Night terrors or nightmares?

[rainbowsockmonkey]

Tonight for the second night in a row, Dd1 woke up screaming, and when I got up to her room, she was acting scared of something near her pillow. Tonight as I was going up the stairs, she kept saying "help momma!" over and over. I didn't see anything in her bed besides her pillow, blankets and friends. Last night she said a bug was there (couldn't find anything when I looked). On a normal night she might wake up and cry out or whine a little, but will go back to sleep on her own without me going in to her. This definitely isn't like that.

I have no experience with night terrors, but do these things sound like them, or probably just nightmares?

[athn64]

We had a similar thing tonight rainbowsockmonkey.Our poor kids.

IIRC, night terrors they typically don't wake up from. Like they might scream or thrash, but they are still deeply asleep. I would assume it's a nightmare. That's what I think DD1 had tonight.

She was terrified to go back to her room, so we gave her some milk and calmed her down, but she still cried herself to sleep.

[rainbowsockmonkey]

Thanks athn64. She is definitely fully awake when I get up there, so I'm thinking very life like nightmare. I will often wake up from a dream/nightmare and still think its going on. I did last night and woke up Dh talking about how I didn't want to set anymore damn alarms for them (no idea who the "them" was tho). After some hugs and cuddles she went right back to bed.

[athn64]

This thread is well timed, given DD1's nightmare. She didn't want to go back to bed even when we took her. DH asked about letting her sleep with us and I said hell no.

But wwm14do? She was scared of her bed. Couldn't tell us exactly why, but was shaking. I'm sure there will be more in the future. DH thought it'd be a one night thing but I worry about setting up a pattern. Am I just cold hearted?

[Doll15]

May 15, 2017 23:13:35 GMT -5 athn64 said:

This thread is well timed, given DD1's nightmare. She didn't want to go back to bed even when we took her. DH asked about letting her sleep with us and I said hell no.

But wwm14do? She was scared of her bed. Couldn't tell us exactly why, but was shaking. I'm sure there will be more in the future. DH thought it'd be a one night thing but I worry about setting up a pattern. Am I just cold hearted?

See my DD just can't sleep if she is in our bed. We've approached this before and tried to let her "just this one" but she can never stop wiggling around or talking to actually sleep so we have put her back in her bed. I think if she had a nightmare and was legit freaked, I'd do as you did with milk Nd calm her down, maybe rock and read a story or something to change her head/feelings. I don't think bringing her to your bed would solve problems Nd could create more maybe. I don't think you're cold hearted, just looking at the future potential issue.

[meggypoo1]

May 15, 2017 23:13:35 GMT -5 athn64 said:

This thread is well timed, given DD1's nightmare. She didn't want to go back to bed even when we took her. DH asked about letting her sleep with us and I said hell no.

But wwm14do? She was scared of her bed. Couldn't tell us exactly why, but was shaking. I'm sure there will be more in the future. DH thought it'd be a one night thing but I worry about setting up a pattern. Am I just cold hearted?

I wouldn't in fear of setting that expectation. I would try to ask her what's happening offer to cuddle in her room and go from there.
Clara has nightmares -- hasn't in a while but would wake up screaming and we would have to go in and give her a hug for a minute and tuck her back in and that would be it. She would never remember in the morning. Our pedi said to watch that because they could turn into night terrors. My nephew has / had night terrors and they are terrifying to experience. Nothing helps until they fully wake up and then it's like nothing ever happened.

[athn64]

May 16, 2017 7:31:05 GMT -5 mary97 said:

May 15, 2017 23:13:35 GMT -5 athn64 said:

This thread is well timed, given DD1's nightmare. She didn't want to go back to bed even when we took her. DH asked about letting her sleep with us and I said hell no.

But wwm14do? She was scared of her bed. Couldn't tell us exactly why, but was shaking. I'm sure there will be more in the future. DH thought it'd be a one night thing but I worry about setting up a pattern. Am I just cold hearted?

We've experience both nightmares and night terrors with DD from time to time.  

Does she sleep with a lot of stuffed animals?  The last time she was really scared I just pointed out all the dogs and bears she sleeps with that are here to protect her, she even has her own monster (cookie monster).  That seemed to help her a lot and got her to calm down.
  

That's a good idea. She sleeps with a ton of stuff. Will remember in the future.

[becole]

My DS has been having bad dreams since like 2. He hasn't had one lately but 6 months or so ago he continually woke and cried about the hippos getting him and one time he said they were biting his hair. So there's legit some new brain activity going on with the dreaming. We comfort and rub his back and he usually goes right back to sleep. I would not take him out of his room. We stay with him until he is calm and then leave the room. We reassure that there are no hippos and that the cat will keep them away and mom and dad will keep him safe.

[bliz1712]

athn64 ,A lot of DD1's BMB have made a bed on the floor for their kiddo. They have the comfort of the parents in the room but not in the actual bed. I've done it for DD1 when she has dreams or is upset MOTN. There is a pillow and blanket on the floor and she's welcome to come let me know and sleep there. She went in a spurt where she used it 3x a week and now for the last year or so we haven't had to use it, maybe 1x. But keep in mind this was just after DD1 turned 4, so I'm not sure if it would be helpful at 3 or not.

[athn64]

May 16, 2017 13:08:01 GMT -5 bliz1712 said:

athn64 ,A lot of DD1's BMB have made a bed on the floor for their kiddo. They have the comfort of the parents in the room but not in the actual bed. I've done it for DD1 when she has dreams or is upset MOTN. There is a pillow and blanket on the floor and she's welcome to come let me know and sleep there. She went in a spurt where she used it 3x a week and now for the last year or so we haven't had to use it, maybe 1x. But keep in mind this was just after DD1 turned 4, so I'm not sure if it would be helpful at 3 or not.

I've seen some people on Parenting talk about a floor bed. It makes sense, it gives her the safety of mom and dad without the inconvenience of a foot in the ribs.