Why does my baby wake up screaming?

Question

He is 6 months and quite often he wakes from his naps in real distress and it takes some time for him to calm down.He sobs even if he goes back to sleep.Afterwards he is absolutely fine smiling etc.He has done this from birth and we first thought it could be colic,although that should have passed at his age and I don't think that is what it is now.
Generally he is a happy,well baby and its quite upsetting for us to see him so upset for no apparent reason.
Anybody had this problem.

Answer 1

I'm a mum of 3 and have come across this myself. However.. if you are worried, you should take your baby to the doctors for a check up.

From my experience it COULD be one of the following - a process of elimination will give you the answer

1. Anxiety seperation.... you are not there when he wakes up and he is angry and upset. I found "grow bags/ sleeping bags" fantastic. My babies would be warm and cuddled before putting them in their cot (awake- otherwise they get upset when you are not there when they wake.). The "gro-bags" meant I was not putting them down on a cold sheet in the cot and they were more likely not to be upset in the transition from Mummy to cot. They also feel protected/wrapped up by them, can't kick covers off, their temperature is maintained, and as they get older the "gro-bags" discourage them from standing up in the cot!!

2. Teething pain - try Calgel or Ashton and Parsons Teething Salts (herbal), both available at Boots.

3. Growing pains.... I know it sounds incredibly early, but my eldest had terrible leg pains from 6 months upwards which lasted til he was 7yrs old.

4.Tummy ache - massage could help. It could be wind... a teaspoon of cooled boiled water always did the trick for mine, or you could try Gripe water, or Infacol.

5. You don't say what you are feeding your baby, but a food or milk intollerence is possible: in which case medical advice is needed.

I hope you resolve this problem quickly, it's horrid when you have an upset baby and feel powerless to help them.
xxx

Answer 2

I can not say why your baby screams.

As you know this is babies only way of communicating, it will be distressing because you go through the routine of doing the recommended and the obvious and it doesn't seem to work. The big fear of all parents is that their baby is in pain and because they don't know what it is they can't help and feel they are failing as a parent.

Please do not think this, you are doing everything you can to comfort your baby giving him/her your love and care. It is very important to keep doing this, if you have a husband/partner keep supporting each other so you can 'recharge' your batteries.

Keep following the routines as many of the times the baby's cries will simply be because he/she needs a feed, a nappy change, teething(later) check that the nappy is not too tight, check for soreness. Babies often get a high temperature for a few hours as their bodies defences fight off infections (normal and essential.) Check the cot, pram is the 'bed' tidy.

We all want our babies to be warm , but make sure you don't have too many blankets, if you put your hand under the blankets and it feels 'nice' then ok but if it feels 'hot' to you loosen it a little.

Make sure yoiur baby takes in plenty of fluid.

Keep checking all the usual things, just because your baby cries a lot doesn't mean something is wrong. Changes to routine can upset a baby, also if the baby has had a vaccination he/she may be reacting to that.

Do make an appointment to see your doctor and tell her/him about everything, your own health is important too and if you become too distressed it is not helpful to your assesment of what is happening.

Sorry I can't be more helpful, but loving your baby, staying calm, following the routines and seeking professional advice and support really are the best methods. No absolute guarantees can ever be offered but the professionals really are there to help you. If you are anxious, talk about this also, it is normal.

If you have a local church try a pram service and meet other new mums, you will find others have had lots of similar experiences even if they are not as severe as your own.

Important you do not start to feel that some how it is your fault.

It is not, keep doing the good things you are.

Answer 3

Some kids are just a pain in the *ss

trust me, if most of the time he's happy and healthy, he might just be kicking off because that's what some babies do...

He might be constipated, he could have wind, maybe his nappy's too tight? Teething early?

But more than likely he's jus a perfectly normal, happy little boy (who likes to vocalise a lot!)

Get your health visitor, or peadeatrician to give him the once over (better safe than sorry), if they find nothing, you're just gonna have to grit your teeth and bare it I'm afraid...

Stop being so soft with him... when he starts crying, leave him a few mins before you see to him, settle him down slightly, then leave him again... when he starts crying the next time, leave him a little longer than last time, and repeat (leave him a little longer each time)...

It's hard to do, and you feel rotten as you're doing it, but your little boy will soon learn to settle himself down, and you'll start to get more peace and quiet... make a point of putting him in his cot, don't let him sleep in your bed...

stick at it though, and in 2 or 3 weeks, life will start to get easier. The trick is getting them settled into a routine, hardwork with one so young, but it's worth it

If you make it this far first time you're doing great... most people don't have the will power to ignore their baby crying (even though it is just for a few mins)

Answer 4

If you are not close when he wakes he is probably scared. My daughter would panic if she woke on her own, this made life difficult but at nap time I would make sure the radio was on so she didn`t wake to silence, this seemed to work. In the morning I would try to ensure I was in the room when she woke. This lasted for about a month before she settled and could wake without being distressed.

Answer 5

i have had the same problem with my little one, even though it is very distressing for you i wouldn't worry too much there can be a number of reasons why your son is waking up screaming, sometimes they wake up after dreaming and realise theres no one there and get a wee fright also teething sometimes does this, if your really worried talk to your health visitor as i did and they will ease your worries for you
good luck :-)

Answer 6

There could be lots of reasons for this to happen, I suppose. I would think if the lip was pooched out it would be scared of something. Maybe bad dream! If its like a pain scream it could be a gas pain or teething. I know with both of my childern they seem to scream when in pain and stick their lip out when scared or feels are hurt. If it happens every day I would think it would be a gas problem, stomach pain or even teething.

Answer 7

baby wake screaming

Answer 8

Hiya, i had this problem with my eldest girl, we used to get her to go to sleep in our arms and then put her in her cot , thats the only way she would go to sleep, but by doing this as soon as she woke up decause we werent there holding her still, she starts to panick and screams the house down, we were told to put her in the cot awake and she would settle herself of for a nap or all the way through the night so that when she woke up and we weren't there she wouldn't panick, after a while doing this she never screamed when she woke up, with my other younger daughters we put them in the cot fully awake from the start and never had these problems with them, hope this helps.

Answer 9

My little girl suffer from this, i went to see the health visitor and there want called little nightmare, they usually have little nightmare when there born because there reliving the birth, but they can have them later as well and usually it to do with what they have been doing that day that could have funny but really scares them at night when there sleeping, just do what i do, go to the health visitors if it really bad but if they don't last, just console him and tell him it going to be alright, she still get them now and again, but i just do the same and watch what i do during the day, that might scare her when she asleep hope this helps good luck

Answer 10

i have just posted a similar question , my son is 11months and still does this but not only at nap time its all through the night too , i have had a few responses already but nothing i havent already tried . i know this doesnt help you but just wanted you to know your not alone
good luck hope some1 can help