Parenting Forums

Posted: 21 June 2008 at 12:08pm | IP Logged

The night before last Edward woke up at about 9.30 crying his little eyes out. He was sat up in bed sobbing so I curled him up in my arms and DH came up and rubbed his legs and we were both talking softly too him trying to calm him down. It seemed to me he was asleep and I didnt want to shock him by waking him suddenly. He has tears running down his face and was really sobbing.

In the end he fell asleep on my lap, when he woke crying again a few mins later I asked what was wrong he said he was hungry so I bought him a bowl of cereal up - but by then he was asleep. I went back up 10 mins later as he was crying again but he couldnt tell me why and was far too tired to consider eating. In the end I managed to settle him and stayed with him til he was asleep - he didnt wake again that night.

In the morning I was talking to him and he told me a monster had come into his room in the night and stolen all his toys. He's been playing monsters with his grumps earlier in the evening so I have no told dad to stop playing monster games.

DH has told me he used to be a frequent dreamer and sleepwalker and was on traqualisers at 5 to help with his dreams. He used to climb out of his bedroom window and all sorts! I hope I dont have to go through all that!

The problem is DH is now away in amsterdam for a week and I am supposed to be taking sleeping pills - however I cant if I dont know that I will wake if he needs me. I dont know how frequent they will be. Sorry I just wondered what your own experience of childhood nightmares are.

Posted: 21 June 2008 at 5:31pm | IP Logged

As you know I suffered with Joshua's nightmares for a few years. I also suffered with sleepwalking as a child. I'd leave the house and do lots of random things. Some nights I'd bang on the front door and demand to be let out, used to give my mum a right fright as dad worked nights and she was alone with us.

I know first hand how horrible it is watching your lo having nightmares and not knowing what to do. Most of Joshua's were night terrors so he never remembered them afterwards which was a blessing, but he does sometimes have them about spiders or monsters that upset him terribley. I used to make sure that there was something soft next to the bed, Joshua used to jump with suck a fright he'd land hard on the floor. I also made sure that the windows were closed properly, but that was mainly due to his night terrors when they got so bad he would try escaping or hurting himself. I also made sure none of his toys were left lying around, one incase I had to dash in, and secondly incase he tried to dash out of bed.

I hope this has been a one off with Eds and that he gets a good night sleep tonight. Maybe you could get him a night light. Tell him monsters dont like the light on and it may give him some reassurance. I told Joshua that monsters (and such things) only live in stories and tv, they are not real like mummies and children. Hope you both manage some sleep tonight xxx

Posted: 21 June 2008 at 9:57pm | IP Logged

One of my children at nursery used to have really bad dreams about monsters, I suggested to his mum that they sprinkle magic powder (glitter or talc should do) by the door and window to stop the monsters getting in.  The mum said it worked a treat, but was very messy! lol  Might be worth a try??

Posted: 23 June 2008 at 10:29am | IP Logged

Hi girls.

Well the night after Eds nightmare he slept at a friends house and was fine - then last night we both slept at my mums house and he had another nightmare - it was just the same as the previous night - sat in bed asleep but crying his eyes out. I took him into my bed and he settles ok but I am now worried this is going to become more comman - he cant seem to remember what he dreamt about so I dont know what I can do to ease the situation.

Posted: 23 June 2008 at 10:41am | IP Logged

My DD is 3 3/4 yr old now and will wake with bad dreams though I came up with a great idea one night about putting a small pile of books of hers under the bed which I told her would catch all the ideas for dreams and only let out good ones. When I told her (she's here now watching pocoyo) your DS was having bad dreams she said I should tell you so the books would catch his bad dreams.

Must say the bad dreams have gone from every night down to every 2 or 3 weeks.

Just a thought. 

Posted: 23 June 2008 at 3:06pm | IP Logged

Thanks - I'm still not 100% sure if this is nightmares or night terrors as when I ask him in the morning and he tells me its monsters - he doesnt seem scared and its almost like its what he thinks he should say if that makes sence.

However at the time he is crying and beside himself, still asleep, sweating, unresponsive - and it is early (between 9.30 and 10pm) whereas reading online about nightmares they seem to occur later, and night terrors earlier.

He has a dream catcher so I am going to get him to hang it in the centre of his window tonight to catch all the bad dreams and see how it goes.