https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 14 May 2026 00:40:41 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-to-do-with-a-toddler-who-wakes-up-screaming-at-night#post-1241393 Mon, 25 Nov 2013 11:57:49 +0000 leelee 1241393@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD has been doing this. I'm not sure if it's nightmares but she wakes up screaming bloody murder around 4am once a week. We calm her down by letting her watching Barney for 5 minutes. Then put her back into bed. It kinda feels like hitting the reset button lol because afterwards she lays in her bed plays for a minute then falls back asleep. It's probably against all the parenting books to do that but it works for us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-to-do-with-a-toddler-who-wakes-up-screaming-at-night#post-1241360 Mon, 25 Nov 2013 11:52:10 +0000 Mamaof2 1241360@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DD (2.5yr) uses a fleece zip up sleeper on the really cold nights!</p> <p>Have you tried anything else or do you just bring him to your bed? I would check on him, tell him its time for sleep and leave. If he gets up again do the same thing. At this point he may realize "hey if I scream I get to sleep with mommy and daddy" :wink: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-to-do-with-a-toddler-who-wakes-up-screaming-at-night#post-1241209 Mon, 25 Nov 2013 11:15:42 +0000 autumnlove 1241209@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@whodat: My LO is almost 23 months and she tolerates it! We use a Halo without holes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-to-do-with-a-toddler-who-wakes-up-screaming-at-night#post-1241188 Mon, 25 Nov 2013 11:10:01 +0000 whodat 1241188@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: Oh he's wide awake, standing up, yelling things. It got harder to ignore him when he started being able to yell "Mommy". Also my 7 year old gets annoyed and comes in our room and complains if we let him yell too long. I wish he could go sleep in her bed instead of ours! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-to-do-with-a-toddler-who-wakes-up-screaming-at-night#post-1241132 Mon, 25 Nov 2013 10:58:56 +0000 mrs. wagon 1241132@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@whodat: Wagon Jr. wore a sleep sack well into 3 years old!! He's short for his age, though. </p> <p>Both my kids do this. every night. They both STTN but I don't because one or both of them are screaming every hour or two. They both fall back asleep on their own (the few times we tried to bring them into our bed they just got wide awake and wanted to play) with their loveys but I'm always anxious and guilt-ridden, listening to them scream. I'm ALWAYS worried they're too cold or too hot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-to-do-with-a-toddler-who-wakes-up-screaming-at-night#post-1241124 Mon, 25 Nov 2013 10:57:26 +0000 looch 1241124@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son was in a sleepsack until he was 2, halo makes ones with feet holes.</p> <p>Is he awake or asleep when he's having the screaming sessions? My son does it when he's still asleep so I just go to his side and rub his back until he calms down., seems to work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-to-do-with-a-toddler-who-wakes-up-screaming-at-night#post-1241114 Mon, 25 Nov 2013 10:55:54 +0000 whodat 1241114@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: Varies, usually between 2 and 4 though. </p> <p>@autumnlove: Could try that. Although he's pretty big for a sleep sack. Do people put their two year olds in sleep sacks? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-to-do-with-a-toddler-who-wakes-up-screaming-at-night#post-1241084 Mon, 25 Nov 2013 10:50:11 +0000 lizzywiz 1241084@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wonder about this, too. Mine is 18 months and has always been a handful in the sleep department, but now she is clearly just asking for our attention as opposed to needing anything. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-to-do-with-a-toddler-who-wakes-up-screaming-at-night#post-1241072 Mon, 25 Nov 2013 10:48:41 +0000 autumnlove 1241072@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I ignore most whimpering but I get up to check on screams and it usually stops by the time I get to her door.</p> <p>Can you try a sleep sack so he doesn't kick off his covers? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-to-do-with-a-toddler-who-wakes-up-screaming-at-night#post-1241051 Mon, 25 Nov 2013 10:45:24 +0000 mrbee 1241051@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@whodat: What time does he wake up? Lately Charlie (4 years old) has been waking up around 2-4 am a fair amount... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-to-do-with-a-toddler-who-wakes-up-screaming-at-night#post-1241030 Mon, 25 Nov 2013 10:40:42 +0000 whodat 1241030@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>At long last my son started sleeping through the night at about a year, but recently he has more and more often been waking up in the middle of the night hollering and screaming. At first we would just let him CIO, but my husband is a softie and started bringing him in the bed with us. Now he's almost 2 and it's getting to the point where he ends up sleeping with us almost every night. </p> <p>He rarely has a problem falling to sleep at night, as long as he has his pacifier, his Cookie Monster and his blanket. Most of the toddler sleep problems I've read about are when the toddler doesn't want to go to bed in the evening. This guy has a problem waking up at night. And to add to it, now it's cold at night and I worry that if we leave him to CIO, he will freeze without his blanket.</p> <p>Any advice? I don't think it's nightmares because he starts out just whining and then escalates to screaming "Mommy Daddy!" if we let him cry for a while. </p>