Night Terrors????

[Bella-Archie]

Hi

I seem to be having a problem with Bella (13mths) she has slept through the night from 4wks without a problem (0casionally waking up with teeth pain) but lately she has been waking 2 - 3 times a night screaming but still appears to be asleep !!!

Last night she screamed for over 30min and there was nothing I could do to settle her and once agian she appeared to still be asleep, and was very stiff and at one stage started hitting and scratching me ..... I sang to her, walked outside, tried putting a wet washer on her face. By this stage my husband and I were frantic !!! Finally we walked out to the kitchen and the dogs began barking and it was like she snapped out of it !!! She was then very clingy and confused and wouldn't go back to bed ....she slept with us for the rest of the night, but she didn't stop sobbing for at least an hour !!!

I don't know if these are night terrors ???? And if they are has anyone been through the same thing ???? Should I talk to a doctor about them ????

Love to hear from anyone that might know what to do ..... or had a similar experience

Cheers
Katie :confused:

[wattle]

Yes, that's night terrors. Aren't they horrible, it's awful feeling so helpless. There have been a few threads about these, so do a search and see what you come up with.

I think that it's quite common. I remember reading recently that if bub is too hot they may experience this. Might be a good place to start.

Good luck.

[Ky]

They are definitely night terrors!

Both Bella and Daniel have had these and they are definitelty more distressing for parents than they are for the kids! I have asked my kids the next morning what they were dreaming about and they just say that they had a good sleep and can't remember any bad dreams!

They usually happen for a couple of weeks, not necessarily every night and then they go away for a while, from months to years before they happen again, if at all.

There is nothing you can do while they are happening, as nothing will calm your child down. Really, everything that you do is more for your own comfort than theirs, so do whatever you feel the need to do and rest assured that no matter how traumatic it sounds, they will be ok in the morning.

Big hugs to you ...

[Goddess_Mamma]

Unfortunately my 12weeker has nightmares too :(

Sometimes he'll just whimper and other times he will give out high pitched squeals, sometimes his squealling wakes him up and I need to settle him down by cuddling and others he just keeps on sleeping.

Breaks my heart - poor kiddies :(

[Annasmum]

I have a 7 month old who goes to sleep without issue at 8.oopm normally, but has started waking between 45min to 2 hours after she has gone to sleep screaming for no apparent reason. She then goes back to sleep fitfully or without issue. Tonight we can't settle her and every time you put her down she starts again until you cuddle her. What can I do as this is very distressing for me and her (real tears)?

[lil monkey]

I think tonight for your sanity, just cuddle her to sleep or put her into bed with you.

They seem to go through stages like these every now and then. Tayla has done the same thing on and off over the past few weeks so I put her in bed with me and she settles.

Must be a clingy phase where they dream that we leave them!

[HoopDeeDoo]

My 12 1/2 month old who used to be a great sleeper is waking up screaming, and every time I leave the room starts screaming again. The other night I changed his nappy, gave him a bottle and a cuddle, and tried to put him in bed with us, but he thought it was funny, and kept trying to wake his daddy up to play, so I put him back to his own bed and he seemed to be ok. Cheeky monkey :p
It's really frustrating though because there's not much you can do and you feel so bad for them.
Last night was the first night this week where he slept through, I woke up needing to pee, and while I was trying to go back to sleep he was crying in his sleep, I caught it early, put his dummy back in and he went back to sleeping soundly.
It's hard cause being pregnant I REALLY need my sleep

[Bella-Archie]

I know what you are talking about 'NoahsMum" as Bella does exactly the same thing ...... last night she woke up screaming at 10pm and I got her back to bed with a few cuddles and kisses ..... then she woke at 3am and wouldn't go back to bed so i tried putting her in with us and she thought it was great and was jummping on daddy's head ..... ..... finally my husband got up and made her a bottle and lay on the single bed in her room with her and she went off to sleep !!!

And this morning it was if nothing had happend !!!!!

Its very fustrating .....because she only started this about a month ago now (its got alot worse lately) and before that she slept perfectly from 6pm - 6am ..... I think it may be a reaction to her little brother (8wks old) ..... at least he's sleeping through ...... don't know what I would do if they were both up all night !!!! :p :p :p

[Mummabear]

Oh my goodness! I had no idea what night terrors actually were. How gut wrenching. I really hope Oscar doesn't get them :( .

When I was looking for essential oils for during labour the lady said that mandarin was a soothing scent for babies and especially good for night terrors. Don't know if it really works or not but might be worth a try. I know you wouldn't want to leave a burner going in their room so I thought perhaps some mandarin oil on a hanky under their sheet or something like that. Do you think that would work the same as burning the oil?? Or maybe burn it in their room before they go to bed and then put the burner out?? What do you think would be the best way?