A baby’s health is the biggest concern that parents have. Parents constantly try to figure out if their baby’s health is okay. It is okay to call your pediatrician when you get alarmed by changes in your baby. Babies are sensitive and change their routines regularly.
Your baby woke up with a dry diaper in the morning and you wonder; is it normal for a baby to have a dry diaper overnight? In many cases, a dry diaper overnight is normal. Waking up with a dry diaper depends on many factors of influence and it does not necessarily mean that your baby is unwell. If you have not noticed any other symptoms that could mean your baby is sick, there is no need to feel alarmed.
Factors for Dry Diaper
A few things determine changes in routine for a baby. So yes, it is common for a baby to have a dry diaper in the morning for these reasons and more:
The Baby’s Age
Newborns are likely to have a dry diaper in the morning. If this is the case, there is no need to worry. Newborns produce less amount of urine. Note that, a newborn should have an equivalent amount of wet diapers as their age is. For instance, normally, a 2- day-old baby has 2 wet diapers in a day.
A baby who is one month old should have at least 10 wet diapers in a day. Babies up to 5 months old should have at least 8 wet diapers in a day, while babies who are 5 months old and above should have 6-8 wet diapers in a day. If your baby is within the normal range of wet diapers, there is no need to worry if they have a dry diaper overnight.
Hours of Sleep
As your baby grows, they add their sleep hours. If your baby was used to waking up a few times in the night and you fed them, it is expected that they woke up with a wet diaper. When the baby starts to sleep through the night, they might have a dry diaper overnight because they are not feeding during the night.
When babies grow, they sleep more at night than when they are younger. Maybe you have been sleeping training your baby and it is finally working, you should expect dry diapers because your baby no longer wakes up to feed during the night.
Potty Training
If you are potty training your toddler and notice dry diapers in the morning, there is no need to worry. This means that potty training is working. Toddlers learn the art of holding and waiting to use the potty during training. As they learn to hold during the day, they apply the same during the night.
If you notice that your toddler woke up with a dry diaper or pull-ups but wets it after they wake up, this means that they held on purpose. It is an indication that you can start trying out regular underwear at night for your baby.
I Think My Baby is Dehydrated
It is normal to get alarmed and think that your baby may be dehydrated. If your baby has less than a regular number of wet diapers in a day, they might be dehydrated. Other signs indicate your baby might be dehydrated, they include:
- Dry lips and tongue
- Dark circles around the eyes and eyes might appear sunken
- Abnormal changes in the baby’s fontanels.
- Less than normal number of wet diapers in a day
- Change in urine color and concentration
- Rapid breathing or weak rapid pulse
- Dry skin
If you notice any or all of the symptoms of dehydration, it is good to contact the pediatrician for the best advice on how to rehydrate your baby.
Related: How long do baby food pouches last after opening?
How to Monitor Baby’s Wetness
Sometimes, the baby might pass a small amount of liquid at night that is hard to notice in the morning. To effectively monitor whether your baby wets their diaper at night, use a diaper with a wetness indicator. A diaper with a wetness indicator has a line that turns blue when the diaper is wet from the baby’s pee or poop. This is an effective way to evaluate if your baby really has a dry diaper overnight or if they are passing a small amount of pee overnight.
Final words
It is safe not to overthink when your baby has a dry diaper overnight. We have identified factors that lead to dry diapers overnight. Most of the time, a dry diaper is harmless. It all depends on your baby’s age, if you feed them at night, potty training, and how many hours they sleep.
Dry diaper overnight does not mean your baby is unwell. It could be a normal reaction or a normal change in your baby’s routine. We have highlighted the symptoms of dehydration to watch out for in case the dry diaper is dehydration-related.