9 months old and has nightmares, is this normal?

[BethK]

Hi everyone,

Hope you can help. My LO is 9 months and in the last 2 weeks she's been waking most nights absolutely screaming and sobbing her heart out. Me or DH go in, pick her up, soothe her until she calms down and cradle her, she falls asleep really fast as she never really woke properly anyway.

Then that's it, she continues to sleep through.

It only ever happens before 12pm, she's in bed at 7pm.

Is this normal?

 

[x__amour]

My 3 month old had this happen where she'd been sound asleep and woke up screaming her head off. Not sure if they're nightmares but I think they're normal?

 

[BethK]

Thanks X_Amour, my LO used to do this when she was about 4-5 months old but it was teeth and would take ages to get her back to sleep.

I know this isn't due to teething, it's a different cry for my LO and she's not really fully awake and falls asleep fast after I've settled her and it only happens once a night :/

I hope it's normal, have heard it can be a sign of mental problems

 

[x__amour]

I sure hope not... My LO whimpers sometimes in her sleep. I think they're nightmares but I wonder what they're about? (No bottles, maybe? Lol!)

 

[LucyluvsPoppy]

Hi hun, its night terrors Im sure my LO had 2 of these last night, so upsetting. here's a link:
https://www.babycenter.com/0_night-terrors_142.bc

 

[jaybee]

Does it take a while to calm LO down? does she interact at all with you when she is crying?

If it takes a while and no interaction, then it is probably a night terror, and the fact it happens at about the same time. Tobi has them on and off since about 5 months.
It can be worth taking them to dr to check there is no reason for them. However, they really don' know why they have them, but it is thought that the transition from one stage of sleep to another is disrupted and so confuses them and they start crying.
Disruption can be caused by pain, too cold too hot, all sorts of things!

All you can do is just wait for them to come round at their own rate, and usually they go back to sleep.

HTH. xx

 

[BethK]

Thanks everyone.

No she won't interact at all, she has her eyes open and really sobs her heart out but it's like she's still asleep, all we can do is cradle her in the rocking chair until she calms down and goes back to sleep, it takes about 10 - 15 minutes.

 

[BethK]

Hi hun, its night terrors Im sure my LO had 2 of these last night, so upsetting. here's a link:
https://www.babycenter.com/0_night-terrors_142.bc

Thank you so much for that link! It's exactly like they say! I am pleased she's not getting frightened from a nightmare. I'll try putting her to bed earlier as I cant get her to sleep later no matter how hard I try

 

[hattiehippo]

Thanks for the link too. Tom has these about 4 or 5 times a week always about 2 hours after he has gone to bed. He'll suddenly be sat up sobbing for no reason but he's not really aware of anything although his eyes are usually open. We cuddle him and he settles back to sleep really quickly.

He's been having them since 9 months and thinking about it, he does seem to have them when he's gone to bed really tired.

 

[Princess86]

I've noticed my LO do this when sleeping flat on his back, try putting her on her side.