Is crying normal in sleep?

[Kahlan]

Hi,

Just need some advice. My DD is relatively a great sleeper. She had been sleeping through the night quite well and now during the day it only take max 30 minutes for her to settle into her day nap. However, she has a tendency to cry, whinge, grumble before sleep overcomes her. She seems to cry louder for at least 5 minutes especially when I hold and rock her. I often have to wait until she stops crying then I can put her down. As soon as I put her down she would go off to sleep quite easily. Why does she do this? What does my holding her do if she in the end goes off to sleep all by herself? I feel that maybe I shouldn't pick her up at all but I don't want her to cry/whinge in her cot for long. One time she was crying while I held her and the phone rang. I put her down with the view of telling the caller to call back, but as soon as I put her down, answer the phone and come back she is asleep already. What the???? And there are times she would cry really loud while she is actually sleeping. I come to her and her eyes are still closed. Double what the???

[amberj]

I think it all sounds pretty normal. My little man didn't really need to be rocked to sleep, but needed to be rocked to relax so he could put himself to sleep. Often he would cry during the rocking, but it was like he just needed to get it out of his system before he could sleep. I used to call it "rocking out the wiggles", and I too was more comfortable holding him while he did this. Your rocking is probably helping your bubs to get to the point where she can put herself to sleep nice and easily- well done!

As far as crying out during sleep, thats pretty normal too from what I can tell. DS yells out in his sleep lots- freaks me right out, but he is fast asleep and seems fine. They are probably dreaming.

[Amaunet]

My DS is exactly the same - often cries before sleep (sometimes quite hysterically) and then BAM completely crashes and goes to sleep. He also seems to cry in his sleep - a sad "wah wah" cry but when I go in he is still asleep hope its normal!

[ss_storm]

DD is like that too, she'll have a whinge while rubbing her eyes and trying to get her arms out of her wrap until her little eyes eventually close. Sometimes she is worse than others, but I'm just glad that we seem to have gotten to the point where she pretty much goes off to sleep by herself in her cot, well for the moment anyway!

She often cries a bit in her sleep, especially during the night. Have woken a couple of times to her little whimpers thinking she is awake and ready for her night feed but go over to her cot and her eyes are closed and she is still asleep. I just pop her dummy in and she goes quiet again.

[Kahlan]

Thanks girls, makes me feel so much better.

Storm - my girl rubs her eyes as well. Sometimes she would accidentally poke her eye and then would cry even more. Poor thing. Now I put mittens on so she won't scratch her eyes out. She sucks her fingers as well, that saves me having to give her a dummy.

Amberj - yeah I agree. I think she finds my voice soothing. Last night at 4 am she suddenly cries out and as soon as I told her "mummy is here" she calms down and when I held her for a little bit, she smiles and then goes back to sleep when I put her down again. Can't get upset when she does that!

Controlfreak - yeah it freaks me out even now when she does that. Even though I know she would be o.k. I still have to go to her to check. We are planning to move her to her own room and I am most afraid that I would run to her room every time the I hear her over the baby monitor and that would surely wake me up for good as compared to now when I just have to look over at her in the bassinet. Oh well have to train myself to wait for more lould crying than just that few "wah wah".

[ss_storm]

Yep DD has poked her eyes a few times. She used to pull her hair, but hasn't done that for a while. i think her little hands would just crunch up, as they do, only she would have hair stuck in her fist (she was born with a beautiful thick head of hair!). Lately she has been stuffing her hand in her mouth, but I don't think it satisfies her as much as her dummy! They are funny with their little quirks!

[Kahlan]

Yep DD has poked her eyes a few times. She used to pull her hair, but hasn't done that for a while. i think her little hands would just crunch up, as they do, only she would have hair stuck in her fist (she was born with a beautiful thick head of hair!). Lately she has been stuffing her hand in her mouth, but I don't think it satisfies her as much as her dummy! They are funny with their little quirks!

Haha... my girl pulls my hair instead.. same thing, she gets worked up and then crunched her fingers, unfortunately my hair always seems to be in the way.

On a good note she is settling very well, less whinging/crying before sleep today