Diaper LESS!

So, I do understand that some kids with ASD have a ton of issues with potty training. I will start with the statement that I am forever grateful that Eden has been potty trained during the day for 2 years now. The only exception to that has been when she was having her bladder issues this past January. She started having more and more accidents and after a ton of trips to the Doctors we figured out some things (see the post here if you want the longer version). Now with medication, we are finally back to no accidents (more or less).

There was one potty training milestone that has been an illusive one for us. I'm not sure if we were just scared to try and fail, afraid for her to grow up, due to her actual physical condition that she couldn't actually hold her bladder while she was sleeping or if she did get up to go at night (because she goes so much still) she would not get a good night's sleep. She's been on medicine for about 3 months now and her birthday was coming up so we thought we would try.

With our other girls they did this all on their own. After waking with a dry diaper for a period of time we just stopped putting a diaper on them. Eden has NEVER woke up with a dry diaper. We have been told not to push it and she is still within "normal" range for kids to be night time trained. Ed and I talked about it and thought with enough preparation and some great rewards we could at least try. Give it a week and see what happens. Heck isn't that what we've been doing with everything when it comes to Eden? And usually our instincts have lead us down the best roads.

That takes us to last Thursday. We have been talking about Eden's "new" nighttime routine, for about a month or so. We explained to her that on her birthday, we would not be using diapers on her anymore. When she has to go potty, she needs to get up, go potty, flush the toilet, wash her hands, then go back to bed. She could recite this plan to us and every time we mentioned her birthday that's all she talked about.

For the last four nights Eden has been diaper free. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights Eden never woke up. But I'm not sure what changed on Sunday night but when I put her to bed, 5 minutes later she opened her door and went to the bathroom. Was there hope? I was thinking that she probably just wanted to test how it worked and wanted to get out of bed. That night in the wee hours I was sleeping and heard her bedroom door open. I was just wishing it wasn't her coming in to sleep with us with a wet nightdress so I could sleep, but then a minute later I heard her bedroom door shut again.

Could it be? Did she really? I went back to sleep, ready for the washing of her bedding in the morning. I got to sleep in Monday morning, and I'm pretty sure Eden was up pretty early, as she was waiting for me to get up. Once she heard me up, she came out of her room. I went to check her and...she was dry! Now I know it's only the first night she is dry and it doesn't mean by any stretch that I think we are "home free" when it comes to going diaperless at night. It means a whole bunch of other things though.

First we don't have to buy diapers anymore, this is probably the first time in about 11 years we have not had diapers in the house. And other than the obvious annoyance that buying diapers has it's a milestone in the growth of our family as well. We are no longer a household with "very young" children. Eden is a "big" girl now and that has a wonderful ring to it when I say it. Also, we challenged her and she rose to the challenge. And I love it when my kids exceed my expectations.