Confused about what night terrors are

[Missy Lou]

my DD is 21 months old.  Daylight savings time screwed up her sleep really bad.  i think we're getting back to normal.

i've been reading some other posts about NW and screaming.  about 3 hours DD goes to sleep, she wakes screaming.  she can't go back to sleep without a cuddle.  it's not that bad for me really because it makes her feel better.  DD seems to be an active dreamer because she moves a lot and cries out and whines during the night.  but recently, it's been screaming and crying.  we tried a night light but that just kept her up.

about five nights ago, i just slept on the floor of her room because she kept waking up screaming and would immediately start as soon as i left the room.  i told her that i would stay.  i laid down and then i heard her lay down.  i heard her several times during the night lean over the edge of the crib to see if i was still there.

so i don't know if this is night terrors because i have no idea what they are really.  this screaming has gotten better.  for a week or so after the stupid time change, she'd wake two or three times during the night screaming. 

i don't know if you want her routine but this is generally it:

6 - wake
11:30 - 1:30 - nap
6 - bed

She has always been on the high side of average sleep.

TIA

[andibig]

It doesn't sound like night terrors to me.possibly could be teething or a little bit of sep anx and the GW that you are doing will help her.
Usually with night terrors they are not aware of you.Night terrors in toddlers is called "confusional arousal" and it happens when they try to make the transition from deep sleep to REM and basically they get stuck.
Its usually worse for the parent/s as the child is usually unaware at the time and has no recollection of it the next day,whereas with nightmares they do.
HTH

[Layla]

I also don't think its night terrors as the baby/toddler is not aware of her surroundings when she experiences something like that. If this has only been occuring since daylight savings then could it be also overtiredness??? Was she pushed the whole hour at once?

[Colin Macs Mom]

Melissa, I don't think it has too much to do with the time change, or night terrors. Colin did something similar at that age. I never really did figure it out, but wi/wo was very successful. I always thought it was related to something developmental maybe?

So I'm not very helpful but wanted you to know that it's happened to someone else too 

[Missy Lou]

thanks y'all. 

i just didn't know what night terrors were.  they sound awful though. 

I&J mum - i haven't changed her routine since the time change.  she wakes at the same time but now it's 6 instead of 7    i haven't figured out how to move it back really.  she is so exhausted by 6 p.m. that i hate to push her any longer. 

thanks jess.  i'm glad    colin did the same thing.  it's weird the stuff toddlers do that seems to be common.  it really does help to know addie isn't going through something that other toddlers haven't.

[Layla]

If you do want to change it then rather than keeping her up before bedtime you could add 15mins or so to her nap time (so in the morning rather than before bed). If you do that every 3 days or so... along with delaying mealtimes, etc.... then her body will slowly adjust. She might still wake at 6am the next day but in a couple of days she will wake slightly later, etc...

[Missy Lou]

that's a great idea.  i will try that.