Nightmares can be really fearful for both child and parent. Even more so when your child have nightmares frequently. Nightmares happen during the REM (rapid eye movement) stage of sleep. They could change in length, but the child will normally recall what was about in their nightmare. On the other hand, night terrors usually happen about an hour or two after the child has gone to sleep, and may hold up anywhere from a few minutes to an hour.  They happen when the non-REM part of sleep, and although his eyes are wide open, the child is asleep the entire time.  When he wakes up though, he’ll not remember any of it.

To avoid your child having any those of the nightmares or night terrors, make sure the period before bedtime is a peaceful, quiet and restful time for everyone. But if your child cry and awake after a nightmare, do help to comfort him. Say something pleasant to soothe and assure him that mommy or daddy is always by their side and here for them.

Before you put your child to bed, you can do something to make your him feel calm and peaceful. Babies feel the voices of their parents is very soothing, so talk softly to your child before he goes to sleep, maybe you could try by softly singing a lullaby or telling a short story.  This will also help after the child wakes.  As a parents it’s important to remain calm.  If you’re tense up, your baby will feel that and it will make it even harder to get him calmed down again.

Make sure you can clearly hear your child if he cries out in the night.  That’s one situation where you’ll find baby monitors are such useful devices.  It’s important to response to your little one as soon as possible in order to soothe and reassure him.  If you should hear him cry out, don’t wake him if he has not woken up on his own.  Stay with him to until he goes back to sleep peacefully.  Keep in mind that you try not to let him sleep with you after a nightmare, either.  This may end up having a negative effect and giving the effect that he should be afraid of his own room and bed. If it becomes habit, it could become a difficult one to break.