Parenting Forums

Posted: 23 August 2007 at 9:46pm | IP Logged

Hi there. Ben's just woke up screaming and saying something like 'I don't want to/it!' over and over. I went to him and he was really hysterical so I picked him up and sat him on my knee (I would normally just leave him in bed and hold his hand but he seemed really terrified). He had a cold sweat and was shaking a little. It really frightened me! He kept saying 'I don't want to' over and over. Idon't know what he meant! I asked if he wanted a drink and he said no, then I asked him if he wanted to get back into bed (he'd calmed down a little by now but was still shaking) and he did. I tucked him up and gave him his 'teddy' (Optimus Prime soft toy-don't ask!lol) and he's settled back off.

He has dreamed stuff before but I don't think he's ever got this bad, shaking and stuff! I am really upset. I've never seen him that scared and feel that as his mummy I should be saving him from whatever is frightening him!

Have your lo's ever been this bad during the night?

Posted: 23 August 2007 at 10:41pm | IP Logged

Helen, Joshua has done this one more occassion than I'd like to remember. Only last night he did this screaming 'I want to go home, I want my mummy' even while talking to me and I was holding him he couldn't grasp it and kept saying 'I want to go home' Like Ben with some reassurance and his teddy soon settled back off again. When Joshua was younger he suffered night terrors, but I was assured he wouldnt remember these, and he never seemed alert or awake. When he's screaming he's definitly alert and awake and really scared.

Children have vivid imaginations and they dream like any other, but because they are still so little they scare easily. The most common one with Joshua is he will play with his friends, talk about Power Rangers, or spiders, or Scooby Doo, think they are great while awake, dreams about them and then is completely freaked out. He imagines himself as one of the characters then scares himself (I assume they go into a fight or something I only get broken information from him).

The only way I have been able to reduce it happening is to talk to him about real life and stories. He now understands that monsters can be in stories but they dont live in real life. I have also banned all dvd's/programmes like these in the house. I cant stop him playing with his friends, but I can predvent him seeing actuall images of them. It seemes to help.

I hope Ben stays settled all night. It is scary and heart breaking to see, I know. People I have spoke to said to avoid late night eating, or cheese. I dont know if this works. Its just him imagination creating things in his mind. Has he been somewhere he didnt want to go? Seen someone he didnt want to? Maybe he's just remembering an event and dreaming about it, and getting himself upset again. But asleep and alone it can seem much more scary to a lo.

Hugz to you both babe xxx

Posted: 23 August 2007 at 10:55pm | IP Logged

I have no experience with night terrors or bad dreams but I just wanted to say that I really hope that the bad dream stop soon for both Ben and Ella.

May you all have a peaceful nights sleep.

Posted: 24 August 2007 at 10:14am | IP Logged

hi,since moving bronia has been unsettled in the night,the first few nights she was great,went to bed with no fuss and no nappy and slept all night,but then she began having nightmares and has been waking up screaming,i put it down to being in a new house and generally being a bit unsettled at the mo...last night was particuarly bad,she had nightmares and thought there wass omething in her room and would not let me leave so she had to come sleep in my bed which was a nightmare in itself! neither of us got any sleep then!

im hoping she will settle down soon,i think they all go through phases of it! xxx