Nighttime Potty Training: Why It’s a Totally Different Milestone
If you’re feeling unsure about when or how to start nighttime potty training — or worried that it hasn’t “clicked” yet — you're not alone.
This part of potty training tends to feel extra confusing, and for good reason: it’s not just about routines or readiness. It’s about biology.
Nighttime dryness is a completely separate milestone from daytime potty training.
Why it’s different
Daytime potty training relies on conscious control — your child recognizes the signal, makes a decision, and gets to the potty. But at night, the body has to manage things without that same level of awareness.
Nighttime dryness depends on several complex developments, including:
Nervous system maturity — the brain-bladder connection has to grow strong enough to either wake them up or hold urine all night
Hormone production — particularly ADH (antidiuretic hormone), which reduces how much urine the body produces overnight
Sleep depth — some kids sleep so deeply their body’s cues don’t wake them
Bladder capacity + control — especially if there’s any lingering constipation or withholding that affects daytime function
Genetics — nighttime dryness tends to run in families
Other health factors — like airway issues (mouth breathing, snoring), retained reflexes, or sensory sensitivities
When does nighttime dryness usually happen?
For many kids, the body starts moving toward nighttime dryness about 6–12 months after they’re reliably dry during the day. But because this milestone depends on so many internal factors, it can take another 1–2 years to fully get there. That’s totally normal and okay.
What you can do
The most helpful thing you can do right now is take the pressure off — both for you and for your child. It’s not something you can teach them if their body isn’t ready yet.
That said, there are things you can keep an eye on and talk to your pediatrician about if something doesn’t feel right:
Frequent or heavy bedwetting past age 5–6
Very deep sleep with no awareness of accidents
Loud snoring, mouth breathing, or restless sleep
Daytime accidents returning after a period of dryness
Chronic constipation or poop withholding
Concerns about hormones or growth delays
You know your child best. If your gut says something is off, trust it and ask questions. Sometimes a few tweaks — like addressing daytime bathroom habits or resolving constipation — can make a big difference.
The bottom line
Even if your child is crushing it during the day, it doesn’t mean their body is ready to stay dry at night. That’s because overnight dryness doesn’t come from habits or routines alone — it depends on their biological development, and that piece unfolds on its own timeline.
So if your child still needs a pull-up at night? That’s okay. You’re not behind. They’re not failing. You’re supporting a process that takes time — and when their body’s ready, it will click.