Friday, August 13, 2010
Help!
For the last 3 weeks, Hattie has woken in the middle of the night with nightmares. Not every night, but probably half. It's starting to get old. At first, we brought her to bed with us, but of course, we didn't get any sleep after that, even though she usually when right back to sleep. Our queen-size just isn't big enough for three people. Lately, I've been going in to calm her down, and then end up laying next to her crib (yup, she still LOVES her crib and refuses to sleep in the toddler bed). I eventually sneak out and go back to bed. Does anyone have tips or advice about getting over nightmares? I'm even starting to think that now it's not always a nightmare...her screaming has become less frantic and more whiny. So perhaps now she knows that we'll come if she simply wakes up in the night and cries loud enough. Please HELP!
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4 comments:
Jaicie has had night terrors since she was 18 months. Is Hattie actually awake during her screaming, or is she just completely incoherent?
If it is night terrors we have found that getting jaicie out of bed and walking her out to a light room will get her out of the terror and wake her up. She then is confused on why she is out there and goes back to bed on her own.
If she has started just waking up and crying so you guys would come in--I would (i know it would be difficult for a couple nights) go to her door and tell her to go back to sleep. Don't go in, don't get her out of bed, don't interact with her. This is what we had to do with Felicity when she woke up a lot. We got to the point that we would just open her door slightly and tell her to go back to sleep and then go back out. She would cry for a little while, but she got used to us not coming in and eventually gave up her wake up calls.
If she is having nightmares than she will need to be comforted. Go in and pat her back and tell her it will be okay. But don't get her out of bed. It all goes back to the same thing. When you spend a lot of time with them in the middle of the night they crave it and want it and then will wake up more and more to get that. So if you don't give it to them, then they will adjust and go back to sleep on their own. But calm her down and then tell her to go back to sleep and then leave the room.
This is what has worked for us, and my feelings on the matter. Sometimes it is important for kids to learn to cry and work things out on their own, even in the middle of the night.
Good luck with it and hopefully things calm down. I know how difficult it can be.
Keira has the "green monster dream" frequently and our answer to her is a night light and to be tough. She did have what your friend mentioned "night tremors" and we took Keira to target to pick out her own princess nightlight and we haven't had a problem since! Good luck with that....its nice to get a good nights sleep but its also nice to have little ones snuggled next to you :)
Hum...ear plugs! ;)
The night light idea is a very good one. Some kids just don't like the darkness. It worked for some kids to have a light on. Another idea is to pray that Hattie doesn't have any night scares when you have prayer together before bed. And like the of comments, do NOT get her out of bed, just comfort and reassure her that you are there and everything is okay. She will grow out of this.
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