Nightmares?

Charlotte - posted on 10/04/2012

yes, mine is doing this also, sometimes a rub on the back helps, other times putting his pacifier back in his mouth works most of the time, his dad got him use to still being swaddled in a blanket still, he can't go to sleep any other way, so I have to make sure the house is set to 75 degrees all the time and he has a portable fan on him to make sure he doesn't over heat, but his hair still sweats a lot. He's also getting into this I'm going to push the bottle out of my mouth with my tongue, laughing at you fussy stage, hes almost 4 months old now, born on Father's Day ^_^

When he was younger, around 2-3 months, he was no problem, he'd finish a bottle, want more, burp, go back to sleep. Now I think he's just getting to distracted by everything, its cool he's discovering so much, grabbing his feet now, almost crawling, drooling, making cute noises, just wish the feeding was easier ^_^ lol, other then that he's a great baby, sleeps through the night,doesn't really cry, makes little kitty cat cries, and he's my 3rd child. So, if any one has any suggestions on how things I can do would make it easier on me and him, feel free to suggest ^_^ this is a 9 year gap from when I had my daughter, so re-learning all over again, thank you.

Jessica - posted on 06/01/2011

my lil guy does this to, i think it must be dreaming. I usually wait before getting out of bed to see if it passes or if he needs a little back rub and music bear to make him more comfortable. I did read that if it is happening around the same time everynight to chage the sleep pattern by waking him, changing a diaper or something about 15 minutes prior to the bad dream.
but i never tried that, its not the case at my place :)
Good luck

Tricia - posted on 05/29/2011

I have twin girls and they will cry out during the night too sometimes. Often it's a brief cry, and then they go back to sleep, but sometimes they will not calm down until I go in there. Sometimes just rubbing their back and "shush" works, pressing on their "glow-worm"s belly so it lights up helps too often...

April - posted on 05/22/2011

my daughter does the same thing. I listen to her and if she only does it once and goes back to sleep, I just let her sleep. If she continues doing it and sounds like she screaming bloody murder i go in and check on her. Sometimes she will wake up from it and depending on what scared her it takes one sometimes two hours to get her relaxed enough to go back to sleep. it is something that comes and goes so I wouldn't worry too much about it. just give comfort and cuddles as needed. it helps reasure that they are loved and safe. I also monitor what my daughter watches and ask anyone that is watching her to do the same. I usually let her watch SPROUT or PBS because I approve of the shows and she likes them too. as a precaution I watch what shows I want when she is down for a nap or when she has gone to bed for the night. any other time we are either outside playing or watching SPROUT. Maybe those are somethings to be aware of just in case your baby saw something or heard something from a show that was on at the time they were around that is causing the nightmares. I hope this helps and good luck :)

Hayley - posted on 04/21/2011

my son is 18 months old and he to sometimes crys out when he is having a dream but it doesn't last long he is now in his own bed in his own room but it doesn't wake him up over wise he would be in my bed like a shot lol i think it isn't a night mare they are just dreaming of what has happened through out the day for example if they fall and hurt them self or in my sons case being told no and having a temper tanturm lol

Naomi - posted on 04/15/2011

My baby does this also. Sometimes he won't stop screaming for a few minutes, like he doen't recognize me. It's horrible. I didn't experience this with my other children.

Rachael - posted on 04/07/2010

I think so. My baby did that twice since she has been born. We use to joke that some one must have sneezed in her dream because she would cry when anyone sneezed while awake. I think they dream so I think they can have nightmares. Also my baby makes little sucking motions with her mouth like she is nursing while she sleeps. Makes me think she is dreaming of nursing.

Kavita - posted on 04/06/2010

yes my baby as well crys in his sleep even at day time....

Tricia - posted on 04/06/2010

Yup, he's just dreaming! Babies don't necesarily have nightmares, but they can dream about things that are upsetting to him...a toy being taken away by a sibling, being left alone, things that can cause them to be fretful when they are awake. Nothing to worry about, and just like adults, sometimes they just need a few minutes to realize it was just a dream. My oldest is 2, and every once in a while he still cries out at night, and my youngest is almost 6 months and does this as well. My 2 year old puts himself back to sleep and my 6 month old sometimes just needs his nuk or to be snuggled for a few minutes before we lay him back down.

Candice - posted on 04/06/2010

Yup! he's dreaming. up until they are 4 months old or so babies don't reach deep sleep (the point of sleep where you dream) they float in light sleep.. this is why it's super easy to wake newborns up when they sleep. but at around 5-6 months they start reaching the deeper sleep cycles.. and there for dream. My son is 6 months now (oct 3rd) and he always calls out during his dreaming phase. sometime its just as face he makes, others a cry, sometimes a giggle or a smile. i usually just cuddle him when he cries at night (we co sleep)

Safiyya - posted on 04/06/2010

gosh finally sum1 can confirm this! i asked a nurse that visited me n she seemed clueless! it starts about 3am n he wakes every hour it happened a few weeks ago n seems 2 have vanished but sumtyms he does wake cryin but a bit of sucklin soon makes him fine again n ready 2 go bak 2 sleep

Jennifer - posted on 04/02/2010

I'm relieved that other people are having similar experiences. It breaks my heart to think that he might be suffering, but I know everyone has nightmares at some points in their lives. I guess it's normal, and we'll just keep comforting him as much as we can. It doesn't happen every night, and admittedly, we see more smiles and nursing movements than screams.

Sheila - posted on 04/02/2010

My now 9 year old son had night terrors when he was little. Very scary. Couldn't wake him up, he just had to scream it out and went back to sleep. It was creepy because he never remembered any of it. He would wake up the happiest kid on the planet. He grew out of it so as with everything else this too shall pass.

Josephine - posted on 04/02/2010

my daughter has had the same but it was a little earlier...like 4mths...I wasn't too freaked out because she's my third but I this is my first go around. It's normal but this is also the stage where they get scared so maybe it's related?! Just comfort like cuddling, shushing I don't think will work.

Teigha - posted on 04/02/2010

My little boy cries out sometimes and goes right back to sleep, too. I don't know if it's a dream or not. Last night he shrieked and continued shrieking and it took several minutes to console him. My husband and I came to the conclusion that he was too hot (76 degrees in our house and the ac was not on). I put him in a shortsleeve onesy and turned the ac on. He slept peacefully the rest of the night.

Renee - posted on 04/01/2010

My daughter dose it about every time she sleeps. It is so painful I think shes having nightmares and your little guy as well, but I don't know. My daughter screams and crys for several mintues once I get her picked up and then she will go back to sleep

Dyan - posted on 04/01/2010

Mine will do the same but not at night. Usually during naps. I joke that he is having nightmares about nursing (boobless mommies) because as soon as he crys out he starts sucking on his paci or hand so hard, like he was afraid he would never suck on anything again. Then he smiles and sleeps peacefully.

Krissy - posted on 04/01/2010

My daughter does the same thing. When she sounds like she is having a really bad nightmare i just go into her room and tell her it's okay it's just a dream pat her on the back and then she seems to be okay.

Nikki - posted on 03/31/2010

I would love to know what they're really dreaming about. I think it's bad dreams too though. My little man just started this too. Not as bad as some luckily. It's right around 2 or 3am, he'll cry out once or twice, then he's quiet. And you can tell he's still sleeping. Luckily they haven't woken him up yet, and hopefully he grows out of this before he gets much older.

Mariah - posted on 03/31/2010

i'm pretty sure they are nightmares, my daughter has them too. One thing they could be dreaming about is being born again. My friends brother used to cry all the time in his sleep and her doctor said he was probably just dreaming about being born again.

Camilla - posted on 03/31/2010

my 5-month-old started doing that from time to time. i tried to think of what wakes me up in the middle of the night-aches and pains! i think maybe sometimes it is a kind of nightmare, but other times, i think he might be hurting. he gets gas pains, and at the rate he's growing, our doctor reminded us that it hurts to grow that fast, so it could be achy joints. either way, a little TLC is usually all he needs to get back to sleep.

Sharon - posted on 03/30/2010

Yep, my guy has them too. Sometimes just the 'cry face' then other times he'll full on scream, but still be sound asleep. I usually pick him up for a second or 2 and he stops straight away thankfully. Poor little fellow, always has such a sad face when it happens too :-(

Danielle - posted on 03/30/2010

My daughter does the same thing. She will cry out randomly in the middle of the night and rocking her will not help. For the most part I have to let her cry it out and then she sleeps the rest of the night. My doctor said that babies and toddlers can have night terrors that cause them to cry a horrible cry and they will eventually grow out of them.

Jacey - posted on 03/30/2010

Yea I have twins, they just turned 5 months. But one is really happy and just smiles whenever you look at him, and hes never had a nightmare. And the other is really needy, if he had it his way I would always be holding him. He has nightmares pretty often just like you said. I make sure nobody yells around him, because that really upsets him, but what usually works for me is when he starts screaming hes usually in the swing so i just swing him, put my arm over his belly, wrist by his neck and hold the side of his head, and sing or talk to him. More than not he starts smiling in his sleep. sometimes the nightmare comes back when i let go so if im not to busy i try to do it for a minute or so after the smiling starts. I hope that helps, but I know my baby is having a nightmare, I don't think its gas, he is very good at making crazy expressions lol.

Carrie - posted on 03/30/2010

My son does the same!!! He will be SOUND asleep and I hear this high pitched scream/wail and run in to check on him, and then he is fine. But then sometimes it is never ending and he will wake up in a state of fear and when I cuddle him he calms down.

Louise - posted on 03/29/2010

Phew! My little guy isn't the only one. I asked a child health nurse about it and she didn't think it was awfully important : (

Heather - posted on 03/27/2010

I learned in my psychology class that there is something they can have at a very young age all the way up to toddler. It is what you describe in your post but it is called night terrors. They are very common and will go away with age

Roxann - posted on 03/26/2010

I haven't heard of nightmares at this age but I know sometimes gas will cause the same thing. My son will cry out for a bit and then stop like nothing happened or smile. I can usually feel it moving through him at those times.

Julie - posted on 03/26/2010

Yes these are nightmares... but its nothing to be worryed about... hes probably just dreaming that he is falling or maybe he just heard a loud noise that scared him.