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Writer's pictureליאור הראל

On Nighttime Bedwetting: The Connection Between Sleep and Potty Training, and How to Wake Up Dry?

Whether you started the weaning process during waking hours and are still waiting for a dry diaper at night, or if you only started the process during the day and you're not at all ready to continue sleeping with a diaper, especially if you're approaching the weaning process from diapers: here's what you need to know about weaning from diapers during sleep.

laudry when potty training
When will the constant boiling of the sheets every morning come to an end?

Have you started listening to your body's needs throughout the day? Awesome! Expect to have awakenings at night too. It's normal, common, and actually a sign of a healthy and normal learning process. When your child learns to listen and tune in to their body's awareness of the need to eliminate, their brain and body learn to signal when it's necessary to do so, even at night. This means there is a good chance that there will be awakenings at night in the first couple of weeks of the process, simply because the brain is indicating to your child the need to eliminate, just as it becomes active and aware of this during the day. If you pay attention to these awakenings and assist your child in eliminating where they should (in the bathroom, of course), it will encourage the day-night combined process to progress faster and better! If you ignore these awakenings, you will teach the body to ignore them at night, and in fact you will have a dual process (as soon you will see your child waking up at night and getting up wet).

Child wetting the bed

זה נכון שיש קשר הדוק בין איכות השינה שלנו ולכמות/הופעת הרטבות? כן, קשר ישיר. ממש ככה. הילד שלכם ישן לא טוב בלילה? אולי נרדם מאוחר מידי, אולי עם הפרעות בשינה? שווה מאוד לעבוד על כניסה לשינה טובה, תואמת לסימני העייפות והדרגתית: כל אלו יצמצמו את ההתעוררויות בלילה וההרטבות גם יחד! עוד על שעה מתאימה לשינה בגיל הרך כאן.

Is it true that there is a direct correlation between the quality of our sleep and the frequency/appearance of bedwetting? Yes, there is a direct correlation. If your child is not sleeping well at night, perhaps with late bedtimes or sleep disturbances, it is highly recommended to work on establishing good sleep habits that match their fatigue and gradual sleep readiness. All of these efforts will help reduce nighttime awakenings and bedwetting incidents together. Additionally, here is more information about the recommended time of sleep for infants.


It's a good idea to prepare in advance and equip yourself! Disposable swim diapers, 2-3 layers of fitted sheets on the mattress (for quick changes at night), an adequate supply of pajamas, and a laundry basket for wet items (optional) are all recommended.


After improving our child's sleep (this process can vary from child to child) and equipping ourselves well, we can help our child learn and improve their skills at night in a number of key ways:

  1. Guidance before sleep: You can explain to your child that if they dream about water/pool, if they dream about going to the bathroom... it's likely that they need to go!

  2. You can also use guided imagination to help with confidence and ability. Guided imagination before sleep for young children is a perfect solution that will help you with bedwetting.

  3. It's important to tell your child: "If you wake up at night, call me! I'm here for you."

  4. Even if your child is shy or less communicative, ask them: "What can help you get up at night to go to the bathroom?" This question is meaningful and has a message of equality. Everyone knows best for themselves what will help them.

  5. Don't forget to provide neutral (not stimulating) lighting between the bed and the bathroom.


And three messages to summarize:

  • Wetness will pass, but your relationships will remain forever. Don't let tonight's wetness fill your entire day.

  • Instill in your children a sense of capability, ability, and faith! Empower them.

  • The process of listening like this takes time: both during the day and at night. It happens simultaneously and is possible in both, but remember that it takes time.


 

Your child insists on not wearing a diaper at night, even though full awareness has not yet been achieved during the day? What should be done after bedwetting at night - showering or not? What if my child is always wet and never wakes up from it? Is it necessary to provide a drink before bedtime? And what about early wake-ups? Here you can directly schedule an appointment in the calendar.


Here for any questions about bedwetting, Feel free to contact me on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and subscribe to my mailing list to stay informed and up-to-date on parenting tips.

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