Nighttime Potty Training: What’s Normal, What’s Not, and What Actually Helps
If you’ve ever Googled "how to nighttime potty train," you’re not alone. It's a super common question — and one I get all the time as a pediatric OT and potty training expert. The good news? You can take a deep breath and cross "nighttime potty training" off your mental to-do list. Because the truth is: nighttime dryness isn’t something you can actually *train* (especially by waking your child up overnight…. nobody has time for that!)
So, let’s unpack this topic:
Daytime potty training and nighttime dryness are two completely separate things. During the day, kids are awake, aware of their bodies, and able to respond to signals like a full bladder or the urge to poop. With enough practice, consistency, and support, most kids can learn to use the toilet successfully while they’re awake.
But overnight, while they’re sleeping? That’s a whole different ballgame. In order to hold their urine overnight and/or wake themselves up when they feel the urge to go, your child’s body has to reach a level of physiological maturity where their brain and bladder are communicating while they sleep. This includes a combination of hormone changes, bladder capacity, and sleep patterns.
For many kids, this maturity doesn’t happen until age 4, 5, or even 6 (sometimes later). It’s not something you can force their body to do, and it’s definitely not about discipline, motivation, or effort. It’s simply about their body and brain’s development.
So if you’re in a season where your child is fully potty trained during the day but still wearing a diaper or pull-up to bed, let me be the first to tell you: that is completely normal (and it’s not something you necessarily need to rush to get rid of!)
So, what can you do?
Just because you can’t speed up the timeline doesn’t mean there aren’t helpful things you can do to start to work towards nighttime dryness over time. Here are a few supportive ways to navigate this stage:
Start watching for patterns. Is your child waking up dry some mornings? That’s a good sign their body is beginning to connect the dots. If you see several dry pull-ups in a row, you can try a low-pressure experiment and have them sleep in underwear to see how it goes.
Do a double potty-sit before bed. A simple trick I often recommend is building in two trips to the potty into your bedtime routine. Have your child go once before brushing teeth and getting pajamas on, and then again right before lights out. This helps fully empty the bladder before sleep.
Adjust liquids, not pressure. You don’t need to limit drinks in a harsh or stressful way, but you can gently encourage most fluids earlier in the day, rather than loading up at dinner or before bed. Some sips of water at bedtime are fine if they ask for it, but try to front-load hydration in the morning and afternoon instead.
Skip the midnight wakeups (unless you WANT to…. Which is crazy to me, but you do you!). I know some advice out there suggests waking your child up overnight (e.g. once at midnight and again at 3am) to take them to pee. But unless that works for your family, it’s not necessary — and often just disrupts everyone's sleep. Holding urine while sleeping is a developmental skill, not something we can train with alarms or scheduled wakeups. Plus, sleep is always the bigger priority here!
Protect their self-esteem. If your child is old enough to notice they’re still in a pull-up when their sibling or friend isn’t, reassure them that everybody is different and this skill comes at its own pace. Keep language positive and neutral: "Your body is still learning. When it's ready, you'll wake up dry!”
Choose supportive products. This is where tools like the Sposie Cross Trainers (use code ROOTED for 15% off!) or an extra heavy absorbency protective pad on top of the fitted sheet can be a game-changer. These are both great options for that in-between stage – maybe they’re staying dry some nights but not all, and you don’t want to have to worry about overnight accidents.
What’s normal, and when should I be concerned?
It’s normal for kids to need overnight support until somewhere between age 4 and 6. Some kids get there earlier, and some take a little longer. As long as there are no signs of underlying medical concerns (like frequent UTIs, painful urination, chronic constipation, or very heavy wetting well past age 6), you can mostly just watch and wait.
If your child is 6-7 or older and still consistently wetting the bed with no signs of improvement, or if they were dry for months and then regress, it’s a good idea to bring it up with your pediatrician. But most of the time, this phase resolves with time and patience.
Final thoughts from an OT + a mom of two
I know this stage can feel frustrating, especially if you’re already exhausted or tired of buying nighttime pull-ups. It’s easy to wonder if you’re doing something wrong, or if there’s a trick you’re missing, but remember that nighttime dryness is just not something we can force.
I promise you’re not behind and your child isn’t either! You don’t need to rush along this process, especially if it turns bedtime or overnight sleep into a battle. Keep potty and sleep routines calm, consistent, and supportive. Celebrate dry mornings when they come, but don’t punish wet ones. Keep your child in pull-ups or protective products as long as they need them, and remind yourself that this is all part of their developmental journey.
If you're looking for a product that can help make the transition easier, the Sposie Cross Trainers are a fantastic option (code ROOTED gets you 15% off!) — they're a great bridge between pull-ups and underwear, especially for those "dry some nights, but not others" kids.
Got questions about nighttime potty training? Drop them in the comments, or come find me on Instagram @rootedinroutine — I'm always happy to help!
And if you’re struggling with a specific potty training challenge (regressions, refusal to poop in the potty, etc.), click HERE to check out my potty training coaching services.