Screaming At Night

Join Us On Facebook! | CONTACT | BABY BLOG | HOME |

Screaming At Night

My granddaughter wakes up several times in the middle of the night screaming now. She hasn't been screaming at night earlier.

Why is this happening and what can be done about it?

Find answers and comments below.

Find more Baby Sleep Tips and Baby Sleep Q&As here:

Comments for
Screaming At Night

Click here to add your own comments

Nov 01, 2008

A few ideas to help your grandchild
by: Baby Help Line

You don't say how old your grand-daughter is so it is a bit hard to give a specific answer. Below are some ideas for different ages.

Babies:

A baby under 4 months may have colic. Colic is more than just a bit of wind or a tired or hungry baby cry. There is a lot of debate about colic, but it is generally thought that colic usually isn't wind. It may be more related to hormone levels, particularly in infants whose digestion is still very immature. If your grand-daughter is breast fed, see if Mom is eating anything different. (You can read foods to avoid while breastfeeding here

With tiny babies it is a good idea to check it out with a Health Nurse or Paediatrician. They will check for things like an ear infection, or gastro-oesophageal reflux.

It is terribly hard as a parent or grand-parent to know what to do. The most important thing is to be calm and soothing and gently cuddle and rock the baby. Body contact is really important for a tiny baby; it may be that your grand-daughter is waking feeling abandoned.

Older Babies:

As babies get older they do grow out of colic! However an older baby becomes more aware of separation from Mom and may well be waking frightened. Babies also dream and if something has happened during the day that was scary or confusing, she may well be processing that in her sleep. Again, soothing, rocking and talking gently to her helps.

Has anything changed in the home routine, has Mom started back at work? Is Mom stressed or finding it hard to cope? Babies are extremely sensitive. I've coached many parents, and baby is often the barometer for what is happening at home. If Mom is unhappy or stressed then the odds are, baby is too.

Teething or ear infections are another reason a baby will wake crying, so again check that out with your health professional.

Toddlers:

Most Toddlers have nightmares at some stage. Toddlers can be overwhelmed or over stimulated and most children cope better with routines and quiet time before bed. They often haven't had enough quiet time to reflect and integrate everything they are absorbing during the day.

How much Television is your grand-daughter watching? Parents are often unaware of the effect of a nightly diet of news items about wars and crimes. Our news is seldom uplifting so imagine going off to sleep having just seen that! The younger the child the less they can understand or make sense of it all.

A good trick I taught my own children when they were old enough (I think around two): I got an old remote control and we talked about dreams being like the TV. They have the power to switch channels or turn it off. They would tuck it under the pillow to use in the night if they woke frightened. However, again, nothing beats a cuddle from Mom or Dad!

She is a lucky girl to have a loving grandmother who is so concerned!

Good luck!

Annie Desantis

Oct 25, 2011

More screaming babies at night...
by: Paula (EasyBabyLife)

You can find several more threads about babies screaming at night here:

11 month old wakes up screaming - nightmares or reflux

1 year old screaming at night

Screaming toddler wakes up every night

Click here to add your own comments

Would other parents find this valuable? Share it!

Where would you like to go next?

Find more Baby Questions Answered Here...

What baby info are you looking for?

Return to Easy Baby Life Home

Join EBL Community!

New Community Members get a FREE Baby Safety Checklist right now.
Don't miss out. Join here!

Want more baby tips?

baby care newsletter Never miss a single baby tip! Get the latest news and tips for your pregnancy and baby with our monthly newsletter.
FREE Baby Care Ezine

Your Email

Your Name

Then

Don't worry -- your e-mail address is totally secure.

For more information about the ezine, click here.