Is it bad to wake your kid up to pee at night?

DD is 4.5. She potty trained right before 3 and was initially dry at night, but when she ditched her nap, she started wetting at night. It was too long of a night and she was in a deep sleep. She wouldn't even know she was wet. Everyone, Dr. included, told me not to sweat it and put her in pull-ups at night. Some kids just can't do it until they are older. I listened. Fast forward to now. As of a few nights ago, she was still in a pull-up. She hates them and doesn't want to wear them anymore. She gets red and a little itchy from sleeping in a soaked diaper all night. So, I let her stop wearing them. The only thing that works is me waking her up about 2.5-3 hours after she goes to bed for one more pee. And then she seems to be able to make it until am. She is very proud of herself for "staying dry." If I don't take her to the bathroom, she will pee in her bed.
My question is am I training her body to go at a certain time every night?

Is it bad to wake your kid up to pee at night?

We didn't do this with our kids, but my brother swore by that method for his 2 boys. My mom also suggested it and I've heard of another parents doing it as well.

Message edited 9/3/2015 2:31:23 PM.

Re: Is it bad to wake your kid up to pee at night?

I am NOT speaking from experience, but maybe you can compromise and wake her up the first few nights 2 1/2 hours after she goes to bed...
Then 2h45m after...
then 3hours...
then 3h15m...
then 3h30m...

And so on? Just an idea...

Good luck!!!

Re: Is it bad to wake your kid up to pee at night?

they also have this alarm that you can use. someone I know used it and it worked of her DC for night training. I got it and haven't really used it I did one night than DD kept fighting me on it so I stopped for now.

Is it bad to wake your kid up to pee at night?

I woke my boys before I went to bed every night to go to the bathroom. I stopped doing it to see if they stay dry and they do so I no longer wake them up. They are 3 and 4.5 right now. If we've had a long day and were out at a family party or something then I will wake them up because they may have had more to drink during the day than normal.

Re: Is it bad to wake your kid up to pee at night?

Honestly, I wouldn't put her in pull-ups OR wake her. I know it's a PITA, but I'd just change sheets every morning. I think that's the only way to really get her used to holding it all night. We limit drinks to 1-2 hours before bed here, he does one final pee before bed and is fine until morning. Sometimes I'll hear him get up and go in the middle of the night.

Re: Is it bad to wake your kid up to pee at night?

If it's not a hassle for you or her if keep waking her. There's no way to night train a child. It will happen when they are physically ready. Maybe wait a month and then try a night without waking. If she's dry stop waking. If she's not go for another month or however long you want.

Re: Is it bad to wake your kid up to pee at night?

Re: Is it bad to wake your kid up to pee at night?

I'd do the gradual thing like a pp recommended but the opposite way. Like first wake her up 2.5 hrs. After going to bed for while, then 2 hours, then 1.5, etc.

Re: Is it bad to wake your kid up to pee at night?

I did this with DD, I had to wake her otherwise she would wake up screaming bc she was wet and be hysterical bc she thought we were mad at her, it was horrible I felt so bad, or she would wake up and not realize she peed and that was worse, she would start the day upset that she wasn't a big girl. We never told her she was bad or we were mad at her, but it really was very hard on her. So I started waking her before I went to bed, about 3 hours after she went down, and eventually I started adding 30 mins each week and eventually she stopped wetting the bed. She's 5 now, and hasn't woken up or had an accident in a very long time.

Is it bad to wake your kid up to pee at night?

I think it's fine. Do what works for now. It won't last forever.

Re: Is it bad to wake your kid up to pee at night?

I did the gradual wake up at night for the first 2 nights. I woke them up at 11pm right before I went to bed, then DH woke them up at 5am when he got up for work. By the second day my younger DS yelled at DH to stop waking him up so we stopped.. lol

Re: Is it bad to wake your kid up to pee at night?

Thanks for the all the advice! Last night I woke her a little later than usual and she didn't have to go. Then she woke up at 4:30 because of a bad dream. I put her on the toilet and she still didn't go. She went when she woke up this am. I guess every night is different, depending on how much liquids she drank during the day.