A Dad’s Guide to Baby Night Terrors
By Nurse Dad
I’ve never moved so fast in my life.
One minute, I was finally settling in for some well-earned sleep. The next, I heard a scream—like a horror movie scream—coming from the baby monitor.
I sprinted down the hall, fully convinced we were being robbed, haunted, or both.
What I found was even weirder:
My daughter was standing in her crib, eyes wide open, SCREAMING… but not responding to me.
Not looking at me.
Not calming down.
Just… screaming.
I was terrified.
She? Apparently asleep.
Welcome to baby night terrors—something I didn’t even know existed until I lived through it.
Okay, What Is a Night Terror?
Let’s break it down real simple:
It’s not a nightmare. It’s not a tantrum. It’s not even fully “awake.”
A night terror is a type of sleep disturbance that happens during deep, non-REM sleep. It’s kind of like your baby gets “stuck” between sleep stages—and their brain short-circuits.
Your baby might:
- Scream, cry, or thrash around
- Sit or stand up
- Breathe heavy, sweat, or shake
- Look awake… but be totally unresponsive
They won’t recognize you.
They won’t calm down.
And here’s the kicker:
They won’t remember any of it.
Why It Happens
Turns out, babies’ brains are still figuring out how to sleep. Add in:
- Skipped naps
- Going to bed too late
- Teething, fevers, growth spurts
- Travel or new routines
- Even a family history of sleep issues
…and you’ve got a perfect recipe for a night terror.
In our case? She had a packed day, no nap, late bedtime. Boom—terror mode.
What the Heck Are You Supposed to Do?
If you Google while panicking (like I did), the advice is pretty consistent:
DO:
- Stay calm. (Hard, but doable.)
- Gently make sure your kid is safe.
- Let it run its course.
- Talk softly or stay nearby if that seems to help.
DON’T:
- Don’t try to wake them. Seriously—it doesn’t work.
- Don’t flip on lights or talk loud.
- Don’t take it personally when your comfort isn’t comforting.
Most episodes last 5–15 minutes. It feels like a lifetime—but they go right back to sleep afterward like nothing happened. Meanwhile, you’re left emotionally destroyed in the hallway.
When You Should Worry
Talk to your pediatrician if:
- It happens multiple times a week
- They sleepwalk, fall, or get hurt
- Episodes last longer than 30 minutes
- You just have that “dad gut feeling” that something’s off
Keeping a quick log of bedtime, naps, and episodes helps if you’re trying to spot patterns.
What Helped at Our House
Once we knew what we were dealing with, I went full Dad Mode and started testing what worked. Here’s what helped:
- Earlier bedtime by 30–45 minutes
- Predictable routine before bed (bath, book, snuggle, no wrestling)
- No screens or wild play after dinner
- Keeping naps on schedule (even if she fights them)
We didn’t eliminate them completely—but we cut the frequency big time.
And more importantly, I wasn’t panicking anymore.
Dad to Dad: Final Thoughts
The first time it happened, I was scared out of my mind.
I thought something was seriously wrong. I thought I wasn’t doing enough. I thought I messed up.
But here’s the truth:
Night terrors happen.
You didn’t cause it.
You can’t fix it in the moment.
And your kid won’t even remember it.
But you will.
You’ll remember how you stood in the dark, making sure they were safe.
How you stayed calm even when your instincts told you to freak out.
How you showed up.
That’s fatherhood, man.
Showing up in the middle of the night—even when it makes no sense.
Have You Been Through This?
Drop a comment or message me. Let’s compare war stories, share what worked, and remind each other that we’re all just figuring this out one weird, sleepless night at a time.