Baby cries out in sleep suddenly and goes silent again within a couple of minutes

[ParsleyTheLion1]

My 14 mo DS often lets out sudden and sometimes blood-curdling cries in his sleep (often within the first few hours of going down). And settles just as suddenly as he started crying (within a few minutes) or just whimpers for a minute or two. Why and what might this be?

bad dream?

I think it coincides with a change in the sleep cycles. Mine used to do more of this if they were overtired when they went to bed.

Yeah mine does this too. I just thought she's an odd'un and assumed if it was serious she'd cry properly. But I am heartless.

I would say this is just a sleep cycle transition, when sleep is lightest. At 14m baby has no language so every thought comes out as a cry. It may not even be a 'bad' dream, just a normal dream or imagination. But baby can't put into words any of their imagination so it comes out as a semi-conscious cry