids. Kids this age have much bigger bladders so floods might happen.
He can't help this. He is not physically old enough to stay dry at night if he's not naturally doing it already. It's an either this or that situation.
Welcome to mamapedia!!
Your son is not ready for potty training. It really should take months. I know for some it does, however, it should take about one week for day time potty training.
Night time training is TOTALLY different and will be done when his body is ready to dry all night.
IF you have cut back on fluids and he's still saturating and leaking a Night time Pull up? You might need to talk to his pediatrician to find out if there is a problem with his bladder.
You don't state your definition of "limiting" drinks prior to bed time -
what is his bed time?
how much does he drink during the day?
Are you SURE he's not drinking before bed?
You might need to use a diaper and a pull up to keep him from leaking.
I wish I had more information for you.
You have gotten good answers. Have you tried cloth diapers that are for older children where you can add doublers for absorbency? Or you could get a few old bath towels and fold them and put them in the pull/pants or diaper. That might help you with your heavy sleeper. Until his body catches up with his bladder or the other way around you will have this problem.
Do not punish as he cannot help what he does. You as the parent have to find a way to keep him healthy, happy, and dry.
Good luck to you.
the other S.
I remember my mom getting me up in the middle of the night to tinkle and I did the same thing with my son. He slightly over 3 when completely trained both nights and days.
This is what I would probably do over any of the night time diaper/disposable underwear options available on the market these days.
As far as changing the sheets in the middle of the night goes. I would get a dim light I could use as to not wake the little one or fully awaken DS. Just a thought.
My sister had the same problem with both kiddos. Her solution was to get the biggest maxi pads she could find and put one in the diaper/pull-up every night. It sounds funny but it totally worked!
My son used Good Nites and they worked for him. Boys from what I hear take longer to stay dry at night. My son was at about 6-ish and then we had night time accidents when he'd get sick...So we had some random ones around for a couple of years specifically for when he'd be sick.
Good luck
