Nighttime Potty Anxiety?

She could have a bladder irritation or infection, B., so please check with her pediatrician on this.

Another thought that may or may not apply: There could also be an emotional hook if you have pushed her to train faster than she was ready.

There are hundreds of ways that parents can put their expectations on children, and depending on the child, she may internalize those expectations in ways that leave her feeling insecure. For example, do you exhibit more affection when she successfully uses the potty? Disapproval when she doesn't? Emotional reactions, either verbal or visual, to wetting or pooping her pants?

Since we do this so automatically and unconsciously based on our own upbringing, it can be hard to notice what's happening. But if it turns out she has no physical problem, I'd want to pay attention to this possibility.

Finally, she may have learned (probably accidentally and unconsciously) that she can hook you into a delayed bedtime and more one-on-one attention when she does this.

I do NOT think such behaviors are deliberate, conscious manipulation at this age, just the natural consequence of everything she's learned so far. But you might be sure she's getting all the mommy-love she needs during the day, treat the distress in a calm, cheerful, matter-of-fact way, and try to divert her attention to happy thoughts. Singing or playing music in her room as she falls asleep might be one way to help break the pattern.

while 18 months and potty trained MAY be the case, it sounds like she maybe really isn't trained or ready to have that responsibility...is she wearing a diaper for bedtime?

My son also potty trained at this age and he uses going potty as an excuse to avoid going to bed. He always sits on the potty before nap time and still when it's time to take a nap says he has to go potty. I always tell him, you're wearing a diaper so you'll be just fine. Over a year later he still uses a diaper whenever he sleeps, and still says this occasionally. I know it's a stalling technique for him and I just reassure him that he just went and that if he really needs to go he's wearing a diaper.

It is probably a way of getting attention and putting off bedtime. My daughter just turned 2 and has started the same pattern at bedtime. She keeps calling for me and saying "poo-poo." When I check her pull-up, nothing. Then I have her sit on the potty. Nothing. Then I put her back to bed. Twenty minutes later it's the same thing. I have been ignoring it lately - telling her that she needs to stay in bed, that she is not getting up and does not have to go poop. I suppose she might really have to go one of these times, but then she'll learn the lesson, like the boy who cried wolf, that she should only call for me when she really IS poopy. I'm not too worried about it because I when she's poopy and doesn't get changed right away, she cries. So if she starts crying, I'll know it's for real. Maybe you could try only going in there every other time or something like that. She knows that you come each time she calls for you and says potty, so most likely she's just playing you. :) Good luck!

Hi, My daugther did the same thing. We quickly realized that she just didn't want to go to bed. So we just included saying good night to the potty as part of her bed time routine. That worked like a charm! Good luck :)

If she constantly feels the need to go when she does not need to, she could have a UTI, so I would talk to her Doctor. If it is only at night time, then I would simply let her sleep in pull-ups for a while (my sons wore pullups for bed for 2 or 3 months after being potty trained), and make sure she knows that if she pees at night it is ok, and that her body just has to grow up enough to wake her when she needs to go. My son stayed in pullups at night for several weeks after he started waking up dry because he was not yet confident that he would wake up to go. I let him decide when he was ready to sleep in undies.

Talking to her dr isnt a bad idea to rule out infection.
I am wondering if she feels trapped in her crib, knowing if she needs to go potty he cant go in the toilet. Maybe its time to put her in a big kid bed with a side rail that she can climb around if she needs to.
This can also be a power stuggle and knowing if she scts like she needs to go potty, you will take her out. I would take her potty right before putting her to bed and not get her up again to go. This will teach him to go before bed and eliminate that excuse to get up.
(Honestly, I think these little monkeys are alot smarter than adults give them credit for.) Have you checked her mouth, maybe she is getting ready to cut his molars.
Best of luck I know the frusteration you feel!