Unlock Peaceful Nights: Proven Tips to Master Nighttime Potty Training for Your Toddler

When it came time to take the leap into potty training with my kids, I’ll be honest: I was nervous. The thought of the process felt daunting, like I was setting myself up for a marathon of messes, tears, and frustration—mostly mine. I kept putting it off, thinking about how much time and energy it would take. But then, I decided to block off an entire four-day weekend, just me, the kids, and the potty, ready to tackle this challenge head-on.

I braced myself for a rollercoaster ride filled with accidents and breakdowns, but to my surprise, it didn’t turn out to be as bad as I thought. Sure, there were a few mishaps along the way, but focusing on keeping things positive and staying patient became the backbone of our success. While I felt like a superstar for nailing daytime potty training, I was left with a burning question: what about nighttime potty training? How in the world do you get kids to stay dry when they’re fast asleep?

Through my experience, I realized that nighttime training isn’t really about “training” your child to not wet the bed; it’s more about waiting until they’re developmentally ready. It’s a big ask for them—teaching their subconscious mind to control nighttime bladder release can feel like trying to get a cat to take a bath. Some friends suggested waking the kids up for a “midnight pee,” but I quickly tossed that idea aside. First of all, I really didn’t want to trade my peaceful nighttime slumber for a wake-up call at midnight. Second, once my kids were awake, I knew that getting them back to dreamland would be a fight.

Now that my little ones successfully sleep through the night without any mishaps, I’ve gathered six effective strategies that made the journey easier. The overall process took a good bit longer than daytime training—almost a year, in fact—but we’ve come out the other side drier and much happier.

One fantastic tool in our nighttime potty training arsenal was training pants. When searching for the right brand, I found comfort and absorbency to be key. Many parents feel that training pants feel just like diapers, but I discovered Pampers Easy Ups, which have a design and feel much more like real underwear. They were also easier on my wallet compared to other premium brands. Transitioning to these training pants before diving into official nighttime training helped my toddlers comfortably let go of diapers while also practicing their pulling up and down skills.

Another piece of the puzzle was creating a consistent schedule for daytime potty breaks. Let’s face it—kids can get so wrapped up in play that they forget to listen to their bodies. My little ones often waited until the last possible second to go to the bathroom, leading to accidents that I know we could’ve avoided. So, I made it a routine to occasionally check in and ask them if they needed to go—especially during playtime. It’s been a decent learning curve, but now they’re getting much better at staying aware of their own needs, which is a major win for nighttime training.

Limiting how much my kids drank in the hours leading up to bedtime was another game changer. Between dinner and bedtime, I made sure to keep their liquid intake in check. Whenever they asked for water, I gave them just a small cup. If we were hit with a heatwave during summer, that was a bit tricky, but I always made sure they were hydrated throughout the day to prevent any late-night thirst.

Incorporating a “potty before bed” into our nightly routine made a world of difference. Right before we snuggled up with our bedtime stories, I always made time for one last restroom visit. And, let me tell you, on those nights when we got caught up in holiday festivities and I forgot to remind them to go, I shouldn’t have been surprised when accidents happened.

Being mindful of my children’s unique cues was crucial, too. For example, my daughter was thrilled to ditch her training undies well before my son was ready. She couldn’t wait to have her big-kid moment, while my son was still a bit on the fence. Instead of pushing him, I decided to let him set the pace. Once he felt more ready and confident, things clicked, and he started waking up dry.

Of course, as any parent can tell you, accidents are bound to happen during this journey, and the key is to remain calm and patient when they do. In those initial days of going without training pants, I had my kids sleep on air mattresses turned upside down, which made cleaning easy in case of an accident. I laid down waterproof pads beneath their sheets and kept fresh bedding within arm’s reach for quick changes. There were times when it felt like I was living in the laundry room, but trust me, that phase eventually passed, and our days of accidents faded into a distant memory.

By sharing my experiences, I hope to let you know that if you’re feeling overwhelmed or unsure, you’re definitely not alone. Potty training can feel like a mountain climb, but with a bit of patience and the right approach, you’ll emerge at the top ready to enjoy a dry and fulfilling sleep for everyone in your household.