Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

3 yo waking up screaming and terrified

5 replies

BikeRunSki · 25/11/2011 15:30

A bit of background -
DS is 3.2 and DD is 5 weeks. DS has always been a very happy and confident child and happily accepted my pregnancy and his new sister hen she was born. He was very proud and protective of her and would tell anyone who cared to listen about her. i some ways he also grew up a bit - starting wanting to do everything himself and wanting to use the toilet rather than potty. i have tried my best to keep his life going as normal - his usual activites, seeing his friends, going to nursery etc.

In the last week DS has woken up in the middle of the night screaming with fear and utterly hysterical. It can take half an hour to soothe him and calm him down. Last night he was scared of monsters and told me than his bed was too big for him to sleep in (he has never had a problem with his bed before now).

I know this must be to do with the arrival of DD, but what can I do about it? DD is in a cot in our room, i think he might have sussed that he is being left out, but I really don't want him sleeping in our bed too, what with getting up to feed DD. Last time he slept in out bed - 1- he licked me to pieces, not good for tender CS scar and 2 - everyone woke up when DD needing feeding.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
BikeRunSki · 25/11/2011 16:42

Anyone?

OP posts:
WowOoo · 25/11/2011 16:46

Just soothe him as you have been doing.
Mine did this. I think it's also as they get older and learn more about the world and become aware of danger and how the world is actually a bit complicated. This is a big discovery I suppose.

It lasted around a month on and off (sorry!) with ds. Funnily enough he was fine when ds2 came along. He also potty trained himself as soon as his little brother came along.
Hope it gets better. Get him some nice new toys to protect him? Big cuddly ones?

SkinnyGirlBethany · 25/11/2011 17:50

Ooh oh! My dd is 2.5 and dd2 is 3 months and the exact same thing has been happening in the last few weeks. Including at my mums house who used to have dd2 every week sun- Monday afternoon (she doesn't want to after the last time dd sobbing to come home Sad)

Anyway- think with dd it's a combination of curtain ajar- saw shadows (hence monsters)

We check under bed and look together of she wakes worrying or mentions at bed time
Leave her door open
Ensure curtains are closed

However I realised that next door guy has been working nights which disturbed her Angry

thebellsofsaintclements · 25/11/2011 22:53

It could be night terrors? My DD (4) had them a few times a couple of months ago, then they just stopped....

simbo · 26/11/2011 08:51

It is more likely to be night terrors if child is screaming for you but doesn't recognise you. My son had this and grew out of it.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page