All About Nightmares in Babies

While it’s no surprise that older children have nightmares, it can be especially heartbreaking to think that your little baby could experience a nightmare. While they are rarer the younger your baby is, nightmares in babies do happen.

If your baby wakes up at night crying, while rare, a nightmare could be the cause. Read on for more about when babies to start having nightmares, why babies have nightmares, how to prevent nightmares in babies, and what to do if your baby has a nightmare.

Can Babies Have Nightmares?

Nightmares and dreams in babies are a mystery––even for adults, dreams are a puzzling topic!

There are lots of arguments around whether a younger baby’s brain is mature enough to have nightmares. Since nightmares are dreams that wake you up, it’s also hard to know for sure if your baby is waking because they are hungry (which is very common in newborns and young babies) or because of a nightmare. It’s common for children to have their first nightmare between ages 1.5 and 2 years old, which is when they are old enough to communicate their nightmare to do.

On the other hand, some experts believe young babies can have nightmares because they spend so much time in the REM cycle of sleep, which is the stage of sleep where dreaming happens. However, it’s hard to know for sure.

Newborns and young babies don’t sleep through the night and wake often at night crying because they are hungry. Since they can’t verbally communicate, it’s hard to know if they are waking up due to a nightmare.

Why do Babies Have Nightmares?

Nightmares are dreams that wake you up and are a normal part of your child’s development. Your baby's growing imagination can lead to them to have both good dreams and bad dreams, or nightmares.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, nightmares are very common––about half of all kids between ages 3 and 6 will have a nightmare. Babies can have nightmares for different reasons, and different situations can increase their frequency.

If your baby is sick, stressed, or sleeping away from home they may be more likely to have a nightmare. If your baby seems to be having nightmares often, speak to your pediatrician.

When do Babies Start Having Nightmares?

It’s common for a baby to have their first nightmare between 1.5 and 2-years-old. However, some babies are thought to be able to have nightmares as early as 6 months. They typically peak between ages 3 and 5.

It’s unknown if a newborn’s brain is mature enough to have a nightmare.

What Do Babies Have Nightmares About?

There’s no way to know for sure what a baby has a nightmare about––or if they even have them.

For children, oftentimes nightmares can be about something that happened during their day or from a book they read or show they watched. The same goes for good dreams.

What to do if Your Baby Has a Nightmare

If your baby wakes up from a bad dream or is having a nightmare, they likely will wake up upset and call for you. Comforting them with lots of cuddles and reassurance usually can help them relax and fall back asleep.

For a child who can explain to you what their nightmare was about, let them share their nightmare with you. You explain how a nightmare is not real and just a bad dream to help them make sense of it and feel more comfortable going back to bed.

How to Prevent Nightmares in Babies

Unfortunately, everyone will experience a bad dream in their life. However, there are some ways to reduce or prevent nightmares in babies:

• Follow the same bedtime routine every night––consistency helps provide safety and security

• Read happy stories, and don’t allow scary shows, before bed

• Explain how any nightmare they may have had was not real and just a dream

• Remind your baby that you are close by and that they are safe

• Put your baby to sleep according to their wake windows to ensure their sleep is in line with their natural rhythm and prevent overtiredness or stress before bed; the Smart Sleep Coach by Pampers™ app has real-time notifications to remind you when their sleep time is approaching

The Bottom Line

No one wants their baby to have a nightmare but it’s a normal part of growing up. While there’s no one way to prevent or protect your baby from having a nightmare, there are ways to reduce the risk that they happen.

If your baby seems to be having nightmares often, or if you’re unsure if they are having a nightmare, speak to your pediatrician. They may have additional advice or guidance personalized to you and your little one.

_{How We Wrote This Article The information in this article is based on the expert advice found in trusted medical and government sources, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. You can find a full list of sources used for this article below. The content on this page should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult medical professionals for full diagnosis and treatment.}