Is DS having nightmares?

[ark]

When do they start to have nightmares?  Lately about once every 10 days or so DS wakes up crying and won't let me leave his room.  If I stay there until he falls asleep he'll wake up again 15 min later crying.

Last night I finally brought him to bed with me (I know AP).  He fell asleep right away, but about 10 minutes later his breathing got really fast then he started crying again.  This went on every 30 min - 2 hours all night. 

Any ideas?

[speechie]

Hi Andrea- I've noticed my DS has started nightmares off and on the past few weeks and they are roughly the same age. Sometimes one of us has to go into his room and rock him for a minute, other times Nick just calls out and then is back to sleep on his own.
i know it's nightmares because it's fearful and in the second half of the night (after 2AM). WE've gone through nightterrors at 9 mos old and that usually happens in the first 2 hours of sleep, but they don't remember it and aren't awake at all.
Hugs and hope that clarifies things a bit...

[ark]

Thanks for the info.  This usually happens about 4 hours or so after he's been sleeping.  He is definitely awake though.  He's always been a good sleeper, and in the past if he did wake I would just go in and tell him it was still night time and he would go back to sleep.  Not with these though.

Hmm.. I'm going to have to figure something other then him sleeping with me to get through these I guess.  If I hold him for a few minutes it doesn't seem to work.  If I ask if he's ready to go back to bed he panics.

[speechie]

Is there a rocker in his room, so you could hold him, reassure him verbally and then when drowsy, put into bed and rub his back? I know it takes a little more comforting now that they are older and their fears are growing...

[ark]

I'll try it.  Last time I took him out and held him until he was about to go back to sleep, but the second I stood up and moved toward his crib he started to panic, but I don't remember if I went ahead and continued to put him in his crib or not.