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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Do your children cry when they wake up?

37 replies

LittleMilla · 18/02/2013 20:41

Ds is 21 mo and nearly always cries when he wakes up. It's always worse when he wakes up too early and won't go back to sleep. Less so when he gets to 7am like this morning tho.

Had sis in law to stay his weekend who has commented how "sad" he seems. Granted, they had to listen to him at 5.30am having a massive whinge. But as much as I hate her commenting, I'm wondering if we've become desensitised??

Is this normal?

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MoreSnowPlease · 18/02/2013 20:51

This reply has been withdrawn

Withdrawn at poster's request

dikkertjedap · 18/02/2013 20:56

No, but we co-slept. First thing when dd opened her eyes she used to give me this massive smile and then she would want a cuddle.

Titchyboomboom · 18/02/2013 20:57

Until dd was 2 she cried every time she woke! I thought they all did it until a friend asked how I know when dd is awake.. Errrr she screams, doesn't yours? Apparently not!

stargirl1701 · 18/02/2013 20:59

Yes, DD screams upon wakening from every nap. She doesn't cry in the morning though. She has silent reflux and I assume she's in less pain because she hasn't eaten overnight.

Notquiteinsane · 18/02/2013 20:59

My DD is 2 and has ALWAYS cried as soon as she has woken from any sleep, nap, full night, middle of the night, whatever! She does now have a little cry and then stop and as long as she has had enough sleep will just chill out until I get her (well, actually having moved her into a bed she now trots out) But I have had people comment on it too...have never found a reason for it, is just her i suppose! Interesting that others do it too! :) I have always put it down to the fact that, despite not wanting to miss out on anything, she really likes her sleep and takes a while to accept that she is awake.

Thisisaeuphemism · 18/02/2013 20:59

DS always cried on waking - he's a lovely 12 yr old now although slightly miserable...
I don't know what it is - I wonder if it's a personality thing...

moogalicious · 18/02/2013 21:01

Yes ds used to cry when he woke - he was also an early riser but don't know if that's related. If your ds is a light sleeper (as mine was/is) do you think something is waking him eg heating coming on, curtains not thick enough.

He grew out of the crying (but is still an early riser )

PoppyWearer · 18/02/2013 21:02

I'd say about 50/50, whether I co-sleep or not.

But then 18mo DC2 does have some issues with trapped wind (am thinking a food allergy of some kind, he is too old for colic) and that does wake him up at times, then he whinges/cries until he can "relieve" himself (sorry TMI!).

pettyprudence · 18/02/2013 21:02

My ds cries at waking if he is still tired (like this morning and afternoon - urgh!) but if he has slept well he wakes up and has a chat with his bear

moogalicious · 18/02/2013 21:02

^^ yes ds is 8 and is still really moany when tired!

Original poster

LittleMilla · 18/02/2013 21:06

Thx for replies, reassuring to know he's not alone. He went through a teenage toddler phase recently where he didn't wake until 7.45? He would wake up and lie in bed chattering until we went in. Then proudly tell me he'd "done poo".

The waking is random which makes me think it's more over tiredness. Generally coincides with him going to bed too late.

Crying hadnt bothered me much but her comments irked me.

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ceebeegeebies · 18/02/2013 21:08

Neither of mine did - not even when they were newborns. When they wanted a feed in the middle of the night , they would wake us up by fidgeting and wriggling, not through crying.

When DS1 moved to his own room, we would know he was awake as he had a cot toy that played music which he could activate himself...so we were often woken up by that

Ds2 never did, and never has, woken up in the middle of the night since he was 10 weeks old

Original poster

LittleMilla · 18/02/2013 21:08

Sorry, should say early waking

OP posts:

moogalicious · 18/02/2013 21:08

Ignore! My Fil said it wasn't normal to cry on waking. Well, it was normal for my ds!

CitizenOscar · 18/02/2013 21:35

Mine used to every time. Now (20 months) only if he's lonely or upset. Mostly I hear him chatting to himself. But that is quite recent, before that he always cried on waking.

Wewereherefirst · 18/02/2013 21:37

DS1 used to coo and talk to himself for a bit DS2 (12M) always wakes up and cries/screams. No matter what the time, or where he sleeps.

It makes me so sad, I wish he could be happy when he wakes!

MrsDonnieDarko · 18/02/2013 21:45

Normal for a lot of kids and it certainly doesn't mean he's 'sad'. Both my boys have done this. DS1 grew out of it when he was about 2 and a half but even then would wake after a nap and be 'touchy' and a bit tempremental til he was about 3. Even now at 5, he doesn't wake up crying or moaning but I have never know him wake up with a smile! DS2 is 1 year old and still going strong with the crying on waking up! It's normal for us. They do grow out of it!! Have you tried offering a snack to them on waking up. Sometimes their blood sugar gets a bit low and they need a bit or perking up when they wake up. Sometimes a digestive biscuit and some grapes would snap my DS1 right out of it, other times it would frustrate him more and he just needed a few minutes cry. DS2 is pretty much always distracted by a snack!

Original poster

LittleMilla · 18/02/2013 21:50

Everyone that knows me can attest that I am normally in a pretty foul mood unless I've had a good 8 hour sleep (it's been a looooong 21 months ). Maybe he just follows me?

I like the snack suggestion. He nearly always asks for cereal as soon as he's up...which we tend to try and hold off until 7am for on early days a la ferber's book. He was a prolific early waker and it was only when we read this book that we had the moment that we'd conditioned him to need milk/food at 5am by giving it to him every day!

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ChairmanWow · 19/02/2013 07:47

Everyone has to have an opinion, don't they. Babies and toddlers cry because they are trying to communicate something not because they're sad or depressed!

My 23 m o goes through phases of this too. He's in one at the moment. We have given him milk on waking in the past but this encourages him to wake earlier and earlier - last summer it ended up at 4.30. Eeek! Now he gets his milk at 6, toys in the cot and up at 7. Tends to keep a lid on it.

Sunshine200 · 19/02/2013 10:11

My 17 month dd has always cried on waking. She cries until I take her out of her cot. I thought it was normal until friends mentioned about theirs chatting. If she wakes in the night she also cries out.

rrreow · 19/02/2013 13:56

21mo DS usually cries upon waking, especially if it's in the middle of the night. Occasionally he will babble to himself (usually if it's morning or after his nap).

mmmerangue · 19/02/2013 14:00

DS cries 90% of the time (upon waking). 3 months ago when he was 21 MO, it was 99.9% of the time.

Twattergy · 19/02/2013 16:38

Ds 16 mo has always cried on waking...don't think he is sad, just a bit groggy and wants a cuddle/attention. Looks like he'll grow out of it from what others have posted. I'd be really annoyed if someone implied it was wrong in some way! It's just what he does. although its annoying coz it means I can't leave him when he wakes up early

Original poster

LittleMilla · 19/02/2013 18:01

Sister in law has a 9 week old that isn't yet allowed to whimper without boob being shoved in her mouth. So she's obviously an expert now .

Very reassuring to hear that DS seems to be very normal and we're not evil parents.

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Ridersofthestorm · 23/02/2013 21:47

My 8mo ds will whinge when he wakes up in the night and then cry really loudly once I enter the room. I am still feeding of a night so he screams untIl he gets his milk haha bless him. Sometimes he will wake up crying because he just wants a cuddle of his mummy or daddy.

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