nightmares?

Does anyone know how old babies are before they start having vivid dreams or nightmares? A few times now, Aurelia has awoken from a dream quite distraught and the type of cry she makes sounds as though she's frightened. She's only 3 1/2 months. Do you suppose she could be having bad dreams?

No, I don't think so... I have read somewhere that toddlers can start having night terrors at about 2 - 2.5yrs old but I wouldn't think at 3.5 months old. Maybe she is waking because she suddenly has a pain. I found with my 3 month old that I would pick him up after waking screaming in what seemed to be terror and then out came a loud belch. Is it normally after you have just fed or is it well into the night?

Actually, I am pretty sure that babies can have nightmares. I remember Jack seemed to have one very young and I asked the MCHN who said that yes, babies definitely can have them. So most likely that's what happened. It is very normal and nothing to worry about.

Alex started having night terrors at 10 months old - this has been "officially" diagnosed ( as much as they can do with these things). We have been told on a number of occasions that this is extremely rare for night terrors to start at that age - "normally" they start around 2 years of age.

Dreaming on the otherhand from my understanding happens from a very early age.

I think Charlotte dreams. She often has loud screams or cries, but when you go to her is sound asleep - I'm sure she must be dreaming. If she is anything like me she'll have VERY vivid dreams ALL the time! lol poor thing!
I wouldnt have thought it was anything to worry about unless he gets inconsolable though...?

Yes for sure babies can dream. I used to watch my baies and you could tell. The little jumps the kicks, the eye twitches and even the smiles. And now that they are 8 and 10 they are very vivid dreamers and sleepwalkers just like their mummy...lol. Not such a great trait to pass down...

thanks for your replies.

I'm quite sure she has dreams because she smiles, sucks and moves around in her sleep. I read somewhere that there's evidence to suggest that babies dream in utero! Because they have R.E.M, i believe. Anyhoo, I feel bad for her having nightmares! Poor little thing. What could a tiny baby be having nightmares about?!

I think that Charlottes first dreams (and bad dreams) were about her C/S...she would scrunch her face up and violently throw her head back and the arms would shoot up in the air and would let out this gut wrenching scream....For the first 2 days thats how she dreamt...it really was quite horrible. A c/s real ymust be quite traumatic for them i spose..

She has much nicer dreams now where she moans and sighs and stretches...:) Love watching them sleep :)