Recurring night terror in newer mom

sekenn0

I have a healthy 5 month old and since his birth I've continued to have this recurring (about 5 times a week) night terror that he's in my bed and we're smothering him or he's under the covers.  Ironically he is never in our bed, he sleeps in his crib and I'm very aware of SIDS and take all the precautions recommended.  I wake up within the first hour or two freaking out that I have either dropped him out of the bed or he's in the bed and unsafe.  Again, he has never been in our bed and he's not been dropped.  I don't have any ptsd and don't take any meds.  Currently breast feeding.  No other traumatic issues to report that come to mind.  Any idea why I'm having this and how to fix it? 

bmhopkins

No idea how to fix it but you are not alone. I don't have it as often as you, but I still have it. LO has never slept with us in the bed or anywhere. Always her crib. So strange!

gnrkrystle1

We live in a culture that breeds anxiety in parents. It's no wonder we aren't all half crazy with night terrors. Don't worry.

Marchmellow2

Wow same here! Thought I was alone. LO has always slept in his own crib and at least once a week since he was born I've had night tremors like yours. Weird! Sorry no advice just relating.

roo1oo

I thought I was the only one! LO has never ever slept in bed with me, yet I still wake once a week thinking that I have LO sleeping next to me and the covers smothering him. I have a small pillow that I "cuddle" with when I sleep and I have many times woken to that pillow being in the cradle position in my arms.

I think it's actually instinctual that our babies sleep with us, but our culture has created mass paranoia over something that happens to a very very small number of babies every year. 

utlawgirl

It's mama anxiety. I have no suggestions that aren't medication-based!

Mamaspumpkin

I had these same dreams.  I would dream that I was breastfeeding him in bed and when I moved that he rolled out of bed or was tangled in the covers.  Like all the above, he has never slept in our bed or room for that matter.  He has always been in his crib.  No idea where the dream comes from or how to get rid of it.  Probably associated with hormones.  I seemed to stop having these dreams after I stopped breastfeeding. 

LittleNugget93

What's funny is I had those dreams all the time, UNTIL I started sleeping with my DD in my bed. Now I don't have them. Obviously, this isn't an option for everyone, but it just happened to woke for me. 

BoyOhBoys

LittleNugget93 said:

What's funny is I had those dreams all the time, UNTIL I started sleeping with my DD in my bed. Now I don't have them. Obviously, this isn't an option for everyone, but it just happened to woke for me. 

Same here! Now I just dream that I forgot to feed him!

LittleLeahBee

gnrkrystle1 said:

We live in a culture that breeds anxiety in parents. It's no wonder we aren't all half crazy with night terrors. Don't worry.

Agreed, big time!! I hope you feel better. "self talk" (telling yourself over and over that it isn't real, and that you do everything right), really helps. Make sure you're doing that as often as possible. Sounds stupid, but it's very convincing to the subconscious!

Lesley0228

I had this happening a lot when my DD (now 4) was a baby. No advice, but it did stop when she started sleeping through the night and I wasn't so exhausted. Fortunately, it has not returned with DS, which I chalk up to being much less anxious now with my second.

NL105

Just relating, I had this happen to me the first month of bringing DD home. It went away after that though, sorry you're still experiencing it.