A shriek came from the kids’ bedroom cutting through post-dinner conversation with friends over empanada crumbles and long-cold cups of tea. You see, we’re knee-deep in nighttime potty training territory.
Good thing our friends just graduated this chapter of parenting. They totally understood when I shot up like a bullet from my chair to attend to my two year-old.
Random calls for split-second-lightning-speed potty runs are the norm. You’d think that after taming the nighttime potty training beast with two kids we’d have it together by now. And then comes child number three. Our bed-wetting wondergirl.
Three times last night. Really, THREE pees. And we only have 2 mattress covers. Uh oh.
Everything worked out and little wondergirl got plenty of shut-eye. How do kids sleep through nighttime p.j. changes and bathroom visits? Bah!
How do you get more sleep when you’re potty training at night? Really, this simple little trick saved me a good 10 minutes of sleep last night. Bawk if you must, but 10 minutes is 10 minutes I’d rather spend resting on my own fluffy pillow.
The trick is to make bed changes faster– get the sheets off and changed in under 15 seconds! How, you ask?
It’s simple. Double “make” the bed.
Add a mattress protector on top of mattress. Put on the elasticized bottom sheet. Repeat. You should now have two mattress covers and two bottom sheets on the mattress.
When your toddler calls in the middle of the night and has wet the bed, you’ll simply remove the top layer of sheet and mattress cover to reveal a “brand new” layer of bedding she can fall right back to sleep on. It’s a mom win I’m loving this week! And a “why didn’t I think of this sooner?” experience from this mom of three.
P.P.S. These are my favorite crib sheets. They’re still going strong after 3 kids and only 3 sheets in rotation!
P.P.S. This trick has another super helpful use when you’re expecting!
How have you made time potty training easier? Please share your best tips and experience below in the comments!
More potty training articles you’ll enjoy:
- How to Potty Train at 18 Months
- Preparing Your Toddler for Potty Training
- Potty Training Tools for Success
We do this on our kids’ beds, too!!
Very spot on article. I still remembered how frustrated I was when potty training Emily (she was 2). Simple yet effective solution to all mama out there who are new to potty training. Thanks!
You bet, Cathy! Hope these tips help many other parents in the trenches of potty training.
smart tip- never thought to double layer the sheet protector. time is critical in the middle of the night!
Sure is! Always have that mattress covered and you’re ready for anything.
Potty Training is essential for the baby because it always helps increase their brain development. Thanks for sharing this great and informative post.