toddler care

Can potty training have an effect on my toddler’s sleep?

Getting to grips with potty training isn’t always easy, and what if it affects other things like sleep? Here’s some things that can help

How potty training can affect your toddler’s sleep

An essential stage of toddlerhood, but does potty training have an impact on your toddler’s sleep?

Potty training affecting sleep 474

We think that most mums agree that there’s no other stage in your toddler’s development that fill you with quite as much dread as potty training. And just to add a little more ‘fun’ to the whole process, did you know potty training can affect your little one’s sleep too. No? well forewarned is forearmed as they say:

So how does potty training affect a toddler’s sleep? 

During the potty training stage, your toddler’s night time waking can increase and their naptimes get disrupted as they start to learn to become newly aware of their body. 

As they grow to realise the sensation connected with having to pee, or having to poo, it can cause your toddler to wake as a result.

They are also learning how a wet or dirty nappy feels. This could wake them in the middle of the night when your toddler has a wet or dirty pull-up that it causing them discomfort (even though prior to potty training, your little one would’ve slept right through that sensation.)

Watch out for your toddler saying they need to use the potty as a new bedtime stalling technique. Make sure they know that they can get out (only to use the potty not to play) and that they can use it once but only once!

Can potty training have an effect on my toddler’s sleep?