My daughter just turned 4. She has been fully potty trained since she was about 2.5 but still uses a diaper for nap and overnight. We tried to not use it for nap and she did great for a few days, then we had three days in a row with accidents. In the morning she still wakes up with a totally soaked diaper -- I've heard that when they wake up dry that's a sign, and we're far away from that.

When do kids usually give up diapers for sleep?

It depends on the child. My daughter turns 2 in late September and we are going without them now. She might have an accident once a week and that's usually not until after 5am. I started training her around 7 months old though. I just thought I'd see how it went sitting her on it and saying 'pssssss' and she went so I kept setting her on it when I went upstairs. Of course for the first months we still used diapers and I don't get mad at her for using them. About 3 months ago (she was around 18 months) we switched to panties during the day and kept the overnight pull-ups. For the last month- month and a half we've been letting her go with just panties all the time. She kept waking up dry anyways. It has saved me so much money each month. Diapers are a big hit to the wallet. Even during the training period early on, it would save us 2 or 3 per day.

Totally depends on the child. One of our older kids needed pullups at night for a very long time and still occasionally has an accident (bladder the size of a thimble). Our preschooler stopped needing them, all of a sudden, when she turned 3. I have no idea how that happened -- I was totally prepared to stock up on pullups until she was 5. Now, our 1 1/2 year old boy is going to be wearing princess pullups for a while, just to use them up!

OMG, I am so happy to see this post! My daughter will be 4 in October and still uses pullups at night. She's been potty trained since the week she turned 3, so I've been wondering about when this will end. I've been trying not to pressure her, and when she wakes up and is dry I really shower her with praise. But then when we try not using them, she's had accidents at night.

I'm not sure if I just need to take the plunge and stop buying them? I already feel like kids have enough pressure today. Sih.

I just keep telling myself she wont be 15 and still using pullups. I hope

I wish I could remember more details. But, apparently there is a distinct measurable hormone/chemical in the brain of toddlers, preschoolers and bigger kids and adults. This hormone controls the ability of the brain to wake the child when they need to urinate. This is the same way you know to wake up. In some children the levels are acquired very early. In others, they might not acquire the chemical internal ability to wake up until they are 10 years old (hence bedwetters at late ages- which is hereditary.)

The great, great majority of the time children have NO control over this. They simply do not have the biological capability of rousing themselves to keep this from happening. So, the best thing to do is not to push, shame them, stress them out with pressure to perform etc. When the pull-up is dry for a week, try letting them sleep with a waterproof mattress on the bed. Have them urinate immediately before bed, but don't wake them in the middle of the night. That has been shown to cause developmental problems due to sleep disruption and doesn't do anything to help them acquire the natural chemical level that will allow them to wake up with the urges. That all comes with time as all bodies are different. You may also want to limit water after dinner time and not allow a cup at bedside.

Ok, thanks for all the info -- really helpful. Renne, I am completely left-brained so I really like things like studies It does seem to me that this is nothing my daughter can control -- but it does seem like 4 is on the late side, just knowing about our friends' kids....

Limiting water is a great idea -- will pay more attention. The other thing I think is that she eats around 6 and goes to bed at 7-7:30 -- so probably not enough time to process all the dinner water, etc.

Lots of good advice here. I limit liquid intake after dinner, and we have a house "rule" that the kids need to sit on the toilet after brushing their teeth at night. I find if they sit on the toilet before bed, it really helps limit accidents. And as everyone said, this is really a biological issue that varies from child to child. I have friends whose kids were quite old (one as old as 8!) before they could go through the night dry consistently. My youngest was about 5 before she could completely give up the pull ups at night. Good luck!

When I was a child, I don't remember ever having trouble. My youngest sister was, I think maybe in third grade or later, before she gained control at night. I remember lots of nights waking up to help her get dry bedding. If they had pullups back then, we didn't know about them. We just had to change sheets and blankets a lot.

My daughter was in first grade. We tried all the tricks, but as Renee said, it is developmental and inherited. The best thing to do is to realize that she is completely normal for her and to not stress. If you are stressed about it, she will be too. Just be patient, love her, and realize that everyone reaches those developmental milestones at different times. This is just one that we really look forward to! And, be thankful that they have pullups!

My daughter turned 3 this past april and is fully potty trained. It is funny she has not had an accident at nap time at school ( now she will ) and they put her down in underwear. Now at home when she naps I put a pull up on her and some days she is wet and others she is not. bedtime she always as them on. I thought a few weeks ago she was on the right track to undies at night but that only lasted a couple of days. She tells me if she wakes up dry she can wear her underwear to bed. she is working on it.
It will all come in time

I have heard that sometimes diapers can keep kids so dry that they never get that wet feeling and don't start holding it. Anyway, you could maybe try training pants with a good waterproof cover over them...I've heard that the gerber stuff is good.

Just had to add something that I used to do with one of our kids who had some issues with accidents at night...

I made what I call "bed lasagna": layers of waterproof crib sheets -- here's a link to one -- and regular fitted sheets, usually about three of each, with the regular blankets on top. That way, if there was an accident at night, all I (or the child) had to do was pull off the wet sheet and pad and there was a dry set already on the bed, ready for sleeping. Vellux-type blankets are great because they wash easily and dry quickly, but it's rare that the child could get both the bottom sheet and the cover blanket wet at the same time...