Waking up in a panic looking for my son who sleeps in a different room.?

Question

I have a 7 month old who slept with me in bed til he was 2 months old. At 2 months he slept in a bassinet next to my bed and then at 4 months he started sleeping in his crib in his nursery. So he has been sleeping in his own crib for 3 months. Since he started sleeping in his crib I have been waking up in the middle of the night in a panic looking for him, and I mean LOOKING for him, feeling around the bed, looking on the floor and I don't snap out of if for a few minutes. It happens about every other night, and its even to the point that if my Husband moves in bed I grab him and make him stop so he doesn't roll over on the baby. Its really weird and its kinda freaking me out. Has this ever happened to you, and if it has what is it and how can I fix it?

Thanks!

Answer 1

hahaha I used to have this exact same thing! and so did my step sis. I was actually going to ask on here if it was something that happend to alot of mothers. I never even slept with my baby and i used to get it. I would wake up with a fright and I was convinced I had brung baby into bed to feed her and fallen asleep and I would be searching wildly for her. When I saw her sleeping in her bassinet I would be so relieved!! It went away on its own after a few weeks. Good luck

Answer 2

That might be some kind of postpartum anxiety? I haven't had any episodes like that (and our son co-slept in our room until he was 8 months old) BUT the other morning at 4am my husband got up to pee and I said, 'WHERE'S THE BABY? DON'T STEP ON THE BABY!' for some reason (half asleep) I thought our baby had crawled into our room; which of course there was no way possible because he's in his nursery IN his crib.

I think as Mothers we just have the baby on our mind CONSTANTLY and when we're asleep we probably DO still have the baby on our mind and that's why it's blending into our dreams .... and everything else! =]

I've also noticed that since I've had my son, when I go to sleep at night I'm exhausted; I instantly fall asleep when my head hits the pillow. Whereas before he was born, it would take me a while to wind down and fall asleep. I think that having a baby wears us out physically (and a little emotionally) and when we sleep, that is our 'alone time'  .. and the thought of the baby comes into our minds even then.

Answer 3

Yeah, I think its just gonna take you a while to relax and get used to him sleeping in the other room. Even though he's been in there for 3 months I think on some subconscious level your still worried, which is fine too. I remember before I had my daughter I would sleep heavily, then after she was born up till now (shes 3) I sleep so lightly, I mean I would wake up if she moved the slightest bit. I also used to wake up, worried, and making sure she was ok. In fact most of the time I couldn't sleep b/c I was so restless. I guess I was so worried about SIDS or one of the many other hundred things mothers of infants worry about, that I just couldn't wind down enough to sleep. I think its pretty normal, probably just anxiety on some subconscious level, it will just take time for you to get over. Maybe before you go to sleep just talk to yourself quietly and tell yourself several times that the baby is not sleeping in your bed tonight and that he is fine sleeping in his room.  

Answer 4

completley normal!! Heck I've looked for babies I don't even have! When my oldest was like 4 months I " woke up" trying to find the OTHER baby. I had a dream I had twins and couldn't find one of them. My baby always starts out in her crib and ends up in my bed by morning. on the days she doesn't do this I completley panick and search everywhere before remembering i never got her out of bed. I sometimes just wake up from a dead sleep and have to go check on her and my 6yr old!