Babies Baby Development Do Babies Dream While They're Sleeping? Have you ever wondered what runs through your little one’s mind while they’re sleeping? Here’s what the experts say about baby dreams. By Nicole Harris Nicole Harris Instagram Nicole Harris joined the team in 2018 as a staff writer and was promoted to SEO editor in 2021. She now covers everything from children's health to parenting trends. Her writing has appeared in Martha Stewart Weddings, Good Housekeeping, The Knot, BobVila.com, and other publications. A graduate of Syracuse University, Nicole currently lives in Queens, New York with her husband. our editorial guidelines Updated on April 1, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email While watching your little one snooze, you probably wonder what's going through their mind. Do those fluttering eyelids, loud sighs, and limb twitches mean anything? It's comforting to believe they're dreaming of your warm embrace, but experts don't know if that's actually possible. Keep reading to learn if babies dream and what they might experience during REM sleep. Getty Images. Do Babies Dream? We may never know for sure if babies dream, says Parents advisor Jodi Mindell, Ph.D, associate director of the Sleep Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Dream researchers depend on study volunteers to tell them if, when, and what they dream—and babies aren't quite up to the task. The Best Baby Sleep Tips Ever We do know, however, that adult dreaming mostly occurs during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Infants spend 50 percent of their snooze time in REM, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. That's almost twice as much time as adults spend. "It would be a logical assumption that babies do dream and that it has something to do with their brain development since they spend so much time in this stage of sleep," says Dr. Mindell. Still, Live Science reports that some neuroscientists doubt babies can dream at all. They claim that infants' brains are too immature to form these abstract thoughts and images. Instead, they believe REM sleep serves a different purpose: allowing the brain to form pathways and promoting cognitive development. What Do Babies Dream About? If babies dream, it's hard to imagine the landscape of their dream world since they don't have language or clear concepts of people and things. It's safe to assume, though, that your baby's dreams would look different from your own. They'd probably resemble their real-life experiences, focusing on sensations (like the feel of breastfeeding) or simple visuals (like their mom's face). 8 Expert-Approved Baby Sleep Strategies You'll Swear By Psychologist David Foulkes, an expert on pediatric dreaming and author of Children's Dreaming and the Development of Consciousness, wrote that true dreaming with structured stories might not happen until children are 7 or 9 years old, when they develop self-awareness and better visualization techniques. Toddlers, preschoolers, and younger children may conjure up simple static images while sleeping. Do Babies Have Nightmares? Chances are, your baby isn't having nightmares, since they don't grasp the meaning of fear yet. "We suspect bad dreams don't happen until kids are 2 or 3 and have a better notion of being afraid and an active imagination that can conjure up boogeymen," says Dr. Mindell. 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 should go away with time. When Do Babies Sleep Through the Night? Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit