Do Young Babies Have Nightmares?

It almost sounds like gas, moving into a confined area then suddenly out again when he is picked- up but I want to see the rest of the responses.
M

This is very normal. Both of my children did this (my 19 month old still does occasionally)a lot-- often nightly. I think it's just their brain's way of sorting the information out that they've learned. Just hug and love on him and let him know you're there.
I've read that it disappears by age 3.
This is the reason why there are a growing number of Moms who sleep with their children til then. Children are generally just restless sleepers til age about age 3.
My 4 year stopped at 2 and a half and has slept like a rock ever since. :)

When my daughter was around a year old she was prescribed a cough syrup that caused a bad reaction. After the first dose (the only one she had), she went to bed and woke up screaming like you describe, but she was old enough to indicate (she wasn't really talking yet) that she thought there were snakes in her bed. She continued to have these hallucinations nearly every time she went to sleep for several days. Then even now at 8 years old she wakes with what is called Night Terrors. Where she sits up or cries out, sometimes even gets up and wanders. Occasionally she will be sitting up in her bed screaming and actually pointing at something that is not there. I know that it is more likely to happen if she gets upset right before bed, or if she is not made to go to bed before total exhaustion sets in. It can also be linked to what the child ate right before bed (caffeine, chocolate,spicy not really applicable to you) or a full bladder. It usually starts 15 minutes after they have fallen asleep up to about an hour into sleep. My method is to first try to soothe back into sleep (if she is not hysterical), but if it goes full blown, I have to wake her completely up. Which can involve making her use the toilet, splash water on her face, I have even had to yell at her (to be heard over her screaming) to shock her awake. I know you hear not to startle a sleep walker or whatever, but I feel I have to get her out of the nightmare. As young as your son is, I would try to make sure he went back to his own bed once he is calm, unless you are okay with co-sleeping. I know it is exhausting, but sometimes it only takes a few weeks of routine to get the baby back to his regular sleep pattern or to establish a regular one. Also, evaluate what meds he takes, what he is eating for allergic reaction. How tired or overstimulated he is right before bed. Check his sleep area, is there a spring in his mattress that is poking, a pet that might be startling him awake, a pin in a blanket? And check with your doctor.

Some babies do experience night terrors. Our little girl would wake up screaming and clawing to get out of her crib, but she would still be asleep with her eyes shut. When she was just a few months old, we could calm her down and she would go back to sleep. But as she got older, we would actually have to wake her up to get her to stop crying. Our doctor and some personal research said this usually occurs among children that are exceptionally smart and also when cognitive leaps are occuring. Like before she would sit up on her own, walk, say her first words, she would have night terrors a few nights in a row. Good news though, not only is your child probably intelligent, but the child usually outgrows this. My little girl has not cried during the night is almost a year---she is 2 now. When she was upset, I would take her back to sleep in my bed. This proved not to be a big deal either, she sleeps by herself in a toddler bed just fine.

It is hard to imagine babies having nightmares. My children are 9 and 13 now. I remember having my first baby and how difficult it can be when we don't know why they are crying. My babies did not have this happen to them. I know I always had a night light on for both of mine. Do you have a night light on for him? Also, a lot of moms have the Homedics soothing music on at night. It has ocean waves, heart beat, rain, etc. There is also one that has whale sounds and a friend of mine plays it for her four month old baby. He seems to like it. He has colic so he cries a lot. I am not sure if this helped at all. If you have the internet, type in babies screaming at night, and see what it pulls up? Good luck!

Trish

I am a mother of a 9 month old boy and I just asked his doctor about this. My son wakes up almost every night with that same kind of cry. He has done this for around six months off and on. His pediatrician says that it is most likely night terrors. She said it most often happens around two hours after they have gone to sleep when they are transitioning through their sleep cycles. They may open their eyes when you pick them up but they are not truly awake. This is why they cannot be consoled at all. My husband and I have a trick that we do to "wake" our son up. We take him to the refrigerator and let him look in. The light and cold air wake him up completely and he calms down. He goes back to sleep pretty easily, but he does sleep in our bed only. Also, she said this is more common with a family history of sleep walking and talking. Sure hope this helps! I know we were really concerned something was wrong.

Yes it could be nightmares. Its hard to believe when they are so young and havent had any bad experiences. Babies actually start R.E.M sleep in the womb. R.E.M sleep is the time during which a person or baby dreams. Your baby is only 3 months old it wont hurt anything to let him sleep with you. He wont always be this little. My four year old wont let me hold snuggle her like that anymore. She says shes to big now. :(

It is possible to have nightmares but I do not know how anyone would know if that is what they were having. I have never read any research to indicate that is the case. Anyway, why are you concerned about picking up the baby and holding him or putting him in bed with you. Some babies just need the extra closeness. Nights can be long and if they wake up alone then I am sure they feel alone. We either slept with our children or had a crib or bassinet in our room. Does not last for a lifetime. Most of the world sleeps with their babies. If you are worried about hurting the baby then put something like a cosleeper close by rather than having the directly in you bed. YOu may want to get the book "The BABY Book" by Dr. Bill Sears. He is a Pediatrician with 8 children and his wife is an RN and also a Lactation Consultant. I think it would be comforting to read more about the needs of your baby including attachement parenting. It is only in America that we seperate our babies into other rooms. Barbie

My son did that around that time. I had him checked for reflux and he was put on zantac. After a week or so it stopped. Good luck!!!

My first guess would be gas. There may also be an underlying condition like GERD that could be causing reflux associated pain.

Young infants do not have nightmares, and 3 months is clinically too young for night terrors, (night terrors are caused by the neurological development and usually occur between 18 months and 3 as the brain is forming more neurons because of motor and speech development at this age).

As a psychologist, I strongly suggest not getting into the habit of taking him to bed with you. Once you start, it is very hard to get them to stop, the older they get the harder it is. (As a mom, I've been there, and I know it is the easy way to console them, especially when you are sleep deprived.)

This could be colic. It peaks @ 3mos & can last until 6 mos. It's kind of an odd time of the day, but all babies are different. Just hang in there. My 4th child did something similar. It will get better. Ask ur pediatrician about levison (spelling *). It did wonders for my babies. & it is non-habit forming.

I have a 11 month old little boy, also from Tuttle, love to read and stay-at-home mom but I am 43. My son did the same thing when he was about 3 months old and I certainly know how you feel. It would just break my heart when it would happen because I thought he was scared but I found out that it had nothing to do with being scared and most the time all he needed was just comforting. I have 2 other children and neither did this, but some babies just need a little more of mom then others do. The best thing is that he out grew out of it in about a month. It could have just been a little gas but when I knew he had gas he did not do it. I really think he just needed mom. I have talked with other mothers that had the same thing with their babies and they told me he would out grow it and it was probably just gas. On all those sleepless nights I would just say to myself "I GET to stay up with my baby." I would think of other women that would love to have that opportunity and how grateful I would feel then. That did not always give me energy though. Ha Ha . But I know of a great natural energy drink that works if your interested. Also I have a DVD called Dunstan Baby Language (was on the Oprah show) that teaches you what your babies cries mean. The set was about $60, since we are both in Tuttle I would be glad to lone them out if you would like. I loved them they really helped my husband and I out. Best Wishes.
W. V

I was told that babies have nightmares about things that startle them during the day (loud noises, sudden movements, etc.). I always let my babies nurse until they fell back asleep and that seemed to do the trick very quickly. Hope this helps a little!

There is the possibility of night frights. It is a real situation. My oldest son had these in his second year. He would do it at night or even during a deep daytime nap. He would "wake up" crying and sometimes whaling saying he wanted momma. When I would go up to him and say momma's here he would push me, cry harder and say no I want MY momma. It was hard for him and for me. He never remembered doing this the next day. I could always tell when he was having these because his eyes would be glassy looking. He would even do it in the car on long trips. He always screamed and said he was needing to peepee really bad. When we pulled over he didn't really need to go because he was actually awake at that time. There is really nothing we were told we could do except DO NOT WAKE HIM UP DURING THESE EPISODES!! He eventually out grew them.

Could be nightmares, but could be gas too! I know that gas would wake up my baby girl. I would just pick her up, and pat her back a little, and usually she would go right back to sleep.

It is possible for babies to dream. However I would first have this precious one checked by his doctor to rule out a medical cause.
It could be some anxiety of awakening in room alone.
You might try a Cd/sound device that has soothing sounds at night.
After ruling out any physical problem.
God Bless
CD-Grandmother

It is called night terrors, all you can do is keep calm and sit with him till its over. Just tell him he's okay, Mama's here, and it will pass. The biggest thing is don't freak out, which is easy to do when you child seems in trouble like this. Just breathe and be there for him. No, they don't go away but they do lessen. My child also walked and had full conversations in her sleep, if you find this happening, just ask, "are you awake" and they will tell you, if asleep, don't wake him up, just guide him back to bed.

Hope this helps.

A.

This might be night terrors. I had this when I was a baby and my parents said I would still be asleep and would keep screaming, even when they were holding me. My episodes would last anywhere from a minute or two to 20 minutes. I wouldn't be immediately comforted, the episode would pass by itself.

Also, as far as regular nightmares, I think babies can have them. My son sometimes would be sound asleep and then start crying like he was scared or sad and I would have to pick him up and hold him for him to calm down. As he got older, I found out it was the same cry he had when he was scared I would leave him, like when I went in another room and he was left by himself for a little bit. As far as advice, I don't really have much. My son quit having the bad dreams as frequently, and now it's maybe once a month. Hopefully it will pass soon. Good luck!

Maybe, or maybe they are just scared because they are alone, brand new to the world and desperately need you reassurance, warmpth, and cuddle. I brought my daughter to be with me every now and them until she was about 8 months old and after that she didnt want to be in my bed-she wanted to be held...sooo I held her...and now at 16 months she doesnt need either. Just stages. I met her needs when she had them and they she grew to the next stage and didnt need me anymore, now she has her baby doll to help her through the night =)

i think it's more likely gas... babies have nothing to be scared of at this age my son didn't start to have nightmares until he was like three which is the same time that he learned that there were somethings that he needed to be afraid or weary of