Teething or Night Terrors?

Melissa - posted on 07/13/2010

My daughter has been doing the same thing for 2 weeks now! And she hasnt slept through the night much since she was born either, and is a very light sleeper. After I did sleep training with her it was fine for a few months except when she was cutting a tooth but here recently its been way worse. I'm pretty sure she is cutting her molars but I've tried orajel and tylenol as well and neither helps. But I also think she is having night terrors as well because as soon as I nurse her or am close to her she is perfectly fine but only if I'm right beside her otherwise she will scream all over again :(

Bridget - posted on 07/11/2010

Hi Sarah, you poor thing I know how you feel but on a far less extreme scale! It could be a number of things I hate to say and you may never know what it is all you can do is try to do your best to calm him down and resettle him which you are doing already! My little one wakes up screaming (usually 2 hours after going to bed - he sleeps through the night) and cannot be consolled until I pick him up and then he wants to sleep propped up. Some times he will just keep screaming and kicks and thrash - I now take him out into the loungeroom to distract him (the tv on low) while I give him some pain relief and a cuddle. The brightness tends to distract him enough to settle down and then after about 15-20mins we go back in and settle him down. If he goes back to sleep then the pain relief has kicked in and it was pain (eg. teething). If he won't settle it tends to be his tummy, which is usually tight and so he just sits up with me for a little longer whilst I press on his tummy - the pain relief doesn't help.
If you think it is teething try giving his some pain relief before he goes to bed - I tend to find this helps my little one last the night. Alternatively it could be as Krystle said and a growth spurt (growing pains are horrendous). I find that whatever it is I have to get my little one up immediately (not try to settle him in his cot otherwise he screams and screams and hyperventilates) and try to have him sleep on my chest - the warmth and the heart beat are very comforting. Then usually after a little while I can put him back in his cot, if not then he sleeps on my chest for the night (unfortunately I don't get much sleep but it usually only lasts a few nights). I hope it gets better for you soon and that you realise you are doing everything you possibly can but if you are really concerned and it lasts more than a few nights go see your doctor or maternal nurse for some reassurance (not sure where you are from but here is Australia we have a nurse on call 24hr number which I have called many a times even at 2am just for some reassurance that my little one is okay - they recommend the best course of action to take, eg. pain relief, etc or if they think you should see a doctor), it never hurts to get professional advice!

Brenda - posted on 07/09/2010

Elizabeth has been doing the same thing! Not every night but lately when she does wake up it takes forever to calm her. She used to just need her lovey and a little song but now she screams for atleast 30 minutes! Poor baby!

Krystle - posted on 07/09/2010

How old is he?

My son goes through this off and on, and I've come to figure out he's going through a growth spurt, or he's just about to learn something new (like just before he learned to sit up on his own).

I thought it was teething too, but after giving him tylenol and motrin, he still did it...that's how I figured it out.

I get up with him and nurse him, and put him back to bed, as many times as it takes. (It takes a lot of patients on Mummy's part! lol)