Baby waking up hysterically crying

[CobaltRose96]

Hi all.

DD is 12 months old and has always been a very good sleeper. However, every night for the past few nights she’s woken up hysterically crying. She’ll go to bed perfectly fine (usually drops off on her own), sleep for between 1-3 hours and then will wake up hysterically screaming/crying. I’m talking bright red face, tears streaming, holding breath crying

Nothing seems to soothe her. She’ll refuse a feed and will just cry and cry. All I can do is hold her and try and comfort her whilst she screams. She does go back to sleep eventually (normally takes about 10 minutes but feels like 10 hours!) and will then sleep until morning, so it could be a lot worse, but I’m finding it really hard to deal with as she sounds so distressed 😩

It’s especially jarring as she’s normally a very sunny character and rarely cries. She’s her normal happy self during the day, so I don’t think she remembers it (thank god), but it’s still horrendous and I’ve started to dread the evenings. Sometimes I’ve been in tears myself.

She doesn’t do this during her daytime nap (will happily drop off and then sleep for two hours), just nighttime sleep.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Thank you

Sorry no but my boy is only 7 months.

Could she be constipated or have bad gas? That can really be painful. Poor sausage

@Horehound, no signs of any gas or constipation. Her nappies have been normal. She’s perfectly happy during the day and doesn’t show any signs of discomfort.

Oh, I should also say that we suspected teething at first and started giving Calpol and anbesol, but it’s made no discernible difference.

Ah yes maybe teeth! Strange about the calpol but maybe it's just really bloody sore. I read it takes 8 days for a tooth to come through. 4 to kind if come up and break through and 4 to kind if settle down and be pain free. Have you felt on the gum line for any teeth/swollen gums?

My son did this at around the same age. I
For us, it was just a weird phase. Lasted a couple of weeks maybe with no obvious cause. Ofcourse it may not be the same for you - but hopefully just some reassurance that it can just be a phase.

Hello - my DD1 used to get night terrors. I can't remember what age she was but if you Google and see if it fits?

Our DD did this at around 12 months and has started again at around 18 months. Like you, we thought it was possibly teething at first but calpol etc. made no difference. I think its just be a developmental phase, perhaps to do with attachment anxiety which is supposed to peak around those ages? Our DD is also complete fine during the day, sunny and happy.

When it happened at 17 months we convinced ourselves that it was because we had let her watch Matilda and had only hastily turned it off when we remembered how brutal it actually was! After doing some reading it does seem fairly common!

@mintandcoral, haha, I did giggle at the Matilda thing Thank you, it’s reassuring to know others have experienced similar things. It’s just awful seeing/hearing her so distressed. But she wakes up giggling and jumping around her cot in the morning, so I don’t think she remembers it!

I was just coming on to say night terrors. My DS is now 2.5 and rarely has them not a pleasant period!

Hi OP I understand how upsetting it is poor you and poor baby! It could be night terrors maybe as my little boy used to do it quite a lot at that age but he is 2 now. I don't have much advice because all I could do is what you are doing and just try and comfort as much as possible. Sorry I don't have any better advice just wanted to let you know you're not alone

My DS had them at about the same stage - fairly upsetting for us but he seemed none the wiser. I'm not sure whether it was developmental, teething or change in routine but I was very pleased when it stopped. Fingers crossed it passed quickly

I have 18 month twins and my little girl still does this a lot.

Like your baby, she is utterly incomplete, pushes me away if I try to
Comfort her etc.

She’s a really happy child in general. Maybe it’s just something some children do?

My DD does this sometimes at naps if she wakes up too soon. I think it's because she's so tired and the only thing I can do is just cuddle and try to soothe her until she falls asleep again. It is horrible but she's otherwise a very happy and cheerful little girl so I think it's just one of those things and a phase she will grow out of!

Mine has bad dreams. Started from that age. She's nearly 3 now and occasionally (last night as it happens!) does this. She's inconsolable for sometimes 20mins.

Could it be ear infection ?

My son had night terrors about this age, it was terrifying for both of us.

Is there a light in there? Mine did exactly the same at that time and I put it down to being scared of the dark, hence mornings and daytime naps being ok.

Hope she settles soon

My 11.5mo has been waking up crying and/or sounding upset in his sleep lately. At this age apparently they are in a very significant developmental leap so that might explain it.