Baby having nightmares

[mylittletwins]

One of my 8 weekold twins has been having some pretty bad niughtmares. In the last 5 hours they have been on and off where he is really screaming. He is prone to them but not this bad.

I have been cuddling him so he can calm down, then putting him back. Is that a smart thing to do while he is sleeping.

Is there anything else i can do?

[talon]

I don't see anything wrong with cuddling him. My DS went through a stage at 6 months where he was having night terrors and would start screaming in his sleep. I always picked him up and woke him gently and comforted him until he calmed down again. It was the only thing that worked for him. I also gave him a feed which pretty much put him back to sleep.

His nightmares lasted on and off for a few weeks.

[mylittletwins]

Thanks Kriscee,

I have been doing that but i wasnt sure if it was safe to pick up a baby while they are in the middle of a nightmare. It has worked but i was concerned that i was going to startle him.

[pickles]

Technically babies do not have the psychological ability to actually experience nightmares until they are around 18 ( possibly 12 )months old . this is because until then they do not have enough of an understanding of the world to actually experience frightening dreams. At the age that your baby is they are probably crying out in discomfort or because thay need the close contact of you. Just thought that i would add this reply to reassure you that your baby is not upset because they are experiencing something bad. If any of the other parents are psychologists they can probably give you a more scientific explination.
Good luck
Pickles
DD 02/03
Ds 03/05

[reAllytee]

I find with my bubs that i can just stroke his face or say shhhh & this comforts him otherwise if not a cuddle is in order !
It is usually just wanting comfort from mum & reassurance that all is good with the world nothing wrong with cuddles as this is the best way for bubs to feel secure !

[W & T's sleepy mummy]

mylittletwins, I know how you feel! My 4 year old has had bad sleep/dreams since he was around 9 weeks old. In the end all I could do was try soothe him back to sleep (although some nights this took up to 3 hours:( ). I hope that things get better for you soon. My bubs was lactose intolerant and was in a lot of discomfort. Could it be something that is bothering him that way? Sorry I'm not much more help.

Oh, my paediatrician put him on sedatives when he was 18 months old to get a sleep cycle back. We've had to do that every 6 months or so, but we only sedate for a week, then he's back on the sleepy track!

[JanetF]

What pickles said :D

I'm really confronted by a paediatrician sedating a baby. I simply can't imagine that being a reasonable response to anything. There are many many ways to help a child settle into their own sleep pattern without giving them drugs. Are you sure you know what the longterm ramifications of drugging your child periodically are going to be? I'm so shocked I can hardly type! I hope your child comes through this safely because it sounds like a major recipe for longterm disaster to me.

[W & T's sleepy mummy]

JanetF,

That's the reason why I put it in an afterthought and as only under advice from doctor. Circumstances are slightly different though. I left ex when baby was 12 weeks old because he became violent 1 week before giving birth. Life was very bad for us for a long time, and then when bubs was 18 months old, ex moved into apartment building (without my knowledge - hence scary stalking & court hearing) and, as I found out later, used to stand outside baby's window in the middle of the night and scare the hell out of him. Then he became scared of sleeping. I would not of advised it without suggesting seeing a paediatrician first.

I did not really want to go the drug path, but I really trust my doctor, and he only ever described mild sedative. Now that bubs is 4 & nightmares have started again, we are seeking psychological help rather than drugs. I know I sound like I'm justifying myself, and maybe I am, but all I ever tried to do was the best for him at the time.

[reAllytee]

W & T's sleepy mummy - Dont feel that you have to justify yourself. You have done everything right for your bubs, taking him out of a violent situation & for seeing a doctor when you knew something had to be done to help so if that meant resorting to drugs well sometimes there is no other choice.
I dont know many paediatricians who had out drugs for fun especially as my sister has seen quite a few with my nephew who has some probs & an ex who refuses to take yet anothers opinion but thats a different story ! None of them have ever wanted to hand out drugs even with all his probs but it got to the point that there was no other alternative.
Sounds like your being a great mum :)

[mylittletwins]

Thanks for all the advise, with twins i have noticed how 2 babies can be so different. Twin 2 dosent have the unsettleness like twin 1. I basically try and soothe him back to sleep sometimes he is still crying but its hard when i am feeding twin 2 and twin 1 starts screaming. I feel i am being inconsistent with twin 1 at times for eg last night i put him in my bed just so i can get some sleep after he started screaming and then this morning i let him go. When do you start a routine with your child?

W & T's sleepy mummy & JanetF i am sorry if my thread caused a disagreement i am a first time mother so i cant say who is right or wrong but i believe everymother knows their child better than anyone. One thing i have learnt with twins you can only do what you can.

[W & T's sleepy mummy]

hey mylittletwins, I'm pretty new here myself! Don't worry - you didnt start a disagreement. Perhaps I was a bit flippant in how I first bought the subject up - it was actually a long and carefully considered decision. I think it is a topic that people will always have strong convictions over - such as smacking, or people who tailgate!

It sounds like you have your hands full - it's lucky that Twin 2 isn't like Twin 1 - then you'd never sleep! One of my books (Kid Wrangling by Kaz Cooke) sets out a basic routine pretty well from birth, but I think (just like sleep) that each bubs is different. Will was in a routine by the time he was 3 months old. Ty is 9 months and we still find it difficult to get him to stick to a routine!