"Dream Pees" And Nighttime Potty Training

Is your child struggling to stay dry throughout the entire night? I have two words for you: DREAM PEE!

A dream pee is when you wake your kiddo up just enough to take them to the toilet but not all the way so that they’d struggle to go back to sleep.

Dream pees can be an effective way to speed up developing the brain to bladder connection which is needed in order to stay dry throughout the night.

You can accomplish this by carefully picking your kiddo up out of bed, placing them on the potty, and getting them back in bed right away.

The first (and possibly only) dream pee can be around the time you go to bed or anytime between 11 pm-12 am.

Occasionally a second dream pee is needed between 2 and 4 a.m. You’ll want to start phasing these out after the first two weeks by pushing the dream pee time up in 30-minute intervals until you take it away altogether.

Not every child will require dream pees, so don’t worry, you may not have to implement this potty training trick into your training process! But for those who do need it, it can prove to be SUPER helpful!

Here are 4 helpful tips for dry nights:

• Practice - Do some practice runs. Kids thrive on routine and predictability. Doing some practice runs will help them get more familiar with what might actually go on in the night when they need to go. Have your child pretend to go to sleep and then say, “Your body is telling you it’s time to go potty, lets get up and go!” Make it fun and lighthearted!
• Limit fluids – After dinnertime, limit your kiddo's fluid intake to no more than 4 oz so that they will not have to worry about a full bladder. This way, there will be less chance of accidents and you’ll be helping to set them up for success!
• Wake up earlier – Wake your child up 20 minutes before they normally wake up and take them to pee right away. Children often release their bladder right as they are waking up. I know it stinks to wake up earlier than usual, but this part of the process is only temporary!
• “Double void” – Have your child pee once at the beginning of their bedtime routine (before bathtime or changing into jammies) and then again right before climbing into bed at night. This way they will be sure to completely empty out their bladder before it is time to actually go to bed!

For a specific step-by-step plan to ditch the nighttime diapers, my new super affordable "Potty Training For Nighttime" online course will walk you through all of my tricks, tips, and mom hacks for successfully potty training your kiddo for nighttime.

I know sleep is valuable to us all and I always prioritize that above everything else. BUT be sure you give the nighttime portion a fair chance before throwing in the towel (or diaper). It can take a bit longer to achieve dry nights, but ultimately, your kiddo is more capable than you might realize! You've got this guys!!

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