Prepare to stay dry at night

Preparations for staying dry at night

Suggestions include:
• Make sure your child can manage to get out of bed and can easily remove their pyjamas. Encourage your child to practise pulling them up and down.

• Make a trip to the toilet part of your child’s bedtime routine.

• Talk to your child about going to the toilet at night time. Work out your procedure together. Will they go to the toilet themselves, use a potty in their bedroom or wake you up for help?

• You may need to talk about your chosen night time toileting procedure a few times. For example, you might say: ‘Come into my bedroom and wake me up when you need to go to the toilet, and I’ll help you’.

• Casually remind your child to get up in the night if they need to go to the toilet.

• If your child wakes up for any reason during the night, ask them if they want to go to the toilet before being tucked back into bed.

• Put a waterproof mattress protector or Brolly Sheet on their mattress.

• Make sure your child has easy access and vision to find the toilet at night.

• Avoid pressuring your child. They’re keen to master toileting and anxious about disappointing you.

• If your child is dry in the morning, give gentle praise but don’t be concerned if they’re wet.

• Don’t get angry or frustrated at your child for wetting the bed. If the extra washing bothers you, buy pull-ups or use a Brolly Sheet to keep their bedding dry.

• Don’t punish your child for wetting the bed. They’re not doing it deliberately to annoy you. Be calmly reassuring, they need your guidance.

• You may consider introducing a rewards chart to encourage positive behaviour and a progress chart to share the excitement of a dry night.