Nightmares

Martha has been having nightmares now for the last few months - she will wake up crying inconsolably and if you ask her if she has had a bad dream, will say yes. If you ask her what about, she just gets more distressed

After a few times of listening to her cry for 20 minutes (while holding her!) and being unable to calm her down we thought we had cracked it last week when we brought her downstairs for 20 mins for a cuddle and a cup of milk then took her back up

but we tried this again last night and once back upstairs she got all upset again. I had to stay with her holding her hand thro the bars of the cot till she fell asleep

Anyone got any suggestions about how to calm them down when they have a bad dream? She tends to have them in the evening so bringing her in with us isn't an option

Im just wondering if its nightmares or a bit of separation anxiety when she wakens up and realises she is alone - that can be frightening for toddlers.

Lots of reassurance and cuddles - perhaps a nightlight or a special teddy that goes to bed with her, the door left ajar with a light left on in the landing, all could help her know you arent far away and she is safe.

Sadie xx

Abbie has had nightmares since she was quite young. Since she has been in a 'big girl' bed she has started sleep walking and crying/screaming and it's AWFUL. I wish I had some advice, every Dr/HV I have ever spoken to, says it's night terrors and she will grow out of it.

We do a few things to try and avoid the nightmares, although I'm not sure they work... We try and read a really happy, up beat story that we know she loves and makes her smile... I usually tell her something fun that we'll be doing tomorrow, tonight I told her we would do some baking tomorrow in the hope that she'll fall asleep thinking about happy, fun things like that.

But she still has nightmares and I'm yet to find a way to quickly calm her down after a nightmare, she just fighhts me
Hope you find something that works for you... let me know if you do!!!

Abbie has had nightmares since she was quite young. Since she has been in a 'big girl' bed she has started sleep walking and crying/screaming and it's AWFUL. I wish I had some advice, every Dr/HV I have ever spoken to, says it's night terrors and she will grow out of it.

DS1 had night terrors and they went on until he was about 6. There was nothing we could do to prevent them (MIL even came and blessed the house with holy water when she heard about them so even divine intervention didnt help).

They are different to standard nightmares though as in with night terrors the child doesnt actually waken up even though their eyes are open they are kind of sleep walking. All we could do with ds1 was direct him back to bed where he would still scream for 20 minutes or so, then he would just stop and go into a deep sleep. He wasnt even aware that one of us would be laid beside him stroking his hair and trying to soothe him - it was strange and very very frightening, but he had no recollection of it the morning after.

[clothmama]

Gosh that is scary for all of you I think I agree with the others that they sounds like night terrors. Josh had it happen 2 or 3 times and it was so scary as he had his eyes open but wasn't 'there'. I hope you find something that can help her. When Josh was quite a bit older (maybe 3 or 4) he started having lots of nightmares and our lovely neighbour bought him a flat cushion type pillow in the shape of a dinosaur and she told him a story that this dinosaur was a special dream one and if he had a bad dream he was to lay his head on it and it wouldn't let the bad dreams get to him. It seemed to work but she may be too little to understand that?

Thanks for replies ladies. LOVE that pillow idea Tory, I think she would get it

I have been leaving a nightlight on in her room - I can't leave the door too far ajar cos the cat loves to go into her bedroom and will wake her up!

Not had one for a few nights so will try to find a novelty pillow and let you know how we get on

Thanks again

Awww poor thing

She might be a litle young but how about a dreamcatcher? Sophie has had one since she was about 4 as she got really upset with bad dream and it really seemed to help. The funny thing was when I explained it to her she asked if we needed to switch it off in the morning