Could this be a nightmare????

[H&B'sMum]

I'm wondering if Harry is suffering from night mares. For the past two nights he has woken us up with screaming that just doesn't sound like his cry. We go in and he's thrashing around in his cot and when we start patting him and cried out "mumma, mumma". The night before it took us 2 hours of patting to get him to sleep.

Last night when he did this, I picked him up and cuddled him and he put his head on my shoulder and almost went back to sleep, then he started thrashing around in my arms. So I put him back in his cot and he started rolling around again. He kept standing up wanting me and babbling sounds that we have never heard him say before. He can't tell what is happening as he doesn't have teh words yet, which makes it very hard for us to work out what is happening. Obviously something is upsetting him. :(

At one point he stood up at the opposite end to where I was, and with his arm out stretched he started calling me name. I said to him "Sweetie I'm over here, Harry I'm here" but he didn't even look my way. At this point I throw the light on and when his eyes had adjusted he saw me, called "mumma" and reached out for me. I gave him a cuddle and a drink and then he looked at me with a very confused expression. That's when I figured he was having a nightmare. After this I turned his light off but kept the hallway one on and put him back into bed. He calmed right down and he fell asleep about 5 mins of patting.

This all happened at about midnight and he slept right through to 8am without another sound.

Does this sound like a mightmare to anyone else???

Am I doing to right thing turning the light on and waking him???

Is there anything else I can do to help him???

I feel so helpless and upset that something like this is happening to me baby :(

[Peaceangels]

Hi Harrysmum, I asked the exact same question a few weeks ago and sounds like what was described to me as the "night terrors".

Search on my thread "Sudden night waking for a toddler" (sorry, I don't know how to do a link) as KB gave me a link to a website about this which was very interesting reading.

Got a few good replies on that thread actually.

DS1 did it for a good 2-3weeks, but has stopped now, so all I can say to you is it won't go on forever!

[Jaileth]

Sounds like a nightmare. Also sounds like he wasn't fully awake, almost like sleep walking or something.

If he seemed clamer after being woken with the lights on, I'd say go for it.

The only other thing I can think of is constatnly talking to him in soothing tones as you wake him up. Make sure his eyes are open and that he talks back to you, (ie, get him to say 'bottle,' or some other word that he can say clearly) or if he isn't a big talker yet, ask him where something in the room is and get him to point it out. This way you know for sure he's awake, as people who sleep walk, etc, won't be able to do these things without getting a little confused (if they can do them at all, that is).

Hope this helps - I don't really know what else you could do, but this might give you a starting point.

[ElizaDee]

Oh Karena how awful for you, to not be able to help your baby. It sounds like a nightmare he didn't fully wake from until you turned on the light.

I really can't offer any experience but I hope he is alright and it goes away quickly.

Hugs:)

[H&B'sMum]

Thank you everyone.

Peaceangels I will search for that thread now. Thank you

Shaelia good tip on asking him something.

I have reconnected his night light too so I won't have to turn on the big light. I hope he sleeps okay tonight.

[H&B'sMum]

He had a much better night last night. No nightmares, YAY!!!!!! He woke up at about midnight for a drink and then straight back to sleep, no need for any patting either. Then slept until 7:30am.
Hopfully this continues.