My baby is having nightmares!

[LAbaby]

As a child I suffered from rely vivid dream, and terrifying nightmares. Now it seems my four month old has the same problem.
He sobs in his sleep, with tears running down his cheeks, but if I rouse him he looks around in confusion then smiles at me. If I leave him he will stop crying eventually and does not awake. But it's so sad to see him and I worry about what he is freamin about.
During the day he is a happy little chap, quite clingy but at four months old I think that is normal.
Anyone else experienced this? What did you do? I i imagine it'll only get worse as he grows.

Sorry for typos - bloody iPhone!

Oh dear, that's awful! No constructive advice (no clue tbh) but maybe some one else has a better idea. Poor baby

I have no constructive advice either, but my DS went through a bad dreams stage at that age and they've all but stopped now at 18 months- he might have one every two or three months, if that. He never cried tears with his and I don't have your history of childhood nightmares, though- I don't know whether that could be a factor? I do hope it's just a phase for your DS too!

I do hope he grows out of it. It doesn't happen during his naps, only at night - but that doesn't make it easier. I've been up with him tonight, it's very sad to see him crying and not know what to do.

They are probably night terrors- different from nightmares because when the baby wakes up he does not remember. DS, now 21 months, also had them when younger. It is very distressing for the parents but apparently not so for the child. Dr Sears has advice about them: basically don't wake him up. And don't be concerned- they generally grow out of them. Sorry, cannot do links on iPhone.

Thanks, will have a look at the website, I've been on there before so should be able to find it. Glad to hear they generally grow out of it.

Ok read dr sears advice and he says it often happens in children aged 1 to 8 so my baby is a bit young, but he also says it is genetic which fits. He says not to wake them and to reassure them so will just speak quietly and see how that goes if it happens again. If anyone has any other ideas please feel let me know, thanks.

DS started early too, before 1, but they are now becoming less frequent. We tend to pick him up, cuddle and speak or sing softly, but it might be more to do with comforting ourselves that we are doing something: neither of us can bear to see him so distressed.