While watching your little one snooze, you probably wonder what do babies dream about. Do those fluttering eyelids, loud sighs, and limb twitches mean anything?
Baby’s dreams are particularly difficult to study, especially before they start to talk. In order to find the answer, we searched the web for some research that might shine some light on the subject.
Do babies have dreams?
Adults dream during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and infants have loads of REM. Therefore, it might be fair to assume that babies have tons of dreams. But neuroscientists believe that it serves a completely different purpose for newborns and infants than just dreaming. When babies are in REM, it allows their brain to develop pathways, connections, and eventually, learn languages.
What do babies dream about?
Perhaps they conjure up huge smiling faces, giant-tongued dogs licking their toes, or even their mama playing a game of peek-a-boo. Of course, babies can’t speak, so it’s natural to wonder: Do babies have dreams? And if so, what do babies dream about?
If babies do dream, with such limited language skills and sense of self, what are they dreaming of? They’re certainly not able to muster up the magical holiday scenes which adults may regularly dream of.
Unfortunately, it’s not until a baby starts to talk that we can fully understand what really happens when they sleep. We need them to put into words the world of their dreams.
Do babies have nightmares?
Chances are, your baby isn’t having nightmares, since they don’t grasp the meaning of fear yet. We presume bad dreams don’t happen until kids are 2 or 3 years old with a better notion of being afraid and an active imagination that can conjure up boogeymen.
Still, it can be disconcerting to watch your baby twitch, make noises, or flail their limbs during their slumber. Experts say not to worry, though: This startle reflex occurs naturally as babies develop motor skills, and it would go away with time.
Even if when they can talk, a kid’s dreams will likely remain a mystery for parents. So, it’s a guessing game until children are able to string enough words together to describe their nightly visions.
Conclusion
You don’t need to worry about what your baby is dreaming about? It turns out that babies don’t start having vivid dreams until about two years old. Your baby isn’t having nightmares because they don’t yet understand the meaning of fear.
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