Nighttime and nap time potty training is not only completely different from daytime potty training but they are completely different from each other. Today, I want to start by talking about naps because nap time is going to be very similar to daytime potty training.
Potty training at nap time
As odd as this might sound to you as a parent, I want you to have your child go down for their nap bottomless. This means, no diaper, no pull-up, no underwear! Let your child be free!
Obviously, when using this method, you need to prepare for accidents. It is what it is. Your child is going to have nap time accidents possibly the first day, or the second day, or maybe even the third day, but your child should be fully capable of going 2 to 3 hours without peeing during the day. Yes, that does meanwhile they’re sleeping. When your child is asleep, the body is actually sleeping too, so they shouldn’t be peeing in their sleep. Kids do have accidents during nap time, and in most cases, this happens when they are not in deep sleep.
Pee pads
When they’re transitioning from one sleep cycle to the next in the middle of their nap – or right before they fall asleep, or the moment they wake up from that sleep cycle but are not fully conscious yet – they might let out some pee. But as long as you’re prepared with a pee pad on the bed then you’re good to go. Accidents during nap time typically only last for about a week, so just stick it out and remind your child to go to the bathroom before they lie down or go to the bathroom as soon as they wake up. If you’re not sure about which pee pads to use on their beds, check out my favorite potty products here.[WY1]
Potty seats
If your child is in a crib, then you can skip this part for now. but if your child is already in a toddler bed, and they have the freedom of getting out of bed and roaming around their room, then you’re probably going to want to put a potty seat in your child’s room. Just one of those little free-standing potty seats that your child can use independently if they need to go to the bathroom. They can do this without needing to call you and over time, this will be a great solution especially for that kid that waits to the last minute to pee, or those who maybe didn’t get it all out before the nap.
Potty training at night time
Moving on to nighttime. If your child is staying dry 4 to 5 nights a week, then it’s time to start your nighttime potty training. But until that time, I want you to use a different diaper than your child is used to from before potty training. Let me explain this first.
Bedtime underwear
Ditch the pull-ups and start introducing underwear for nighttime. If you still have to stick to pull-ups or use a different brand, that’s fine, but start calling them bedtime underwear, underpants, or whatever you want to call it. Do not call it a diaper, and do not call it a pull-up. This is because your child will associate the same term with not being potty trained, so they will assume that they can just pee and poop in that if they want to. Language is everything! If you call it nighttime underwear, then your child is more likely to treat it as underwear because you do! So, remember that your terminology is going to go a long way.
I like to use the Goodnights Bedtime Underwear – now, I know, yes, they are very similar to pull-ups, but you’re not calling them pull-ups. They are different from the ones your child may be used to before, and they have a different feel than regular pull-ups. They have more absorbency too than a pull-up and especially a diaper, so I highly recommend using the Goodnights Bedtime Underwear from day one of potty training.
Another thing I want to mention is that you can definitely use language in processes like learning to play. Check out this video and learn more about the Power of Learning Through Play. Use these tips and tricks while you’re potty training both day and night.
Level Up! Go bottomless
So, when your child is naturally staying dry for 4 to 5 nights per week, then it’s time to ditch that nighttime underwear. The potty-training process at night time is going to be exactly the same as the one at nap time. You want your child to go to bed completely bottomless for the first 3 or 4 nights – even if your child is having accidents. Put down some pee pads so that you don’t have to wake up in the middle of the night to change all of the bedding as well as their clothes.
You can also wipe your child down, and this can be a quick sponge bath in the bathroom so you don’t need to do an entire bath or shower. Just wet a washcloth with soap and water and give them a wipe down and then put them back in bed.
Now, of course, if your child wakes you up because of an accident in the middle of the night, you also want to use this as an opportunity to put them on the toilet, have them sit there, and remind them that pee goes in the potty. But I fully believe that after a week or two of this nighttime training, your child will be good to go and diapers will be gone forever!
Bonus tip
Here’s a little bonus tip that I have for you today: I do not recommend doing a dream pee. Obviously, being a sleep consultant on top of being a potty-training coach, I highly value sleep. Interrupting your child’s sleep in the middle of a cycle to have them sit on the toilet is not going to be beneficial. When they are in deep sleep, they don’t actually need to go to the bathroom or may not feel the urge to go – they don’t even know what’s going on, so they aren’t processing it. It’s not really helpful or beneficial for anyone. You do not need to wake your child and put them on the toilet during the night.
I hope this information was helpful. Be sure to head over to my YouTube channel for more videos on sleep and potty training, and check out my course “THE POTTY PARTY” to help with your potty-training journey!
