How Can I Nighttime Potty Train My Child?

My 6-year-old still needs a pull-up at night and sleeps so deeply he sometimes pees through his pull-up. Is this normal? I recall reading in the New York Times that there wasn’t anything parents can do, that it’s just necessary for him to develop certain hormones. Any data or suggestions? Thanks!
—Kate

Nighttime potty training is a totally different “skill” than daytime. Notably, staying dry overnight requires your child to wake up when they need to pee. For older children and adults, your body does this for you. But that takes time to develop, and it can be years between daytime training and overnight dryness. It’s also, for the most part, a skill that will develop on its own.

For about 80% to 85% of children, nighttime dryness will happen by around age 5. It generally happens somewhat gradually — a two-night streak, then a three-night, then eventually a week or more, at which point it may be safe to graduate from a pull-up.

Your son is on the older end of this, which isn’t uncommon for boys (who tend to take longer) and for deep sleepers. However: this is an age at which you might raise the concern with your pediatrician to see if it makes sense to engage in any (mild) behavior modifications. This includes possibly limiting fluids before bed, waking the child once early in the night to pee, or considering some kind of wetting alarm. It may also make sense to just wait! Nearly all issues of this type resolve on their own.